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5 Piastres Brown
| Issuer | Banque de l'Indochine |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942-1945 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | P#63 |
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|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | BANQUE DE L'INDOCHINE CINQ PIASTRES L'INSPECTEUR GÉNÉRAL LE DIRECTEUR DE LA SUCCURSALE DE SAIGON L'ARTICLE 139 DU CODE PÉNAL PUNIT DES TRAVAUX FORCÉS CEUX QUI AURONT CONTREFAIT OU FALSIFIÉ LES BILLETS DE BANQUES AUTORISÉES PAR LA LOI PHAM-NGOC-KHUË IDEO. HANOI |
| Reverse description | Intaglio vignette of a traditional Vietnamese pagoda set at the water's edge, surrounded by trees and open sky, rendered in fine line engraving in brown tones; the serial number and letter prefix appear above the central vignette. A band of Chinese characters '東方匯理銀行' runs along the lower border, with the numeral '5' repeated in the upper corners within guilloche roundels. |
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| Comments |
Wartime exigency pushed Banque de l'Indochine to print locally in Hanoi rather than rely on Metropolitan France, which was under German occupation and in no position to supply engraved currency. Phạm Ngọc Khuê's involvement as designer is notable — local artistic talent contributing to colonial currency production was hardly the norm for the period.
The notes circulated under Japanese-supervised Vichy administration, a peculiar arrangement that left the Banque de l'Indochine technically functioning until the Japanese coup of March 1945 abruptly ended French administrative authority altogether.