Laos 1991 50 kip KM-45

Stack's Bowers 2019 Collector's Choice sale, lot 72425

This specimen was lot 72425 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, October 2019), where it sold for $75. The catalog description^[1] noted, "LAOS. 50 Kip, 1991. NGC PROOF-65 Ultra Cameo. Featuring a tiger and cubs motif and struck to bring awareness to endangered wildlife. A vivid example with hard mirrored fields and frosted devices. Faint haze likely contributed to the assigned grade." This rather amateurishly designed NCLT honors the local tigers, which are relentlessly hunted in what remains of the Laotian jungle.

Recorded mintage: 100 plus proofs.

Specification: 20 g, 0.999 fine silver.

Catalog reference: KM-45.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The October 2019 Collector's Choice Sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.

Link to:

• 1990 100 kip, 10th anniversary of the republic
• 1991 10 kip, endangered wildlife, tigers
• 1996 5000 kip, Summer Olympics, Boxing
• 2006 100,000 kip, the Buddha in meditation
• Coins and currency dated 1991