Catalog
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| Issuer | Bank of the Lao PDR |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Reverse description | A polychrome enamelled Viking longship is depicted in full sail, sailing rightward over stylised blue and white waves, with a richly detailed red-and-white scale-patterned sail and an ornate carved dragon prow. A figure is visible aboard the vessel, conveying the spirit of Norse exploration associated with Leif Ericson. The surrounding legend 'THE WORLD OF ADVENTURE · LEIF ERICSON' arcs along the rim, with the date '· 1996 ·' appearing in the lower exergue. |
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| Edge | Smooth |
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| Additional information |
Laos issued this piece as part of a broader "World of Adventure" series aimed squarely at the thematic collector market that dominated silver commemorative production in the 1990s. The Bank of the Lao PDR had no particular connection to Norse exploration — these coins were produced under contract arrangements common among smaller nations monetizing their minting rights for foreign wholesale distributors.
Leif Ericson's landfall at Vinland, now generally placed at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, predates Columbus by roughly five centuries. The archaeological confirmation at L'Anse aux Meadows came only in 1960, making him a fashionable subject for commemorative issues from the 1970s onward.