Note of the Month: China 100 Yuan

Posted on 11/25/2025

China's groundbreaking aerospace commemorative was issued a decade ago, and it is one of the most popular notes in the PMG Population Report.

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Country: China

Catalog Number: 910

Date: 2015

Denomination: 100 Yuan

Varieties: There are several varieties in the PMG Population Report: 910er for Early Releases, 910fr for First Releases and 910fdi for First Day of Issue.

What makes it special? This is China's fourth commemorative banknote, and it raised the bar with 300 million printed. Its impressive design pays tribute to China's aerospace achievements: The front of the note shows (from left) the spherical Dong Fang Hong 1 satellite that was launched in 1970; the Tiangong-1 space station, which was launched in 2011; Shenzhou 9, China's first crewed mission, which was launched in 2012 and docked with Tiangong-1; and the boxy Chang’e 1, China's first mission to the moon, which was launched in 2007.

Did you know? The back of the note shows a progression of flight, from a bird to Chang’e 1. Right above the bird is the biplane of Feng Ru, a Chinese aviation pioneer who became the first aviator in California in 1909. After living in the United States several years and establishing an airplane company, he returned to his native China in 1911 to fight against the Qing dynasty. Sadly, in 1912, he died during an exhibition when his plane crashed in front of hundreds of spectators.

Total graded by PMG: As of mid-November 2025, the PMG Population Report includes more than 82,000 examples of the various varieties of Pick# 910.

PMG median grade: PMG 67 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ

PMG highest graded: Four examples earned PMG's highest grade: PMG 70★ Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

Sales highlights: An example graded PMG 69 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ realized $192 at a Stack's Bowers Galleries auction in May 2022, while an example graded PMG 68 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ realized $80 in the same auction.

PMG Registry: This note is part of the most popular China category in the PMG Registry, People's Bank of China, People's Republic, Type Set, 1953-Date, Issued Notes, where Mikey Eyes' The Michael T. Ungaro People's Bank of China, People's Republic, 1953-Date, P860-Date, Type Set Collection #1 has a Pick# 910 in PMG 69 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ. The note is also part of the third-most-popular PMG Registry category for China, People's Bank of China, Commemorative Issues, 1999-Date, P902-Date, where Mikey Eyes' top-ranked Michael T. Ungaro PBC Commemorative Issues #1 uses the same note.

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