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1 Tael
| Issuer | French Indochina |
|---|---|
| Year | 1943-1944 |
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| Thickness | 7 mm |
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| Reverse description | The concave reverse field displays bilingual denomination inscriptions arranged in two horizontal registers within a raised inner border. The upper register bears a line of Lao script reading ຫນຶ່ງດອນລາ, while the lower register presents four Chinese characters in two rows: 正銀 (guaranteed silver) above 一兩 (one tael/liang), all struck in low relief. The surrounding flat rim is plain. The overall composition is austere and functional, reflecting the utilitarian nature of this wartime opium-trade currency. |
| Reverse script | Chinese, Lao |
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| Additional information |
Produced under the Japanese occupation administration after France fell in 1940, this tael was struck specifically for the opium trade monopoly operated across Indochina — not for general circulation. The French colonial apparatus continued functioning under Vichy authority until the Japanese coup of March 9, 1945, and the opium revenue system was one of the mechanisms both regimes had strong financial incentives to maintain. Mintage figures are poorly documented, and surviving examples are genuinely scarce.
The tael denomination itself follows Chinese commercial weight standards rather than the French metric system, reflecting the coin's intended use in a specific regional trade network rather than the broader colonial economy.