How to Identify the French Indochina Piastre
A collector's guide to attributing the silver Indochina piastre: seated Liberty, the UNION INDOCHINE FRANÇAISE wreath, size, silver and look-alikes.
Read the full French Indochina Piastre encyclopedia entry →
Start with the two design elements that fix the type. The obverse shows a seated figure of Liberty holding a torch and a laurel branch, with the date in the field — 1928 on the coin shown here. Turn it over and read the reverse: the legend UNION INDOCHINE FRANÇAISE encircling a floral wreath that frames the denomination and weight. That French-language legend plus the seated-Liberty obverse together identify the French Indochina piastre and separate it from every other Asian silver dollar at a glance.
Confirm the physical coin. This is a crown-size silver piece: expect a diameter well over 35 mm, a heft in the region of about 27 grams for issues of this era, a reeded edge, and a pale silver surface that often carries gray or iridescent toning. The coin should feel dense and ring like silver; a large light-weight or magnetic piece of this design is a warning sign.
Check the date and the small marks. The date sits in the obverse field, and near the reverse wreath you may find tiny privy marks or a mint mark denoting the striking facility. These details distinguish one year and variety from another and matter when cataloguing the exact issue, so note them carefully rather than assuming all piastres of this design are the same date.
Be alert to look-alikes and fractional denominations. The same seated-Liberty and wreath motifs were used on smaller silver denominations of the series (such as fractional piastre pieces), which share the design but are notably smaller and lighter — always size and weigh the coin before concluding it is the full one-piastre. It should also not be confused with other regional trade dollars like the Mexican peso or the British and French trade dollars, which carry entirely different legends and devices.
Apply standard authentication cautions. The piastre is a valued silver type and has been counterfeited and cast. Genuine coins are sharply struck with crisp lettering and wreath detail and a clean reeded edge; be wary of soft or blurry detail, casting seams or bubbles, an edge that looks filed or seamed, off weights and diameters, or artificially applied toning meant to hide surface problems. When in doubt, weigh and measure the coin, test the silver, and compare the date and marks against a reliable catalog of French colonial coinage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to confirm it is an Indochina piastre?
Read the reverse. The legend UNION INDOCHINE FRANÇAISE around a floral wreath, paired with the seated Liberty holding a torch and laurel on the obverse, is unique to this series and confirms the type immediately.
How do I tell the full piastre from the smaller silver denominations?
By size and weight. The one-piastre is a crown-size coin over 35 mm and around 27 grams. The fractional pieces reuse the same design but are distinctly smaller and lighter, so always measure and weigh before deciding.
Could my coin be counterfeit?
Because it is a valued silver type, cast and struck fakes exist. Look for sharp lettering and wreath detail, a clean reeded edge, and correct weight and diameter; seams, bubbles, mushy detail or a filed edge point to a copy.
Where do I find the mint or variety information?
Check the date in the obverse field and any small privy or mint marks near the reverse wreath, then compare them against a standard reference for French Indochina coinage to pin down the exact year and variety.