I was in Ho Chi Minh City two weeks ago. I bought a t-shirt from a street vendor. I gave him local currency, and he ran down to the corner currency exchange and returned with change in USD -- Three uncirculated $1.00 notes. One of them was a star note.
That's quite a unique situation you experienced. Three crisp, uncirculated notes ... two in number sequence and one a star ... all from, of all places, a street vendor. I don't get that lucky in a bank, let alone on the street. As was mentioned, things are changing big-time in Nam. China's aggressive naval build-up and encroachment into the South China Sea has Vietnam alarmed. A long and bad history of Chinese oppression exist between the two. This, plus needing a partner for stable economic development, is attracting Vietnam to seek us as her protector. Quite a change from the warfare of the late '60s and early '70s. Good for the two of us!!! Hopefully you won't mind my asking, but what was your interest in visiting Saigon [HCMC]?
I have to believe that there is an element of customer service that exists in some other countries that isn't apparent as much in the USA usually. People whose every livelihood is tied into the customer service they provide are more apt to please the customer. I think that your tee shirt seller really complimented you by going and buying up US $1 and giving you fresh clean notes. This is why are Asian economies successful.
Since they are brand new, no doubt they came from a banking institute. I guess so many of us Americans can't travel abroad, is because our money goes without us. lol
I love how the two sequential 2009's were from the New York bank, but the star was from Atlanta! I assumed they would all have been from NY.
