According to my Standard World Paper Money Catalog, these appear to be the 1915 issue of the Chinese Market Stabilization Currency Bureau, 40 and 50 Coppers denominations - Pick #601 and 602. I can't identify the varieties (there are many), but they look to be uncirculated and are listed in the $100-$125 range in that condition ($20-$40 in VF). Do a little eBay searching in China Paper Money under completed auctions, to get a better idea of market value.
The notes with the red & green obverses have a denomination of "50 Coppers" and were issued in 1915 in Henan (Honan). The notes with the brown & green obverses have a denomination of "40 Coppers" and were issued in 1915 in Zhili (Chihli). Gary
There are actually two signatures and the signatures are printed not handwritten. Many Chinese notes have the signatures or seals of the two highest officials at the bank, namely the governor & general manager. Your note was issued by the Ministry of Finance. I am unable to read the names but the two signatures would be the two highest officers at the ministry. Gary
Thanks a billion guys, so kind of you to take the time to share your knowledge and provide a starting point for researching these notes.
A friend inherited them from his father-in-law who was a marine in World War II. After Japan surrendered they went into China for a bit and it is assumed that is when he picked up these notes. There are a few other notes from Japan and other SE Asia countries but I have no pictures of them. My friend says there are some Chinese notes counter-stamped by the Japanese too (or vice versa perhaps), but I haven't seen those.
That sounds like reasonable provenance. But I wouldn't trust anything coming out of China today to be genuine.
