Moneta
Registered: August 2005
Location: Arizona USA
Posts: 2,363
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Encompassing most of what is today Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, this French colony was very influential in the region. The design is interesting in that is shows a figure of Liberty or of France holding a protective cover over female representing S.E. Asia. Too bad their protective cloak as not always benevolent or protective.
France began its consolidation of its position in Southeast Asia with the takeover of Cochin China in 1862. In subsequent years, Cambodia, Annam, Tonkin and Laos were acquired and formed French Indochina. French Indochina came to an end in 1954. The obverse has two female allegorical figures in the field with 1 CENT below the hole. REPUBLIQUE is at the left and FRANÇAISE at the right. The Paris mintmark, A, is at the bottom. The reverse has four Chinese characters in the field with INDO • CHINE FRANÇAISE • 1899 • on the perimeter.
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