500 Kip Year of the Snake

Laos has issued small-format gold bullion pieces tied to the Lunar calendar since the early 2000s, targeting the regional collector and gift market rather than any domestic monetary function. The Year of the Snake fell in 2013, corresponding to the Chinese lunisolar year 4711.

At 0.5 grams of .9999 fine gold, these were produced in limited quantities by or for the Banque de la RDP Lao — almost certainly struck by an outside mint, as Laos has no facility capable of producing fine gold coinage to this specification.