French Indochina 1920 20 cents

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This twenty cent piece is one of a type issued for French Indo-China in 1920 only. A spike in the price of silver forced the authorities to debase the coin from 0.835 fine to 0.400 fine. The fineness was restored to 0.680 silver in 1921. French Indochina was occupied by the Japanese in 1940. French attempts to reoccupy the area after World War Two were challenged by Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh, leading to French defeat and withdrawal in 1954. The colony was divided into Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Recorded mintage: 4,000,000, a better date.

Specification: 6 g, 0.400 fine silver, .076 troy oz ASW, reeded edge.

Catalog reference: KM 14.

Source:

• Gadoury, Victor, and George Cousinié, Monnaies Coloniales Françaises, 1670-1988, 2me Éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 1988.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.

Link to:

• 1911 10 cents
• 1914-A 20 cents
• 1920-A cent
• 1920 10 cents
• 1921-A 20 cents
• Coins and currency dated 1920
• return to French Indo-China