20 Centimes - French Indo-China

This 20 Centimes coin from French Indo-China was one of the first to employ aluminum-bronze in a colonial setting, a practical choice to combat the Southeast Asian humidity that rusted lesser metals.

That alloy made it durable for circulation in places like Vietnam and Cambodia, where coins often ended up in rice paddies or monsoon drains. The obverse features a simple rice stalk design by Lucien Bazor, reflecting the region's agriculture without the usual colonial pomp.

We don't know the exact mintage figures; records from the Paris Mint during the war years are spotty at best. What I can say is that production ramped up from 1936, peaking before the Japanese occupation disrupted everything in 1940.

Plenty of myths swirl around these, like tales of hidden treasures in old French villas. But in reality, most turned up in everyday hoards, not adventure stories.

Collectors might overlook it for shinier pieces, but that's their loss.