Coins and Banknotes of Vietnam
and French Indochina

French Indochina 20 Piastres 1909-1920, Haiphong

Face:

female allegory of France with oriental man and woman; 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;
LEON RUFFE sc. [engraver: Léon Henri Ruffe]; GEORGES DUVAL fecit [designer: Georges Duval];

Back:

dragons; denomination;
Text:
貳拾元 = 20 piastres;
奉本國特諭 = By this country special decree;
銀貳拾元見字交銀 = Silver 20 piastres paid in cash upon presenting the note;
東方滙理銀行 = Bank of Indochina;
東京 = Tonkin; 安南 = Annam;
L'ARTICLE 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
= Article 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;
Geo. Duval fec. [designer: Georges Duval];

Watermark:

Vietnamese male head

P-17b 20 Piastres 5-4-1917

Face:


Décrets des 21 Janvier 1875, 20 Février 1888, 16 Mai 1900 et 3 Avril 1901 = Decrees of January 21, 1875, February 20, 1888, May 16, 1900 and April 3, 1901
HAÏPHONG, le 5 Avril 1917 = Haiphong, April 5, 1917;
Le Caissier de la Succursale = Cashier of the Branch
[hand-signed];
Un Administrateur = Administrator
[signature: Baron Hély D'Oissel];
L'Administrateur-Directeur = Administrator-Director
[signature: Stanislas Simon]
French Indochina banknote 20 Piastres 5-4-1917 Haiphong, faceFrench Indochina banknote 20 Piastres 5-4-1917 Haiphong, back

P-17b 20 Piastres 6-4-1917

Face:

as above;
HAÏPHONG, le 6 Avril 1917 = Haiphong, April 6, 1917
French Indochina banknote 20 Piastres 6-4-1917 Haiphong, faceFrench Indochina banknote 20 Piastres 6-4-1917 Haiphong, back