Currently, Huynh Minh Hiep holds many records.
Records recognized by the Global Vietnamese Records Organization: Lua Xua Coffee Shop - The place displaying the largest number of artifacts recreating old Saigon (before 1975); Vietnamese people own the largest collection of program - movie posters and documents and artifacts about reformed opera in Vietnam before 1975.
Records recognized by the Vietnam Record Organization: The person with the largest collection of money from countries around the world in Vietnam; The person owning the largest collection of market vouchers and artifacts and documents related to the Covid-19 epidemic in localities in Vietnam; The Old Rice Coffee Shop - A place displaying artifacts recreating old Saigon (before 1975) with the largest quantity; The Vietnamese person owning the largest collection of program - movie posters and documents and artifacts about reformed opera before 1975 in Vietnam.
Record holder Huynh Minh Hiep
NOSTALGIC "RICE FLOWER"
You often call yourself "Hai Lua", but I heard you were born into a noble family in the land of the rich Bac Lieu?
Huynh Minh Hiep: My great-grandfather was the Governor of Bac Lieu , one of four people who followed Mac Thien Tu from Trieu Chau to reclaim this land. My great-grandfather on my mother's side was Mr. Cao Trieu Phat (1889 - 1956), an intellectual, a member of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and an advisor to the Southern Resistance Administrative Committee. My great-grandfather was an official under King Khai Dinh and then resigned to return to Bac Lieu to get married and have children. To remember this event, my great-grandfather named his children in order from oldest to youngest: Kieu, Trieu, Nam, Khai, Dinh.
Coming from such a family background, surely when you step into life, roses are already laid out under your feet?
Not at all. At 18, I struggled to make a living by playing drums to "earn a living" each day. So I went to study bartending. At 20, I got a bartending degree to "improve" my life. Later, I went into acting, starting with small roles, then getting slightly bigger roles... I always try to learn and work hard to make my life better every day.
Pre-1975 movie posters collected by Huynh Minh Hiep
Now he is the owner of two magnificent coffee shops in Ho Chi Minh City, Lua Coffee and Phiim Coffee, which are also places that preserve thousands of records-breaking memorabilia. So when did his passion for collecting begin?
I must say that I do not own Lua Coffee and Phiim Coffee alone, but with the cooperation of actress Kim Tuyen. My passion for collecting souvenirs began to be kindled by my grandfather and father. My grandfather kept dozens of sweet and romantic love letters for decades. My father, during his lifetime, had a "unique" collection of ancient coins. At first, I decided to keep my grandfather's love letters, especially my father's "treasure" of ancient coins. After that, I collected other types of ancient coins. Among the ancient coins, I consider more than 200 "foundation money" or stamped money of the Southern Resistance Administrative Committee as treasures. This type is extremely rare, only used for 5 years (1948 - 1952), while waiting for Southern paper money. In 2006, on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the State Bank of Vietnam, I was invited by the then Governor of the State Bank, Mr. Nguyen Van Giau, to Hanoi to give a presentation on this type of currency...
How did you find such a huge amount of memorabilia?
Thanks to researching the conservation of Vietnamese antiquities at the UNESCO Center from 2005 to present, I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with many collectors and researchers, which makes it convenient for me to collect. I also look for memorabilia from different sources. For example, when I found out online that there was a collector who owned two motorbikes from King Bao Dai's time, I immediately went looking for them. After many attempts to persuade him, finally on the 5th time, after sitting around and chatting, showing off my magic skills, the collector was so fascinated that he relented and sold them.
The first Spring newspapers after the country's reunification
Besides the memorabilia in your record-setting collections, do you have any other "unique items" that you haven't revealed?
There are also hundreds of music covers by the late talented musician Y Van, the reward paper of King Bao Dai for the Deputy Governor of Ham Thuan ( Binh Thuan ) Pham Viet Thuc (1942), Brief introduction of Indochina (notice of canceling money), Notice of printing the last 5 types of money of the Republic of Vietnam (1972), Notice of currency exchange by the President of the Provisional Revolutionary Committee of South Vietnam Huynh Tan Phat (1975), Silver coins of the kingdom of Phu Nam. In particular, the 20-dong note has the stamp of the Administrative Resistance Committee of Nhon Ai village, Chau Thanh district, Can Tho province, or old newspapers... Among the oldest newspapers, we must mention Gia Dinh Bao, published on September 2, 1890. I searched for this newspaper for over 10 years before finding it in the North. I still have the Luc Tinh Tan Van newspaper, of which even the Ho Chi Minh City Museum only has a photocopy...
I admire Huynh Minh Hiep because he is a young man who loves antiques and has a heart to preserve the national cultural heritage in the face of the problem of "bleeding" antiques abroad. Hiep's collections are very unique. He deserves to be a prominent figure among many people who love to protect the "soul" of old Saigon and Ho Chi Minh City today.
Mr. Nguyen Van Que, Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Cultural Heritage Association
Have you ever considered selling your collectibles?
I have not sold any items, but I have donated them to many museums. I also participate without any personal gain in cultural and humanitarian programs. Last Tet Quy Mao, I brought all the old Saigon relics to recreate the old Saigon space in many places in Ho Chi Minh City. Among them, the old Saigon space at the City Party Committee Office, where the event was held to welcome nearly 1,000 overseas Vietnamese, left a lot of impressions on the city leaders, especially the overseas Vietnamese. Hearing the overseas Vietnamese say that the old Saigon space is really beautiful and the city received a letter of praise from "our shop", that was great.
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