<PAGE>
The Prudential Arthur D. Woods, III
Assistant General Counsel
Law Department
The Prudential Insurance Company of America
213 Washington Street
Newark, NJ 07102-2992
(973) 802-8020 fax: (973) 802-9560
May 4, 1998
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re: Prudential Variable Appreciable Account
(Registration No. 33-20000)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to subparagraph (j) of Rule 497 under the Securities Act of 1933,
the Registrant hereby certifies: (i) that its Prospectus that would have been
filed pursuant to Rule 497(b) would not have differed from the Prospectus
contained in Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 and (ii) that the text of Post-
Effective Amendment No. 20 was filed electronically on April 24, 1998.
(Accession No. 0000950130-98-002084)
By: /s/
------------------------------------
Arthur D. Woods, III
Assistant General Counsel
The Prudential Insurance Company of America