1 Riel #99

Front

Agricultural scene depicting farmers planting rice in flooded paddy fields, representing Cambodia's traditional agricultural economy and the centrality of rice cultivation to Cambodian culture and livelihood. This imagery was chosen to emphasize the rural character and agrarian foundation of the newly independent Kingdom of Cambodia in the 1950s.

Back

The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh (Chan Chaya Pavilion), the official residence of the King of Cambodia since its construction in the 1860s under King Norodom. The palace complex serves as a symbol of the Cambodian monarchy and nation, combining traditional Khmer architecture with French colonial influences; it remains the preeminent symbol of Cambodian sovereignty and royal authority.

History

This note belongs to the first series of the Cambodian riel, introduced in 1955 following Cambodia's independence from France in 1953. The riel replaced the Indochinese piastre at par. This series circulated during the Kingdom of Cambodia period under King Norodom Sihanouk until 1975, when the Khmer Rouge abolished money entirely. The currency was demonetized and destroyed during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975–1979), making these notes historical artifacts of pre-revolutionary Cambodia. A second riel was introduced in 1980 following the fall of the Khmer Rouge.