Laos 10 Kip 1979 Pick 27b UNC Banknote
The Laos 10 Kip 1979 Pick 27b is an interesting early banknote of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, combining revolutionary imagery with scenes celebrating public services and national development.
The obverse is dominated by three female soldiers carrying rifles, an unusual subject in world paper money that reflects the revolutionary and military themes found throughout early Lao PDR currency.
The reverse contrasts this imagery with a scene inside a hospital operating room, representing healthcare and the development of public institutions.
Presented in UNC (Uncirculated) condition, P-27b is an attractive historical banknote for collectors of Laos, Southeast Asia and socialist-era currency.
Historical Background
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic was proclaimed on 2 December 1975, ending the Kingdom of Laos and establishing a socialist state under the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party.
A new currency known as the Lao PDR Kip was subsequently introduced in 1979, replacing the Liberation Kip at a rate of 1 new Kip = 100 Liberation Kip.
The new banknotes reflected the political identity of the recently established republic. Rather than monarchs or elaborate historical monuments, their designs highlighted workers, farmers, soldiers, industry, education and public services.
The 10 Kip is particularly notable for placing women in a military role at the centre of its design.
Technical Specifications
- Country: Laos
- Denomination: 10 Kip
- Year: ND (1979)
- Pick Number: P-27b
- Condition: Uncirculated (UNC)
- Issuer: Bank of the Lao P.D.R.
- Currency: Lao Kip (LAK)
- Material: Paper
- Dimensions: approximately 141 × 66 mm
- Dominant Colours: Red, brown and multicolour
- Obverse: Three armed women soldiers
- Reverse: Hospital / operating-room scene
- Watermark: Hammer and sickle with star
- Type: Standard circulation banknote
Obverse
The obverse features:
- Three armed female soldiers
- Rifles
- Tropical vegetation
- National emblem of the Lao PDR
- 10 Kip denomination
- Lao inscriptions
- Detailed ornamental patterns
The prominence of the women soldiers makes this denomination particularly distinctive. The image reflects the revolutionary visual language used by the newly established Lao PDR and commemorates the participation of women in the country’s political and military struggles.
Reverse
The reverse depicts:
- Hospital operating room
- Medical personnel
- Patient undergoing treatment
- Medical equipment
- 10 Kip denomination
- Lao and French inscriptions
- Geometric security patterns
The healthcare imagery fits the broader theme of the 1979 series, in which different denominations highlighted aspects of the country’s society and economic development.
The juxtaposition is particularly interesting: military defence on the obverse and healthcare on the reverse, presenting two very different aspects of the new socialist state.
Security Features
As a relatively low-value banknote from the late 1970s, the 10 Kip uses comparatively straightforward security features, including:
- Hammer and sickle with star watermark
- Fine-line background patterns
- Detailed engraved-style imagery
- Multicoloured security underprint
- Serial numbering
- Intricate ornamental borders
Its design is therefore considerably simpler than modern Lao banknotes but strongly representative of the printing and visual style of its period.
Why Add This Banknote to Your Collection?
The Laos 10 Kip 1979 Pick 27b UNC banknote is particularly interesting for its unusual combination of female soldiers and medical imagery.
It is suitable for collectors of Lao banknotes, Southeast Asian currency, socialist banknotes, women on banknotes, military themes, medical imagery and historical UNC world paper money.
