Kingdom of Laos' royal emblem on French Union coin (1952)

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Title

Kingdom of Laos' royal emblem on French Union coin (1952)

Description

On the obverse of this coin one can see the royal emblem of the Kingdom of Laos – a white three-headed elephant under white parasol – which was chosen by the kingdom of Luang Prabang; the legend reads ROYAUME DU LAOS ("Kingdom of Laos"), and the year 1952. The reverse essentially displays the value of the coin, 20 cents, a plant in the center, and the year 1952.
Even though the coin was still issued by the French, its iconography includes only a minimum of French elements, except for the French words of the legend. The shift from French symbols to Laos' national emblem can be interpreted as a signal for the diminishing presence and authority of the French in Laos.

Reference:
Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2014. "Flags of Laos." Last modified June 25, 2014 (23 May 2022).

Creator

Nguyen Ngoc Lien

Citation

Nguyen Ngoc Lien, “Kingdom of Laos' royal emblem on French Union coin (1952),” Augustus in Saigon!?, accessed December 23, 2024, https://augustusinsaigon.uni-trier.de/items/show/246.

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