SCOTT SEMANS WORLD COINS

INDOCHINA / VIETNAM / LAOS

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     Below is my stock for French Indochina, Cochinchina, Tonkin, North and South Vietnam, and Laos. See links above for Cambodia: Early, Hindu Southeast Asia (c. 450-800 AD). Pages for Vietnam: Early (Annam), Cambodia: Modern, Burma, and Thailand are in the works. For 10 Lang bars see the Sycee page.
     When the catalog reference at the left of a listing is red, it is a link to a scan of the piece. Scans are generally enlarged to show detail.

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VIETNAM CASH COINAGE 970 - 1945

   Large offering of official cash listed by Barker.

   The big news in the field is the appearance of The Historical Cash Coins of Vietnam Part I: Official and Semi-Official Coins by Dr. Allan Barker. It is a comprehensive catalog of official and attributable coins in historical context with excellent illustrations, in English but usable by Vietnamese and Chinese readers.. Both rubbings and knockout color photos on art paper with descriptions to clarify all variety distinctions. Numerous charts, maps and indexes. Replaces Novak and supercedes all other references (excepting unofficial series). Contains new discoveries. Detailed forgery analysis. Valuation guide. Displays the beauty and range of the series as no other work: An early reign    Catalog page    Reign introduction    Forgeries     407p, 7.5x10.5", hardcover, 2005, List $49.95, Price: $44.50 (Postage: USA $2.26 Media or $3.85 Priority; Most foreign $9 Air)

Medieval small Cash   Mixed inscriptions, probably made 17-18th century, according to Barker. Most bear known reign titles or have been attributed to reigns as early as the 10th Century by Toda and other authors. However, they are too similar to have been issued over a long period. From Vietnam these light coins or "floaters" filtered into southern China along with low-weight counterfeits of Qing cash, and were bought up for export to the Chinese communities on Java and the archipelago, where they are used to this day in wedding ceremonies, as adornment, and reportedly still as small change in remote places. Antique buyers gather them in from the countryside today and export them in bulk to jewelry crafters, where such small pieces are disfavored, though they are now numismatically uncommon in Vietnam and easily retail at $2-5 in the West. Among hundreds of strings of mixed Chinese cash I examined at a jewelry importer, I found just a few that are completely made up of these Medieval private Vietnamese cash. I have not checked these strings, but have worked through similar lots acquired years ago, and found that there usually is not a great deal of variety; sometimes half the string will be a single reign title! Condition on these is never sharp as athe coins are thin and the fields are shallow. Most will be readable without cleaning but this can help.    XB185) Per string of 200 coins: $150, or $50 for 50 coins.

VIETNAM EMPIRE SILVER & GOLD

K195   Minh Mang Piastre 7 Tien, Year 15 Dragon worn-looking Sixties-era fake, which we have stamped COPY   AF/F 19.00

FRENCH INDO-CHINA

     KM''s pricing has always been out of tune with the market. The wide spread between grades, appropriate for a more strongly collected series, leaves low grades underpriced and high grades (which are not that uncommon) wildly overpriced. Certain "rare" dates such as the 1931 Cents have been saved in large quantities, while one-year types such as the 1920 silver and Zinc 1/4 and 1/2 Cents appear far less frequently than their pricing indicates, especially in high grade.

PRECIOUS METAL SERIES 1885 - 1937
K1   Cent 1886 VF 3.50;   1888 AEF 6.00;   1894 VF 10.00

K7   Cent "UN CENTIEME . . ." legend 1895 VF but edge has been shaved, and scratch to left & below "C" rev. (see scan)   $45

K8   Cent reduced size, with center hole   1897 F+VF .75; 1898 VF+-EF 7.50

K8 Lot   Cent 1898 Rarest date for type, purchased from U.S. servicemen who cherry picked them ca. 1970 & sitting too long in my stock!    Lot A: 8 pieces VF or better, some dark tone, soil adhesions, etc. $30;   Lot B: 10 pieces near VF or better, more soil, verdigris, hard adhesions - many need cleaning $22.50

K12   Cent reduced size   Type coins: 1914, 20A, 26 F-VF 1.25, AU-UC 80%lustre 6.50; 1922p (K12.3) F-VF 1.25, AU-UC 15%lustre $6; 1923p (K12.3), 37 EF 1.25; 1938 UC 50%lustre $2; 1939 UC 85%lustre (=BU) $3   Date coins: 1908 G+ $2; G-Vg 2.50; 1913 AU-UC 10%lustre 17.50; 1918 VF 6.50, VF+ 8.50; 1920-noMM(s) EF+ $5; 1930 EF $2; 1931-Torch F+ $22, VF+ $32, EF $55

K18   5 Cents 1923 F $2; 1924 F 1.25; 1925 F $1, VF-EF $2; 1937,38 VF $1

K2   10 Cents 1885   AF $4; EF $35

K2a   10 Cents 1896-fasces   Vg $35

K9   10 Cents 1899, 1900 VF 4.50; 1909 Poor $2; 1912 Vg $4; 1914 AF 3.50

K14   10 Cents 1920 no fineness   VF $35

K16   10 Cents 1928 Poor $4, G $6; Vg $10; F $20; 1923, 1929 F+ 1.50; 1929 EF+ 4.50

K3   20 Cents 1885   Good $2

K3a   20 Cents 1896-Fasces   AF $75

K10   20 Cents 1900 AU $165;    1902 F+ 4.50; 1911 G-Vg 2.50; 1913 G-Vg 7.50, AF-F 17.50

K17   20 Cents 1921 Vg $1.50, F $3; 1922 Vg $2; 1925 F $4; 1927 EF $9; 1928 AF $6, AVF 12.50; 1929 VF+ $30

K4   50 Cents 1894   EF+, much original lustre $225

K5   Piastre 1894 AVF 22.50

K5a   Piastre 1895 VF $35; 1903 AU-UC, just a hint of wear on the nose, very few bagmarks, but rough areas (rustydies) rev. center-right detract $75; 1922H VF-EF 16.50; 1925, 26 EF+-AU (lustrous but flat nose) 24.50

K19   Piastre 1931   UC, few bagmarks $65

BASE METAL SERIES 1938 - 1947
K20a   1/2 Cent 1939 Zinc Rarest type coin in FIC series and underrated in KM.   F+/Pr: Obverse is unworn, but rough, and the reverse is heavily oxidized (now stabilized) and shows little detail. $250;   UC: Much original lustre, usual pimpled surface, darker toning around edges rev. (Anton Fox specimen) $1250

K21   10 Cents 1940, 41S    EF $1

K23E   20 Cent Essai 1939 security edge (KM-E334)   Prooflike surface UC $165

K23a   20 Cents 1941S EF $1; 1939, 41s AU $2

K32   Piastre 1946 security edge   AVF $9; EF 17.50; EF+ (much lustre) $25; AU $35

K32a   Piastre 1947 reeded edge (KM# 32.2)   VF-EF 2.25; EF $3; AU $5   worn Fine with numeral "5" counterstamped both sides $10

K32a Lot   Piasatre 1947 reeded edge Lot of 10 near EF or better, some edge nicks or stains (several lots availaable)   $14/10

K30   5 Cents aluminum 1946 UC 1.50; 1946B UC $2

K29   20 Cents 1945 VF-EF 1.25; 1945B VF-EF $4; 1945 worn Fine with large numeral "7" c/s obv. $10

K25   1/4 Cent 1943 Zinc   VF, rough $20

K25X   1/4 Cent 1942 contemporary, circulating Lead fake   VF, rough $15

K24   Cent Zinc 1941 (KM#24.3)   I have just broken open a mint-state roll of this date obtained in the 1970s and sorted by quality of strike. I have brushed some with Blue Ribbon coin preservative to stabilize them. Your choice blue-ribboned or natural:     Grade A (best) $30 5/$125;   Grade B (weaker) $20 5/$75;   Grade C (worst) $12.50 5/$37.50

K26   Cent 1943 aluminum Vichy issue, crudely struck   g) Grooved edge, sharp strike UC $2;   p) Plain edge, crude or weak strike UC 2.50, decent UC $4

K27   5 Cents 1943 aluminum Vichy issue, crudely struck   g) Grooved edge, sharp strike UC 2.50;   p) Plain edge, crude or weak strike UC 12.50

OPIUM BUYING BOARD (Hanoi) ISSUES

     The Bureau d'Achat de l'Opium, a French government corporation, controlled the opium market in Indochina and by 1944 had succeeded in raising production to 60 tons. In late 1943, seeking a means of payment acceptable to the various tribes involved, and with access to European mints cut off by Axis hostilities, the Bureau at first atttempted to copy the 10 Lang bars, then decided to create unique coins for the purpose. The first attempt was the 1/2 and 1 Tael coins bearing the Chinese character Fu. Although evidently coined in large quantity, they were not popular with the growers and did not circulate; circulated examples are much rarer than UC. The listing in KM of a 34 gram type suggests a later private recoinage. Two very distinct versions exist for the 1/2 Tael, a finely engraved, well struck piece with raised rims and distinct, bevelled reeding (KM# A1.1, but their photo is wrong), and the common, more crudely engraved and struck type (KM# A1.2) with barely raised rims and vague, flat reeding. It is uncertain whether both versions are official coinings.
     The final issue was a Tael showing a large antlered stag (KM# A4), coined from late 1944 to March 1945, evidently in small numbers as it is rare today. There are three additional versions of this "big-head" stag Tael, also rare, as well as a commoner small-head version (KM# A3), none of which were coined by the Bureau, and are thus likely private issues for use in the opium trade, or simple forgeries. (See ONS Newsletter #141 p.17, #142 p.11-12, and #143 p.16.)

KA2   Fu Tael 37-37.5gm, likely official issue   SOLD

KA2x   Fu Tael Regading this type, Francois Thierry of the BNF notes "This coin is a fake : you can find a lot of diferrences in the lao script : The first letter (starting left) is completly differrent from that of the original coinage; the letters at 13 hours that likes as "69" with a half moon on the 9, but on the fake, the half moon is linked with the 6; the last letter has a differrent shape. And as you have seen the outer rim is too thin." Given the unpopularity of the type at the time of issue, it is most likely that this is a numismatic forgery rather than a private restrike for use in the opium trade.

KA1   Fu 1/2 Tael Fine-style version, 19.26gm, 35m, sharp strike with raised rims, deep, bevelled reeding (KM# A1.1)   toned AU-UC $400

KA1a   Fu 1/2 Tael Circulation srikes, 18.75-19.10gm, 34.5m, rims slightly raised above field, edge reeding vague and squared (KM# A1.2)   toned UC $65 SOLD

KA1x   Fu 1/2 Tael (False) Silver-washed base-metal cast from circulation issue, 17.71gm, 34m, deep, squared edge reeding. Not recent, as acquired by Daniel Ching in 1980.   toned EF $25

KA4a   Stag Head Tael The stag has no eye. Stags muzzle relatively broad, and neck thick at top. Rev: Bottom of third Lao character from left has a distinct downward hook. Chinese character Yin (upper right), its lower left portion is weakly struck. 35.50g   This is probbly the commonest variety; appears in several references & auctions. This specimen was acquired by Joseph DeMarco in 1979 and was the KM plate specimen through the 31st ed (32nd ed shows a different example of the same variety). About 1994 Francois Thierry showed examples of this and the following variety (of 4 known varieties) to the engraver, Pascal Morani, and a Meo Prince, both of whom identified the latter as their product. Whether this is a private copy for opium trade use (as is apparently, the small-head Tael type), or a numismatic forgery, is uncertain.     EF-AU, flan cracks rev. $400 SOLD

KA4b   Stag Head Tael The stag has an eye. Stags muzzle relatively narrow, and neck narrow at top. Rev: Bottom of third Lao character from left is straight. Chinese character Yinis uniformly well struck. 39.27g    About 1994 Francois Thierry showed examples of this and the above variety (of 4 known varieties) to the engraver, Pascal Morani, and a Meo Prince, both of whom identified this variety as their product.    EF-AU $600 SOLD


FRENCH COCHIN CHINA

TONKIN
Y1   Cash    Zinc Cash, 1905   UC, dark toned $24

Y1E   Essai    Zinc Cash, Essai, 1905 ESSAI at 5:00 obv.   Not circulated, but much of surface is roughened from oxidation. $150


NORTH VIETNAM & SOCIALIST REPUBLIC
K1   20 Xu 1945, 23m aluminum (photo in KM is enlarged). The only North Vietnamese type that is truly hard to find, and impossible in UC.   Oxidized, rough $30

K2a   5 Hao 1946 Incense pot Value incuse aluminum (KM# 2.1)    crudely struck G-Vg (corrosion) $3; Fine 6.50; EF 12.50

K2b   5 Hao 1946 Incense pot Value raised aluminum Struck in France (KM# 2.2)    Usual "prooflike" UC $75

K5,6,7   1, 2, 5 Xu 1958 center hole aluminum     UC, but the 5 Xu has light whitish oxidation spots. EACH $6; SET of THREE $15.00

K11,12,13   1, 2, 5 Hao 1976 aluminum    UC, EACH $4; SET of THREE $10

K14   Dong 1976 aluminum    VF $4; UC $10;   VF, light to moderate edge bangs, nicks, etc $10/20

S24/2   Military Decoration Soldier of Liberation Order, 2nd class, 25m, aluminum, two stripes in ribbon. Sylvestre 24/2 (shown)    $30;   S24/3 3rd class (single stripe in ribbon) Some oxidation $25;   S23/3 Liberation War Exploit Order, 3rd Class, similar design some toning $35

K23   100 Dong 1986 Calgary Olympics, Skier   I wonder how KM can price these in "Unc" and "BU" when they were all issued in plastic capsules.   UC 22.50

K24   100 Dong 1986 Seoul Olympics, Fencer   UC 11.00

Q50   Gold Voucher or Treasury credit note for gold wafers deposited; depositor then draws interest. 158x 99m banknote-like with serial #, blanks for name, address, Ò199_Ó date & weight of 99,99% pure gold. Unissued. Why would anyone trade gold for it willingly!   EF $20

Z2   Ration Coupon Sheet of 16 coupons totalling 40cm of cloth, 1979, made out to citizen & ink-stamped when redeemed, 1979. Set of mens (blue) & womens (red) $0.95

Z11   Lottery Tickets Colorful, pictorial banknote-like in denominations of 400 Dong, 500 Dong, etc. mostly from Hanoi, 1985-92, some provincial 10 different for 1.75;    25 different for 4.00


SOUTH VIETNAM
K1,2   10, 20 Su 1953 aluminum   UC EACH $2;   BULK: From a mint bag acquired in the 1970s, roll of 50 either type, some light oxidation on edges only $37.50, or roll with light spotting $12.50

K3   50 Xu 1953 aluminum   Select UC from mint bag 12.50

K4   50 Su 1953 aluminum   UC $6

K6   50 Xu 1953 aluminum corrected denomination   UC $2

K10, 11   20 Dong 1968 similar designs   Each: UC $4

KA8-A10   1, 2, 5 Xu 1975 Viet Cong issue prior to integration with North Vietnam   K-A8 1 Xu UC $4, VF-EF $12.50/20; AU-UC $25/20;     SET of 3: UC 12.50

LAOS
K4-6   10, 20, 50 Cents 1952 aluminum   SET: UC $2

K5Q   20 Cents Mint Bag Sealed cloth bag of 500 pieces. Tags faded and overwritten, but lead seal intact   $75


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