Japanese invasion money of Netherland Indies

Japanese controlled territories in the Netherland Indies or present day Indonesia(click for larger image)

After the fall of Singapore in February 1942, the Japanese attacked the Netherland Indies which were effectively overtaken by 9 March, 1942 and held until surrender in August 1945.

Japanese tanks with infantry entering Batavia, March 1942

In 1942, the Japanese issued paper script currency of 1, 5 and 10 cents and ½, 1, 5 and 10 Gulden notes. What makes these notes unique are that they are written entirely in Dutch. Values are Een (1), Vijf (5) and Tien(10) cents and Guldens. By 1944 they had decided that engendering a collective Asian nationalism would be the key to keeping control, and hence the Dutch-style gulden notes, were replaced by the Netherland Indies Roepiah, an Indonesian language version of the gulden.

Japanese soldiers with a group of Dutch POWs, Java 1942

All of these notes bear the following “De Japansche Regeering Betaalt Aan Toonder” or “The Japanese Government Promise To Pay The Bearer On Demand”. Denominations of 100 and 1000 Roepiah were issued in 1944, with the Indonesian legend "Pemerintah Dai Nippon" (Japanese Government). An additional series, with denominations of 1/2, 1, 5, 10 and 100 Roepiah, was also issued in 1944 with the transliterated Japanese legend "Dai Nippon Teikoku Seiku" (Imperial Japanese Government).

1942-1,5,10 cents,1/2,1,5,10 Gulden
1944-100,1000 Roepiah(image of 100 not available)
1944-1/2,1,5,10,100 Roepiah
value-1942 issues affordable,1944 issues not too expensive

1942 Issue

1944 Issue

1944 Issue