Laos Coin List

The official currency of Laos is the kip, which was introduced in 1952 to replace the Indochinese piastre. The kip has undergone several changes throughout its history, reflecting the country's political and economic transformations.

Lao monetary history

Prior to the introduction of the kip, Laos used the Indochinese piastre, a common currency in the region during the French colonial period. In 1945, the "libre" was briefly issued as a temporary currency following the declaration of independence, but was quickly replaced. The kip was officially established in 1952, although it initially circulated alongside the piastre until 1954.

Relevant events in Lao numismatics

In 1976, following the communist revolution, a new kip was introduced, replacing the previous one at a ratio of 20 to 1. Since then, the kip has undergone a significant devaluation due to inflation. An important milestone in Lao numismatics was the 2010 issuance of a 50,000 kip silver commemorative coin celebrating the 450th anniversary of the founding of Vientiane as the capital.