Le Duc Thuy, Central bank governor, says Vietnam decided on the changes to make the money structure more reasonable and to better fight against counterfeits, and demonstrated the notes’ durability by dipping one specimen into a glass of water.

The 500,000 dong notes, which are greenish blue, have a portrait of the country’s first president Ho Chi Minh on the front, and shows his Kim Lien commune home on the other side. The redesigned 50,000 dong notes are light brown and depict Vietnam’s old citadel of Hue.

Both notes feature 15 security features, including a watermark, colourless printing visible only in ultraviolet light and numerals that can be seen only when the currency is held level.

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