Indochina 1 Piastre ND (1953) P-105 F – Emperor Bảo Đại

🇺🇸 Attention US Customers: We offer a seamless shopping experience! All orders shipped to the United States are sent DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). This means all customs duties and import taxes are paid upfront by us—you will not face any hidden fees, delays, or unexpected charges upon delivery.

📸 Please Note: We have many of these banknotes in stock. The exact serial numbers and specific wear patterns will vary from the photographs, but the described condition and overall quality remain exactly the same.

Hold the end of an empire in your hands with this authentic French Indochina 1 Piastre banknote! Issued for the State of Vietnam around 1953 and bearing the portrait of Bảo Đại, the last emperor of Vietnam, this colonial-era note captures the final years of French rule in Southeast Asia.

⚡ Extreme Index: 6.1 / 10
Why it’s extreme: Issued in the dying days of French Indochina and bearing the portrait of Bảo Đại, Vietnam’s last emperor.

• History & drama (30%): 8/10
• Scarcity (25%): 4/10 (Numista rarity index 25/100)
• Wow factor (20%): 6/10
• Age (15%): 7/10
• Condition (10%): 4/10

The Extreme Index is Extreme Banknotes’ own collector score based on history, scarcity, curiosity, age and condition — it is not a valuation or investment rating.

📦 Included Banknote(s):

1. ND (1953) Indochina 1 Piastre / 1 Đồng – Vietnam issue (P-105)

📖 History and Significance:
After the Second World War, France tried to hold on to its Indochinese colonies through the “Associated States” of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. In 1952 a new joint central bank, the Institut d’Émission des États du Cambodge, du Laos et du Viet-Nam, began issuing separate notes for each state. This 1 Piastre was the Vietnamese issue and carries the portrait of Bảo Đại, the former Nguyễn emperor whom France installed as head of the State of Vietnam. Within months of its release, the French defeat at Điện Biên Phủ (1954) and the Geneva Accords ended French Indochina. Bảo Đại was deposed in 1955, and these notes soon gave way to the currencies of independent Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

🎨 Design Details:
The obverse shows a portrait of Bảo Đại in a Western suit, framed by an ornate rosette, with “UNE PIASTRE” in French and the signatures of the Institute’s President and Chief Cashier. The reverse is a pink-and-yellow floral design carrying the value in three languages and scripts — “Giấy Một Đồng” in Vietnamese, plus Khmer and Lao — a reminder of the three states that shared this short-lived currency.

🔍 Numismatic Features:

• Size: 128 x 80 mm

• Material: Paper

• Type: Standard Circulation Banknote

• Currency: Indochinese Piastre (1885-1954)

• Country: French Indochina (State of Vietnam issue)

• Issuing Authority: Institut d’Émission des États du Cambodge, du Laos et du Viet-Nam

• Date: ND (1953)

✅ Condition Guide:
F (Fine) / Well Circulated. A Fine note has seen considerable circulation: expect multiple folds and creases, softened paper, rounded corners, light soiling or age toning, and possible small edge nicks, while the design remains complete and fully legible. Because we hold multiple quantities in inventory, the exact serial numbers and specific wear patterns will vary. This condition guide represents our overall quality standard rather than the specific flaws of the photographed note.