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50 Centimes - Norodom Sihanouk Essai
| Issuer | Cambodia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1953 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | The Royal Arms of Cambodia occupies the central field, depicting the Preah Khan Reach (royal sword) and two ceremonial fans crossed behind a tiered royal urn surmounted by a multi-level spired finial, flanked by two mythical Garuda-like figures. The entire armorial composition is encircled by a wreath of laurel branches tied at the base with a ribbon and a stylised floral ornament. A continuous legend in Khmer script surrounds the design along the inner border, with a rope-beaded outer rim framing the whole obverse. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Cambodia's 1953 coinage was struck in Paris as the country moved toward full independence from France, which came in November of that year. These essai pieces — trial strikes produced by the Monnaie de Paris as proofs of accepted designs — were never released for general circulation. They exist almost exclusively in collector hands, distributed through the French mint's long-standing practice of selling essais directly to numismatists and subscription holders.
The aluminium composition is notably heavier than the production norm for the metal, suggesting the essai may have been struck on a different planchet specification than any coin intended for eventual circulation.