Coins and Banknotes of Vietnam
and French Indochina

20 Piastres 1876-1907, Haiphong

Face:

two elephants, two women with an ox and a tiger; date; denomination;
Text:
BANQUE DE L'INDO-CHINE = Bank of Indochina;
Vingt Piastres = Twenty piastres;
payables en espèces au porteur = Payable to bearer in cash;
A-BRAMTOT ET G.DUVAL.FEC. [designers: A. Bramtot and Georges Duval]; CH-WULLSCHLEGER.SC. [engraver: Ch. Wullschleger];

Back:

denomination;
Text:
貳拾元 = 20 piastres;
奉本國特諭 = By this country special decree;
東方滙理銀行 = Bank of Indochina;
銀貳拾元見字交銀 = Silver 20 piastres paid in cash upon presenting the note;
東京 = Tonkin; 安南 = Annam;
L'ART 139 DU CODE PÉNAL PUNIT DES TRAVAUX FORCÉS A PERPÉTUITÉ CEUX QUI AURONT CONTREFAIT OU FALSIFIÉ LES BILLETS DE BANQUES AUTORISÉES PAR LA LOI, AINSI QUE CEUX QUI AURONT FAIT USAGE DE CES BILLETS CONTREFAITS OU FALSIFIÉS, CEUX QUI LES AURONT INTRODUITS SUR LE TERRITOIRE FRANÇAIS SERONT PUNIS DE LA MÊME PEINE
= Art. 139 of Penal Code punishes with the life-term forced labour those who counterfeit or falsify the bills of the banks authorized by the Law, as well as those who use these counterfeit or forged notes, those who introduce them in French territory will be punished with the same penalty;
BANQUE DE L'INDO-CHINE = Bank of Indochina;

Watermark:

Mercury head

P-15 20 Piastres 10-6-1905 Haiphong

Face:

LA LOI PUNIT LE CONTREFACTEUR = The Law punishes the counterfeiter;
Décrets des 21 Janvier 1875, 20 Février 1888, 16 Mai 1900 & 3 Avril 1901 = Decrees of January 21, 1875, February 20, 1888, May 16, 1900 and April 3, 1901;
HAÏPHONG, le 10 Juin 1905 = Haiphong, June 10, 1905;
Le Caissier de la Succursale = Cashier of the Branch
[hand-signed];
Un Administrateur = Administrator
[signature: Baron Hély D'Oissel];
Le Directeur = Director
[signature: Stanislas Simon]
French Indochina banknote 20 Piastres 16-3-1907 Haiphong, faceFrench Indochina banknote 20 Piastres 16-3-1907 Haiphong, back