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500 Kip Wat Aham
| Issuer | Bank of the Lao PDR |
|---|---|
| Year | 2014 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | The national coat of arms of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is depicted in the central field, featuring That Luang stupa flanked by paddy rice sheaves, a forest, and a gear wheel at the base, all enclosed within a wreath. The legend THE LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC curves along the upper periphery, while the denomination 500 KIP appears in the lower field beneath the arms. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse depicts a detailed relief of two standing apsara figures in traditional Lao temple art style, flanking a central ornamental column with floral motifs, rendered in a style reminiscent of carved stone decorations found at Wat Aham temple in Luang Prabang. The legend WAT AHAM TEMPLE • 2014 curves along the upper periphery, while the inscription 1/2 G .9999 FINEST GOLD appears along the lower border, confirming the coin's gold content and weight. |
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| Additional information |
Wat Aham is a small temple in Luang Prabang whose significance outweighs its modest size — it served historically as the residence of the two guardian spirits of the city, Phi Nyak Khamsing and Phi Nyak Nhoung, making it a site of genuine animist-Buddhist syncretism rather than orthodox Theravada practice. The Lao PDR's commemorative gold program from this period was aimed squarely at the international collector market, with fractional gold pieces like this one rarely if ever entering domestic circulation.