Union Bank of Burma: 1958 Aung San Kyat Banknotes

Exploring the Union Bank of Burma 1958 Aung San Kyat Banknotes—issued in 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 Kyats—uncovers their unique designs, key features, and pivotal role as a symbol of national unity in Burma's post-independence monetary evolution, deeply tied to General Aung San's legacy. As the first official series to prominently feature his portrait, these notes represent a significant milestone. For a deeper understanding of this national hero, we invite you to explore our article on General Aung San: Life & Legacy of Burma's Hero. Following our deep dive into the Government of Burma (1948-1950) and Union Bank of Burma (1953) banknotes, this article shifts focus to these crucial 1958 issues, marking the beginning of our in-depth look at all banknotes bearing Aung San's image, from the Union Bank of Burma to the present series issued by the Central Bank of Myanmar, before the country's renaming.

Union Bank of Burma 1958 issue

After Burma's independence from British colonial rule, from 1948 until 1958, three different series of banknotes were issued. The first two series had denominations in Rupees, while, the denominations of the third series is Kyat. There were four denominations, namely, 1 Rupee (1 Kyat), 5 Rupees (5 Kyats), 10 Rupees (10 Kyats) and 100 Rupee (100 Kyats). None of the series featured the portrait of any individual.

During that period Burma was led by the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL) but then the league began to split into two factions. One faction, led by Thakins Nu and Tin, opposed the faction led by Ba Swe and Kyaw Nyein. Some commentators mentioned that this could have been a major cause of introducing the portrait of General Aung San on the banknotes of Burma and that too with a planned introduction on Union Day, 12 February, the day the Panglong Agreement of 1947 was signed.

By featuring Aung San, revered as the father of modern Burma and a pivotal architect of its independence movement. and introducing the 1 Kyat, 5 Kyats, 10 Kyats, and 100 Kyats banknotes on 12 February 1958, the banknotes were aimed to serve as conduits of national identity and unity. Two additional denominations of 20 Kyats and 50 Kyats were introduced about six months later on 21 August 1958. Like its preceding issues, this series was printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company. We will now take a look at the features of each denomination.

Key Common Features

Positioned within a circular frame on the right side is a portrait of General Aung San wearing a peaked cap, reminiscent of his appearance during his visit to London in 1947. A watermark of Aung San's portrait appears in the watermark window on the left side of the note.

The banknotes were signed by U San Lin, Managing Director, on behalf of the Union Bank of Burma. On the 1, 5, and 20 Kyats banknotes, the signature appears at the bottom center, on the 50 Kyats banknote, the signature appears at the mid-bottom center, while on the 10 and 100 Kyats banknotes, the signature appears at the bottom left.

Printer: Thomas De La Rue
Obverse Design: Aung San wearing a peaked cap
Signature: U San Lin
Material: Paper
Watermark: Aung San

1 Kyat Aung San Banknote

The 1 Kyat 1958 paper money measures 109 x 66 mm. This note features a traditional art style adorned with a floral arabesque motif in gray. The background is divided into greenish yellow on the left and right sides, while the center is light pink. In the bottom center, a large Burmese numeral "1" is printed in pink.

At the top center, there is the Burmese inscription "pyidaung zu myanma naing ngan daw ban" which means the Union Bank of Burma. Beneath it, the Burmese text states, "At all places where bank notes are issued this note can be exchanged for 1 silver coin kyat," The serial numbers of the note, written in Burmese script, are displayed in red in the lower left corner.

On the reverse side, the banknote features a light gray background with the name of the issuer, "Union Bank of Burma," printed at the top center. The main illustration depicts Burmese boats sailing downwind against a mountainous backdrop. The surface of a river reflects the sky, mountains, and sailing boats.

On the reverse side, the denomination of "One Kyat" in English is written circularly. Also, the top left and the bottom right show the Burmese numeral "1", while, the top right and the bottom left show the western numeral "1".

Denomination: 1 Kyat
Size: 109 x 66 mm
Color: Gray, greenish-yellow and pink
Reverse Design: Burmese boats with sails and mountain background
Security Thread: None
Issue Date: 12 February 1958
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B809; Pick 46

5 Kyat Aung San Banknote

The 5 Kyats 1958 paper money measures 127 x 72 mm. This note features a dancing peacock at the top center. The design has a traditional touch with a floral arabesque frame in light brown. In the bottom center, a large Burmese numeral "5" is printed in light blue.

In the middle, there's a message in Burmese that says "Royal Union of Burma States Bank." Below that, it says in Burmese that this note can be exchanged for 5 kyats at any place where banknotes are accepted. The serial numbers are written in Burmese script in red, appearing at the lower left and upper right corners.

The other side of the banknote is brown. The main illustration shows a young Burmese woman spinning a cotton wheel in the front, while another Burmese woman is weaving a cotton loom behind her. At the bottom center, "Union Bank of Burma" is written in English.

On the reverse side, the denomination of "Five Kyats" in English is written in a single line. Also, the top left and the bottom right show the Burmese numeral "5", while, the top right and the bottom left show the western numeral "5".

Denomination: 5 Kyat
Size: 127 x 72 mm
Color: Brown, blue, yellow and green
Reverse Design: A woman spinning a cotton wheel and another woman weaving a cotton loom
Security Thread: Solid thread
Issue Date: 12 February 1958
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B810; Pick 47

10 Kyat Aung San Banknote

The 10 Kyats 1958 paper money measures 147 x 82 mm. This note features a traditional floral arabesque design in light blue. In the center, a large Burmese numeral "10" is printed in light blue with a pink shadow.

At the top center, the Burmese inscription "pyidaung zu myanma naing ngan daw ban" indicates the Royal Union of Burma States Bank. Below that, in the center, the Burmese text states that this note can be exchanged for 10 kyats at all locations where banknotes are accepted. A small-scale drawing of a mythical lion is located at the bottom center, and the serial numbers of the note are displayed in Burmese at the upper right and lower left corners in red.

On the reverse side, a small-scale drawing of the head of a mythical lion is depicted at the top center. Underneath it, the name of the banknote issuer, "Union Bank of Burma," is written in English. There's an illustration of an elephant lifting a teak log with mahout sitting on the elephant, symbolizing teak as one of Burma's main exports.

On the reverse side, the denomination of "Ten Kyats" in English is written in a single line. Also, the top left and the bottom right show the Burmese numeral "10", while, the top right and the bottom left show the western numeral "10".

Denomination: 10 Kyat
Size: 147 x 82 mm
Color: Blue, green, pink and yellow
Reverse Design: Elephant lifting a teak log with trunk and mahout
Security Thread: Solid thread
Issue Date: 12 February 1958
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B811; Pick 48

20 Kyat Aung San Banknote

The 20 Kyats 1958 paper money measures 149 x 86 mm. This note features a traditional floral arabesque design in purple. At the top center, the Burmese inscription "pyidaung zu myanma naing ngan daw ban" signifies the Royal Union of Burma States Bank. Below that, in the center, the Burmese text states that this note can be exchanged for 20 kyats at all locations where banknotes are accepted. The serial numbers of the note are displayed in Burmese script at the lower left and upper right corners in red.

On the reverse side, at the top center, there is a small-scale drawing of the head of a mythical lion. Beneath that, the sentence "Union Bank of Burma" is written. The main illustration depicts a group of women planting rice in a paddy field, symbolizing rice as one of Burma's main exports.

On the reverse side, the denomination of "Twenty Kyats" in English is written in two lines. Also, the top left and the bottom right show the Burmese numeral "20", while, the top right and the bottom left show the western numeral "20".

Denomination: 20 Kyat
Size: 149 x 86 mm
Color: Purple
Reverse Design: A group of women planting rice in a paddy field
Security Thread: Solid thread
Issue Date: 21 August 1958
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B812; Pick 49

50 Kyat Aung San Banknote

The 50 Kyats 1958 paper money measures 155 x 90 mm. This note features a traditional floral arabesque design in light brown. At the top center, the Burmese inscription "pyidaung zu myanma naing ngan daw ban" indicates the Royal Union of Burma States Bank. Below that, in the center, the Burmese text states that this note can be exchanged for 50 kyats at all locations where banknotes are accepted. A small-scale drawing of a mythical lion’s head is situated at the bottom center, adding to the design. The serial numbers of the note are displayed in Burmese script at the lower left and upper right corners in red.

On the reverse side of this banknote, the name "Union Bank of Burma" is printed in English at the top center. The main illustration shows the Mandalay Palace and moat. The artwork showcases the reflection of the moat, trees, and clouds on the surface of the canal, adding depth to the design.

On the reverse side, the denomination of "Fifty Kyats" in English is written in two lines. Also, the top left and the bottom right show the Burmese numeral "50", while, the top right and the bottom left show the western numeral "50".

Denomination: 50 Kyat
Size: 155 x 90 mm
Color: Light brown and yellow
Reverse Design: Mandalay Palace and moat
Security Thread: Solid thread
Issue Date: 21 August 1958
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B813; Pick 50

100 Kyat Aung San Banknote

The 100 Kyats 1958 paper money measures 160 x 100 mm. This note features a traditional floral arabesque motif in green, with a dancing peacock as the central illustration. A wash of pale pink extends vertically on the left and right sides of the peacock drawing.

At the top center, the Burmese inscription "pyidaung zu myanma naing ngan daw ban" denotes the Royal Union of Burma States Bank. Below it, in the bottom center, the Burmese text states that this note can be exchanged for 100 kyats at all locations where banknotes are accepted. A decorative drawing of a dragon is placed on the left and right sides of the frame, with a small-scale drawing of two lions sitting back to back depicted at the bottom center of the floral frame.

On the reverse side, a small-scale drawing of a mythical lion's head is depicted at the top center. The English inscription "Union Bank of Burma" is printed at the top center. The main illustration depicts a farmer with a pair of oxen plowing a field. The watermark of Aung San appears in the watermark window on the right side.

On the reverse side, the denomination of "One Hundred Kyats" in English is written in a single line. Also, the top left and the bottom right show the Burmese numeral "100", while, the top right and the bottom left show the western numeral "100".

Denomination: 100 Kyat
Size: 160 x 100 mm
Color: Green and pink
Reverse Design: A farmer with a pair of oxen plowing a field
Security Thread: Solid thread
Issue Date: 12 February 1958
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B814; Pick 51

Conclusion

This first series of Burmese banknotes featuring Aung San laid a foundation for many other series to follow as his image on currency not only honors his legacy but also serves as a reminder of the country's struggle for freedom. In the next article, we will take a look at the next series issued by the People's Bank of Burma with a different portrait of Aung San.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was the significance of the 1958 Union Bank of Burma banknotes featuring Aung San?

These banknotes were the first official currency issues to prominently feature the portrait of General Aung San, Burma's national hero, on all denominations. Introduced amidst a period of political factionalism, they aimed to serve as a powerful symbol of national identity and unity for the newly independent nation.

Q: What denominations were included in the Union Bank of Burma 1958 Aung San Kyat series?

A: The initial denominations introduced on Union Day (12 February 1958) were 1 Kyat, 5 Kyats, 10 Kyats, and 100 Kyats. Approximately six months later, on 21 August 1958, two additional denominations, 20 Kyats and 50 Kyats, were also introduced, completing the series.

Q: What were the key common design features of these Aung San banknotes?

A: All banknotes in this series prominently feature a portrait of General Aung San wearing a peaked cap on the right side of the obverse. A watermark of Aung San's portrait is also visible on the left. Other designs include traditional Burmese art, floral motifs, and national symbols like the dancing peacock, mythical lions, and scenes reflecting Burmese life and exports.

Q: Who was the signatory on the Union Bank of Burma 1958 Aung San banknotes?

A: All banknotes from the Union Bank of Burma 1958 issue were signed by U San Lin, who served as the Managing Director on behalf of the Union Bank of Burma.

Q: How did the 1958 issue differ from the preceding post-independence banknotes regarding individual portraits?

A: The Union Bank of Burma 1958 issue was the first post-independence series to feature the portrait of an individual (General Aung San) on all denominations. The three preceding series, issued from 1948 until 1958 (two in Rupees and one in Kyat), did not feature the portrait of any individual.