1000 LAK

Front: Three women in traditional dress representing the major ethnic groups of Laos (Lao Loum, Lao Theung, and Lao Soung). The image celebrates the ethnic diversity of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the unity of its peoples. At right, Pha That Luang, the national monument and most important religious building in Laos, a gold-covered Buddhist stupa in Vientiane originally built in the 16th century and restored in the 1930s; it is a symbol of Lao sovereignty and Buddhist faith. The national emblem of Laos appears at upper right, featuring Pha That Luang encircled by rice stalks.

Back: Water buffalo plowing rice fields, depicting traditional agriculture that remains the foundation of Laos's rural economy. Water buffalo have been essential to Lao farming for centuries, used for plowing wet rice paddies and transport. The scene represents the agrarian character of Laotian society and the importance of rice cultivation to the nation's culture and economy.

Minor handling marks, center fold, generally well-preserved