500 riels 1973

Common. The 500 Riel denomination from 1973 remains relatively common in the collector market, particularly in circulated grades. While Cambodia experienced significant monetary disruption after 1975, adequate quantities of this note survived. The UNC condition grade is less common than circulated examples, but these notes were produced in sufficient quantities to ensure availability to serious collectors. No significant print run restrictions, recall situations, or other rarity factors are documented for Pick-16a(2).

This 500 Riel note was issued in 1973, during the final years of Prince Norodom Sihanouk's Khmer Republic government before the country's fall to the Khmer Rouge in 1975. The reverse design celebrating traditional agricultural scenes with oxen and farmers reflects the nation's agrarian heritage and economy of that era. The bilingual Khmer-French inscriptions are characteristic of Cambodia's colonial and post-colonial monetary traditions, representing the country's complex relationship with French influence during its period of monetary independence.

The obverse features a profile portrait of a woman wearing an elaborate spherical headdress adorned with ornamental details, positioned on the left side and facing left. This appears to represent a classical Cambodian or Angkorian royal or celestial figure, consistent with the nation's cultural iconography. The reverse depicts a romanticized scene of traditional Cambodian rural life, prominently featuring rice paddies with water channels, tropical palm trees, and agricultural activities with farmers and oxen engaged in traditional irrigation and farming. A striking ornamental demon or deity mask face (likely a Khmer or Angkorian artistic motif) appears in the lower left, while an elaborate carved relief frieze with multiple human figures in various activities spans the bottom of the note. The entire composition is framed with intricate decorative borders and scrollwork incorporating green and white ornamental designs.

FRONT SIDE: Khmer numerals '៥០០' (500), Khmer text 'របៀល' (Riel), Serial number 'ខ ៩ 385865' appearing in top left and top right corners, three official signatures in script. BACK SIDE: Khmer text 'ធនាគារ ជាតិ ម៉ាកម្បូឌ' (National Bank of Cambodia), French text 'BANQUE NATIONALE DU CAMBODGE' (National Bank of Cambodia), Khmer numerals '៥០០' (500), Khmer text 'របៀល' (Riel).

Intaglio engraving (line engraving) with multi-color letterpress overprinting. The fine line patterns, complex geometric designs, ornamental scrollwork, and detailed landscape and relief carving details are characteristic of high-security intaglio production. The precision color registration, multi-color composition with green, beige, black, white, and pink/rose tints, and the tactile quality of the engraved lines indicate this was produced by a professional security printer. For Cambodian issues of this period, notes were typically produced by French or Swiss security printers such as Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. or similar establishments with Cambodian government contracts.

This example is identified as Pick-16a(2), denoting a specific variety of the 500 Riel 1973 issue. The serial number 'ខ ៩ 385865' indicates a prefix series 'ខ ៩' (Khmer letter and numeral designation). Varieties of Cambodian notes from this period are typically distinguished by serial number prefixes, signature combinations of the three officials, and minor design modifications. The presence of three visible signatures is consistent with the standard authentication requirements of the era. Without additional comparative specimens, the specific distinguishing characteristics of the '(2)' variety designation cannot be definitively detailed, but this likely represents a later printing series or signature variant of the base Pick-16a issue.