20 Centimes - Norodom Sihanouk Essai

Cambodia's 1953 coinage was struck in Paris as part of the monetary preparations for full independence, which came that same year after France conceded sovereignty under sustained pressure from Sihanouk's abdication gambit — he had stepped down from the throne in March to campaign as a private citizen, forcing France's hand. Essai pieces like this were pattern strikes produced by the Monnaie de Paris for official approval, not intended for general release.

The aluminium composition mirrors the final circulation issue, making essais from this series unusually faithful to their production counterparts rather than struck in exotic metals as was common French practice.