Catalog
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
| Issuer | Khmer Republic |
|---|---|
| Year | 1974 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | First riel (1953-1975) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Central figure of a standing Apsara (celestial dancer) depicted in the classical Khmer sculptural tradition, shown in a three-quarter stance with one arm raised and adorned with an elaborate tiered crown, jewelry, and traditional garments. The figure is set against a richly decorated background of stylized floral and scroll motifs evoking the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat. The curved legend REPUBLIQUE KHMERE arcs along the upper periphery in raised Latin letters. The overall design is rendered in high relief with fine detail throughout the field. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Latin/Khmer |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The Khmer Republic issued this gold piece in 1974 — the same year Khmer Rouge forces were closing in on Phnom Penh, cutting supply roads and tightening a siege that would end the republic entirely by April 1975. Gold commemoratives of this period were effectively emergency fundraising instruments, produced for foreign sale rather than domestic circulation. The Lon Nol government was financially desperate, heavily dependent on U.S. aid that Congress was actively restricting.
Mintage was extremely limited, and most examples were sold abroad before the capital fell.