100 Riel #95

Front

Agricultural scene depicting Cambodian rice farmers planting in flooded paddy fields, representing the country's primary economic activity and rural life. The vignette shows multiple workers engaged in traditional rice cultivation methods that have sustained Khmer civilization for centuries. The note features ornate guilloche patterns with three circular vignettes and text in both Khmer script and French identifying the issuing authority.

Back

The Bayon temple at Angkor Thom, a late 12th-century Buddhist temple built by King Jayavarman VII as the state temple of the Khmer Empire. Famous for its 54 towers decorated with 216 serene stone faces, the Bayon represents the peak of classical Khmer architecture and is one of Cambodia's most iconic monuments. The temple appears on numerous Cambodian banknotes as a symbol of national heritage.

History

This note belongs to the first series of riel issued by the Banque Nationale du Cambodge after Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953. The riel was introduced in 1955 to replace the Indochinese piastre at par. This series circulated through the Kingdom of Cambodia period under King Norodom Sihanouk and the Khmer Republic period. All currency was abolished by the Khmer Rouge in 1975, and notes of this series were demonetized. The riel was not reintroduced until 1980. These notes were printed by Giesecke & Devrient in Munich, as indicated by the printer's imprint on the back.