10 kip 1979

Common. This is a regular issue from the early LPDR period with no documented print run restrictions or recalls. Market data shows UNC examples selling for approximately $0.85-$1.00 USD, with even graded PMG 68 specimens fetching under $16, indicating substantial circulation and availability in the collector market. The denomination and design were not short-lived, and examples in all conditions remain readily available.

Issued in 1979, just four years after the Lao People's Democratic Republic's establishment following the fall of Saigon, this note reflects the revolutionary socialist ideology of the new regime through its deliberate iconography of labor and communal welfare. The lumber mill depicted on the obverse symbolizes industrial development and workers' contribution to nation-building, while the domestic medical care scene on the reverse represents the socialist government's commitment to public health and social services—key propaganda themes of the early LPDR period.

The obverse features a prominent lumber mill or industrial processing facility occupying the left side, depicting workers engaged with large machinery, gears, and industrial equipment—symbolizing productive labor and economic development. The national emblem of the LPDR (a torch or flame with a star) is positioned on the upper right, representing state authority and revolutionary ideals. The reverse displays a domestic interior scene showing multiple figures in what appears to be a home or communal health setting, representing medical care, family welfare, and the socialist state's social provisions. Both sides feature elaborate decorative borders with traditional Lao geometric patterns and ornamental frames typical of 1970s-80s LPDR currency design.

Front: 'ສາທາລະນະລັດປະຊາທິປະເຕຍະ ລາວ' (Lao People's Democratic Republic); Serial number 'AD 8520216'. Back: 'ສິບກີບ' (Ten kip); Additional Lao text partially visible regarding public health or welfare themes. Denomination: '10' (Arabic numerals).

Multicolor offset lithography with security printing elements including colored serial numbers in red ink, intricate border engraving, and multi-plate color separation. The technique reflects the printing capabilities of Soviet-bloc allied security printers, consistent with Laotian notes of this era that were often produced in Eastern European facilities.

This note is catalogued as Pick 27a, with PMG recognizing at least four variants for this base number (P-27a, P-27a*, P-27b*, P-27s). The specimen shown bears serial number AD 8520216 and represents the standard P-27a variety. The 'a' designation distinguishes it from later variants, potentially differing in signature combinations, printer marks, or minor design elements. The watermark reportedly contains stars, hammer, and sickles, though the spelling variant 'Keup' instead of 'Kip' noted in some references may represent printer variations or documentation errors.