Piastre-dollar Exchanbge rates

From: Peter Hansen <phansen@ourladys.org.au>

Date: Oct 7, 2006 5:16 PM

Subject: [Vsg] Piastre-dollar Exchanbge rates

Dear List,

I have a nasty feeling that this question has been asked before and I didn’t pay enough

attention at the time (in which case apologies), but where might I find information as to

the exchange rate for the currency of the Republic of Vietnam to the US dollar for the

period 1954-63?

Thanks,

Peter Hansen

From: vgn@pacific.net.sg <vgn@pacific.net.sg>

Date: Oct 9, 2006 2:36 AM

Subject: Re: [Vsg] Piastre-dollar Exchanbge rates

You may want to contact the State Bank of Vietnam www.sbv.gov.vn at nhnn@sbv.gov.vn for

further enquiries.

From: Dan Tsang <dtsang@lib.uci.edu>

Date: Oct 7, 2006 6:53 PM

Subject: Re: [Vsg] Piastre-dollar Exchange rates

Peter: At the UCI Libraries we have access to Global Financial Data

(http://www.globalfinancialdata.com) which

gives the following tables for VN (see below). Perhaps your Univ.

has access.

Viet Nam Dong Black Market

Date range: 1961-1998

Located in: VIET NAM->Exchange Rates

Indochina Piastre Black Market Rate

Date range: 1947-1948

Located in: VIET NAM->Exchange Rates

Viet Nam Dong

Date range: 1884-2006

Located in: VIET NAM->Exchange Rates

South Viet Nam Piastre

Date range: 1930-1978

Located in: VIET NAM->Exchange Rates

South Viet Nam Piastre Black Market Exchange Rate

Date range: 1955-1975

Located in: VIET NAM->Exchange Rates

A note indicates:

In South Viet Nam, the official exchange rate was set at 1 Piastre = 10

French Francs, or 1 U.S. Dollar = 35 Piastres on December 29, 1954, though

the free rate was about 73.5 Piastres to the Dollar. A U.S. Scrip Rate of

1 U.S. Dollar = 118 VNP was introduced on August 31, 1965, devaluting to

275 On October 3, 1970. Frequent devaluations followed until the black

market rate hit 5000 VNP to the dollar during the fall of Saigon in 1975.

On September 22, 1975, old South Viet Nam Piastres were exchanged for 1

new South Viet Nam Dong, and 1 North Viet Nam Dong = 0.8 South Viet Nam

Dong. The new South Dong had an official rate of 1.51 South Dong = 1 U.S.

Dollar, falling to 1.85 SD per U.S. Dollar on January 16, 1976. In

September 1976 the exchange rate was established at 2.130857 SD = 1 SDR.

On May 3, 1978, the North and South Viet Nam Dong were replaced by the

Viet Nam Dong which was set at 2.66358 Dong = 1 SDR, falling to 3.06459

Dong on November 5, 1980 and 10.37883 Dong on July 6, 1981. Multiple

exchange rates prevailed. The Dong was reformed on September 14, 1985 with

10 Old Dong = 1 New Dong with a basic rate of 15 Dong = U.S. Dollar,

though with multiple rates existing for various purposes. The Dong began

to float in 1991.

Another note indicates:

Black market rates are monthly averages for wire transfers from New York

to each country. Black market rates are taken from Franz Pick, Pick's

Currency Yearbook, New York: Pick's World Currency Report (1951-1995).

Data from 1995 are based upon the operational rates of exchange used by

the United Nations for personnel in those countries.

dan

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