50 riels 1956
About This Note
This is an exceptionally well-preserved example of Cambodia's early post-independence currency, the 50 riels note from 1956 issued by the Banque Nationale de Cambodge. The note presents in UNC condition with crisp paper, vibrant colors, and no observable wear, displaying the characteristic ornate borders and detailed engraving typical of mid-20th century Southeast Asian banknotes. The obverse features a traditional Khmer waterfront scene with boats and figures, while the reverse showcases the iconic Angkor Wat temple complex, making this note particularly significant as a window into Cambodia's cultural and monetary heritage during the early years of King Norodom Sihanouk's reign.
Common. The 1956 50 riels note (Pick-7d) was part of Cambodia's standard post-independence currency circulation and no evidence suggests an exceptionally limited print run or early withdrawal from circulation. While early Cambodian banknotes have acquired collector interest due to historical significance and the nation's subsequent turbulent history, this denomination and issue remain readily available in the international numismatic market. The UNC condition grade enhances its appeal to collectors, but the Pick-7d is not considered scarce in any grade. Most examples encountered in the market are common circulated specimens, making uncirculated examples more desirable but not rare.
Issued in 1956, two years after Cambodia gained independence from France in 1954, this banknote represents the newly-sovereign nation's early monetary autonomy under the Banque Nationale de Cambodge. The selection of Angkor Wat—the magnificent 12th-century Hindu-Buddhist temple complex—as the reverse's focal point reflects Cambodia's deep pride in its Khmer cultural heritage and serves as a powerful national symbol. The bilingual French-Khmer inscriptions and the traditional waterfront imagery on the obverse document Cambodia's transitional period between colonial French influence and the assertion of Khmer national identity during Norodom Sihanouk's era of neutrality and cultural renaissance.
The obverse features a romantic landscape vignette depicting a traditional Khmer river scene with multiple figures in period boats equipped with traditional sails, set against a backdrop of mountains and clouded sky. This scene emphasizes Cambodia's cultural and geographical character, framed within an ornate rectangular border featuring geometric and floral decorative elements. The reverse showcases a detailed engraving of Angkor Wat's distinctive silhouette, rendered with its characteristic five-tower arrangement and soaring spires, flanked by stylized palm trees and positioned above a reflecting water feature or forecourt. Both sides employ ornamental corner roundels with floral motifs. The color palette—dominated by tan, beige, blue-gray, purple, and brown tones—creates a dignified, classical appearance appropriate to the note's nationalistic iconography.
Front side: Serial number 837249 (or 062837249 variant); Khmer denomination marking 'គ ០' (50); Khmer text 'ក ៦' and 'បាតសម័យ' (era/period designation); Khmer abbreviation 'ធ.ប.' (likely abbreviation for bank name). Back side: Denomination '50' in Arabic numerals; 'BANQUE NATIONALE DU CAMBODGE' (National Bank of Cambodia in French); 'CINQUANTE RIELS' (Fifty Riels in French); Khmer text 'បាតសម័យ' (era designation); Khmer denomination 'គ ០' (50). The bilingual presentation reflects Cambodia's post-colonial transitional linguistic framework.
The note exhibits characteristics of traditional engraved intaglio printing, evidenced by the crisp line work, fine detail resolution in the temple architecture, and the ornate decorative border patterns. The multi-color printing appears to have been executed using separate plates for different color passes, a standard technique for banknote production in the 1950s. The precision of registration between colors and the refined quality of the vignettes suggest production by an established security printer, likely a European banknote printer given the technical sophistication and the note's era. The decorative borders and security design elements are consistent with practices employed by De La Rue or similar international security printers of that period.
The observed serial number variants (837249 and 062837249 formats) suggest different serial numbering systems or printer configurations within the 1956 issue. No specific overprints, signature varieties, or significant design variants are apparent from the visual analysis. Collectors should note that Cambodian banknotes from this era may exist with minor variations in printing quality and registration due to the conditions under which the Banque Nationale de Cambodge operated in the mid-1950s. The Pick-7d designation appears to represent the standard first issued type; comparison with other cataloged varieties of the 1956 50 riels issue would be necessary to identify any specific sub-variety designation.
