DECISION

ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SPECIMEN MONEY, SOUVENIR MONEY

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government, of December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to Law No. 46/ 2010/QH12, of June 16, 2010, on the State Bank of Vietnam;

At the proposal of the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam,

The Prime Minister promulgates the Decision on the management of specimen money, souvenir money.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation

This Decision stipulates the design, printing, minting, preservation, transport, handing and receipt, provision and sale of specimen money, souvenir money by the State Bank of Vietnam.

Article 2. Subjects of application

1. The State Bank of Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as the State Bank).

2. Credit institutions and branches of foreign banks.

3. The State Treasury and other relevant agencies, organizations and individuals.

4. Establishments of money printing and/or minting.

Article 3. Interpretation of terms

1. “Specimen money” means banknotes and coins which are issued by the State Bank, have sufficient technical and quality standards as types of money announced for circulation by the State Bank. Specimen money shall be used as standard model for comparison in the money issuance operation, for study, museum display, introduction, collection or souvenir purpose, and have no value to do as a payment instrument in circulation.

2. “Souvenir money” means symbolic money having no value to do as payment instrument, and issued for collection or souvenir purpose.

Chapter II

SPECIMEN MONEY

Article 4. Specimen money

1. Based on use purposes and needs, the Governor of State Bank shall submit to the Prime Minister the quantity and types of specimen money which needs to be printed or minted.

2. The design, printing and minting of specimen money comply with regulations as well as design, printing and minting of money. Separately, specimen banknotes are printed with the phrase(s) "Tien mau" and/or "Specimen"; in addition to two symbolic serial number sequences (in the position prescribed for banknotes) including 2 letters and figures "0", its front side is additionally printed with a serial number sequence in the white margin for management of specimen money.

Article 5. Subjects to be provided with specimen money

Based on use purposes and needs and the quantity of specimen money printed or minted, the Governor of State Bank may provide specimen money to:

1. Functional units of the State Bank.

2. Credit institutions, branches of foreign bank and the State Treasury.

3. Units of ministries, sectors relating to the work of counterfeit money prevention and combat.

4. Foreign organizations and individuals.

Article 6. Withdrawal and change of specimen money

Specimen money provided to the subjects specified in Clauses 1, 2 and 3, Article 5 of this Decision which are torn or damaged through use may be considered for withdrawal and change by the State Bank. The withdrawal and change of money must perform with a same par value and same type, and no charge.

Article 7. Preservation, handing and receipt, transport of specimen money

1. The handing and receipt, preservation, transport of specimen money within the system of the State Bank, credit institutions and branches of foreign banks comply with law regulations as well as handing and receipt, preservation, transport of money.

2. If subjects to be provided with specimen money specified in Clauses 1, 2 and 3, Article 5 of this Decision lose specimen money, they shall pay compensation, and additionally, persons who are assigned to preserve specimen money shall be disciplined or administratively sanctioned in accordance with regulations. The compensation level is equal to the par value of lost specimen money. Later, the State Bank may consider providing new ones to such subjects for use.

Article 8. Withdrawal of specimen money

The State Bank shall partially or wholly withdraw the provided specimen money amount in the following cases:

1. After the Prime Minister decides on suspension of circulation of one or several types of money, within 30 days after the State Bank announces, the State Bank's provincial-level branches shall withdraw the whole specimen money amount provided to credit institutions, branches of foreign bank and State Treasury offices in their localities. The State Bank's provincial-level branches and Transaction Bureaus may keep a set of specimen money for use on the spot and shall remit the remainder into the central vault.

2. Other subjects to be provided with specimen money shall hand over their specimen money when requested in writing by the State Bank.

Chapter III

SOUVENIR MONEY

Article 9. Organization for design, printing, minting and provision of souvenir money

1. The State Bank shall organize by itself or cooperate with domestic and overseas partners in the design, printing and minting of souvenir money. The partners of State Bank must be organizations operating in the field of money printing and minting; trading or production of precious metal; trading of souvenir money or other souvenir articles.

2. For themes relating to historical or political events or national important events, the State Bank shall propose to the Prime Minister for approval of specimen designs on theme, size, weight, image, pattern and other features of kinds of souvenir money, and partners for design, printing and minting of souvenir money.

3. Upon issuing souvenir money, the State Bank shall announce on the mass media its guideline to issue souvenir money.

4. The Governor of State Bank shall consider the provision of souvenir money to domestic and overseas organizations and individuals.

Article 10. Preservation, handing and receipt, transport of souvenir money

The preservation, handing and receipt, transport of souvenir money by the State Bank comply with regulations as well as on preservation, handing and receipt, transport of money.

Chapter IV

REGULATIONS ON SALE OF SPECIMEN MONEY, SOUVENIR MONEY

Article 11. Sale of specimen money and souvenir money

1. The State Bank shall organize the sale of souvenir money under contracts with domestic and overseas partners as prescribed in Clause 1 Article 9 of this Decision.

2. Based on use purposes and needs of organizations and individuals and the current quantity of specimen money and souvenir money, the Governor of State Bank shall decide on the quantity of specimen money and souvenir money to be sold to organizations and individuals.

3. In each period, the Governor of State Bank shall decide on the sale method and price of specimen money and souvenir money. The price of specimen money must not be lower than its par value.

Article 12. Accounting of specimen money and souvenir money

1. The State Bank's provincial-level branches and Transaction Bureaus, credit institutions, branches of foreign banks and the State Treasury shall conduct accounting of specimen money and souvenir money in accordance with the State Bank's regulations.

2. Revenues and expenses in the management of specimen money and souvenir money shall be accounted into operational revenues and expenses of the State Bank.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 13. Implementation provisions

This Decision takes effect on December 12, 2012. All previous regulations which are contrary to this Decision are annulled.

Article 14. The responsibilities for implementation

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People's Committees and relevant organizations, units and individuals shall implement this Decision.-