The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in Mainland Southeast Asia that is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, Vietnam to the east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.
As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, Cambodia has a long history of currencies. The earliest Khmer currency units are the sleung, nem, and kahabanak. These coins have designs on one side that centered on agriculture.
When Cambodia became a protectorate of France, the piaster was introduced as a new currency. The piaster was issued by the Bank of Indochina and circulated in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. The piaster was used until the end of French Indochina. In 1955, the riel became the sole currency of Cambodia.
During the Khmer Republic and Khmer Rouge, coins disappeared from circulation. In the 80’s, the government tried reintroducing coins, but the efforts did not last long.
Cambodian coins are now issued to commemorate special events, occasions, or themed sets. There are also standard circulation coins that were introduced in 1994. The denominations of the standard circulation coins are 5 sen, 50 riels, 100 riels, 200 riels, and 500 riels.
