Item number: A2834

Year: AD 1899

Material: Copper

Size: 19.9 x 19.9 x 0.6 mm

Weight: 7.7 g

Manufactured by: Paris Mint

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2020

This is a low-denomination copper coin issued in AD 1899 for circulation in the Protectorate of Annam (Central Vietnam), under French colonial administration.

The coin adopts the traditional square-holed design characteristic of East Asian currency, reflecting Vietnam’s deep cultural ties to the Sinosphere; in French, this type of coin is referred to as a sapèque. The obverse features a circular French inscription reading “INDO-CHINE FRANÇAISE” (French Indochina), along with the year of issue, “1899.” Above the date is the mintmark “A,” indicating that the coin was struck at the Paris Mint.

The reverse of the coin bears the inscription “大法國之安南” (“Annam of Great France”) in Chữ Hán script, arranged along the upper and lower edges. The denomination “當二” (“Value Two”) is inscribed vertically on the left and right sides. Unlike other Piastre denominations marked in French, this coin, denominated in Chữ Hán script, reflects its primary usage in small-scale trade within colonial communities rather than direct engagement with governing authorities for significant economic transactions such as taxation and lending.

In AD 1862, the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam ceded Cochinchina (southern Vietnam) to France, laying the foundation for French colonialism in Vietnam. In AD 1875, the newly established Banque de l’Indochine was granted authorization by the French government to issue a new currency, the Piastre, in the colonial territories. In AD 1887, France consolidated its control over Tonkin, Annam, Cochinchina, and Cambodia (later joined by Laos) to formally establish the “Union of French Indochina.”

At that time, alongside the Piastre, various foreign currencies such as Mexican pesos, US dollars, and Indian rupees circulated in the colonial territory, alongside old copper coins issued by the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam. These competing currencies challenged France’s financial order in the colony.

Under the leadership of the financially astute Paul Doumer during his tenure as Governor-General of French Indochina, significant reforms were undertaken to strengthen economic control over the colonies. By the time of his departure in AD 1903, measures were implemented to enforce the use of the Indochinese Piastre in trade, under the gold standard system, thereby prohibiting the circulation of foreign currencies or the currency of the former Nguyen Dynasty within the colony.

物件編號: A2834

年代: 公元 1899 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 19.9 x 19.9 x 0.6 mm

重量: 7.7 g

製造地: 巴黎造幣廠

來源: 福君錢幣 2020

這是一枚公元1899年，法國在其殖民統治下的「安南保護國」(中圻) 流通的小面額銅幣。

錢幣外觀沿用越南深受中華文化圈影響的方孔錢造型，法語稱之為「Sapèque」。錢幣正面以環型的法文標示「INDO-CHINE FRANÇAISE」(法屬印度支那) 和發行年份「1899」。於年份頂端有一個標記「A」代表由巴黎造幣廠鑄造。

錢幣背面的上下兩側以儒字標示「大法國之安南」，左右兩側則是面額「當二」。不同於其他面額的皮亞斯特以法文標示，這枚僅以儒字標示的小面額輔幣，反映其主要用途是殖民地民間的小額貿易，而非直接面對統治機關，諸如稅收和借貸等大額度的經濟行為。

公元1862年，越南阮朝割讓交趾支那(南圻)開啟法國在越南的殖民基礎。公元1875年，甫成立的東方匯理銀行獲得法國政府授權，在殖民地發行新貨幣「皮阿斯特」的特權。公元1887年，法國統合轄下：東京、安南、交趾支那和柬埔寨(後續加入寮國)，正式成立「印度支那聯邦」。當時在殖民地跟皮阿斯特競爭的貨幣，除了越南阮朝發行的舊銅幣，尚有墨西哥比索、美元和印度盧比等外國貨幣流通，影響法國在殖民地的金融秩序。擅長理財的保羅·杜美在印度支那總督任內，大幅再造行政系統以強化對殖民地的經濟控制。公元1903年在卸任之際，殖民地通過在金本位制度下以印度支那皮阿斯特進行貿易，強制禁止以他國或在地阮朝的貨幣流通。