FRENCH INDO-CHINA. Duo of Minors (2 Pieces), 1888-1900. Paris Mint. Both PCGS Certified.

1) 10 Centimes, 1888-A. PCGS AU-55. KM-2; Lec-130. 2) Sapeque, 1900-A. PCGS MS-62 Red Brown. KM-6; Lec-16. A neat pair of type coins issued for French possessions in what would become Vietnam. As far as this cataloger can ascertain, there is a minor numismatic controversy regarding denominating the bronze minor issue, namely is it a two Sapeque or mere one? Sources are divided, with Lecompte and other scholarly sources calling this denomination a singular Sapeque, with Krause and the major numismatic auction companies calling it 2. Sapeque is a much older term that arises from low value zinc and brass cast coins that were sufficient to meet the monetary needs of the local population. The French introduced a version of this coin valued at 1/500 a piastre or two mils according to some monetary systems. This probably led to conflation and calling this issue a 2 Sapeque as a singular Sapeque was assumed to be 1/1000 a unit of accounting, which belies the truth of what Sapeque were before the French.

Estimate: $42 - $70