Description:

John F. Kennedy
n.p., n.d.
JFK & Marilyn Monroe Pair of "Hell Money" Notes
Currency
A pair of two Chinese 1,000,000 "Hell Bank Notes" depicting U.S. President John F. Kennedy and actress Marilyn Monroe. 2p, each measuring 2.5" x 4.625", n.p., undated. Meant to resemble legal tender, "Hell Bank Notes" are used in many East Asian cultures as offerings to the deceased as a way to help with assumed monetary problems in the afterlife. Light toning throughout with some variation in color printing. Otherwise, very good- an interesting collectible!

In contrast to Western religions using the word "hell" to describe a place of perpetual suffering and punishment, it was adopted in China from the word "Diyu", or "underworld court". It is thought that, even in the earthly court, spirits need to use money, whether to bribe officials of the afterlife or to supplement offerings the deceased gave to atone for their sins. "Hell notes", therefore, are set on fire- sometimes near the deceased's gravesite- to accompany them on their journey out of the afterlife. These notes, displaying such pop culture icons as Kennedy and Monroe, were created as humorous souvenirs, and are in turn not meant to be used for ritualistic purposes. Other such examples include notes depicting Joseph Stalin, Joe DiMaggio, and more.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 2.5" x 4.625"
  • Medium: Currency

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

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Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

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After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

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August 7, 2024 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000