Jetons des colonies – (Indochine) – Laboratoires Roussel
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This piece used as payment to Hill Tribe for exchange in weight for opium
Forme : Rond troué d’un carré au centre
- Jetons des colonies – (Indochine) – Lamotte Picquet
- Jetons des colonies – Hodeidah (Arabie) – Caracanda Frères
Do you have the source where this information about this being a opium exchange token ? Presumably it was not actually traded for opium, nor as some have proposed a token used to trade in the « Roussel company Giftshop ». Perhaps instead it is some kind of promotional or advertising token, or a copy of one.
There exist also smaller keychain like tokens of the same design. Perhaps this large bronze/copper token is a copy of those to sell to tourists back at the time that all the fake vietnam coins were done up the same way ?
Cheers
I’m not sure where it was found.
Currently we have one in sale in ebay for 10 000 usd and it was also mentioned one from auctions. hence it looks not rare at all 🙂 You look correct and it is likely a copy.
Laurent
Excellent Piece
Large Cash Coin
1920’s – 1930’s
Saigon – French Indochine
304 Grammes – 10.85 Oz.
Diameter – 100 mm
Width 5 mm
I was advised on receiving these that they were used for trade between the Opium growing Hill Tribe people of Central Highlands of Vietnam. Opium in exchange for goods from the Roussel store, including Livestock, Farming Implements, Clothing, Food etc. These were made in various sizes. This is the largest size that were issued.
A 2001 Hong Kong Auction described this piece as; COINS – CHINA – VIETNAM. Laboratoire Roussel: Large Cash coin-like Cast Bronze Medal, c.1930, Rev BAO CHE ROUSSEL VIET-NAM, 100mm. Large French pharmaceutical company working in Vietnam.