VietNamNet Bridge – Two months before the 2016 Lunar New Year, the market for lucky money in Vietnam has become vibrant. To welcome the Year of the Monkey, bills related to the animal are being hunted by investors.

There are many kinds of money (banknotes and coins) of countries printed with the monkey, such as the US dollar, the Australian dollar, and the Indonesian rupiah.

On some Vietnamese websites selling lucky money, the prices for the banknotes and coins with the image of the monkey are five to 10 times higher than the face value and 2 - 3 times more than the prices listed on foreign websites.

Photo: a US$2 banknote with the image of a monkey is the best selling.

The owner of a website selling lucky money in Hanoi said that the special US$2 banknotes with the image of a yellow monkey have been shipped to Vietnam. As the volume is limited, a $2 banknote is sold for VND500,000 ($23).

He said in previous years, the best-selling lucky money was the US$1 and US$2, but this year it is the $2 note with the image of a monkey.

This November the US Treasury issued special US$1 and US$2 for the Chinese market alone to serve the needs of the people for lucky money for the Year of the Monkey 2016.

In Eastern culture, the number 8 is considered “prosperity”. Therefore, the US Treasury issued $1 and $2 with the series starting with 8888 to wish for prosperity and wealth. The price of the $1 and $2 is $6 and $8, respectively.

Apart from the US dollar, the currencies of other countries with the image of the monkey are also hunted and sold on the Internet, such as the Australian dollar or the Indonesian rupiah.

Photo: An Indonesian coin is sold for VND120,000 ($6).

In 1992 Indonesia issued 500 Rupiah banknotes with the image of the monkey as a mascot of this country. This is one of a few bills worldwide printed with the monkey.

From the distant South America, the banknote 500 Mil Conones of Costarica is also offered on some websites of Vietnam. This banknote, with the monkey image, was issued before 1992. A banknote is priced VND120,000 ($6).

The Australia banknote 50 Numismas with the image of a cynocephalus monkey is sold for VND120,000 to VND150,000. This is printed by the Australian government as lucky money.

In addition to banknotes, coins with the monkey image have been introduced on websites, including the golden coin of Australia with the image of Queen Elizabeth II on one side and the words "Year of the Monkey" on the other side.

Mai Lan