Lao kip

In 1945–1946, the Free Lao government in Vientiane issued a series of paper money in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 att and 100 kip before the French authorities took control of the region.

The kip was reintroduced in 1955, replacing the French Indochinese piastre at par. The kip (also called a piastre in French) was sub-divided into 100 att (Lao: ອັດ) or cents (French: Centimes).

Coins were issued in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 att or cents with French and Lao inscriptions. All were struck in aluminum and had a hole in the centre, like the Chinese cash coins. The only year of issue was 1952.

100 kip, 1957 issue

In 1953, the Laos branch of the Institut d'Emission des Etats du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam issued notes dual denominated in piastre and kip. At the same time, the two other branches had the similar arrangement with the riel in Cambodia and the đồng in South Vietnam. There were notes for 1, 5, 100 and 100 kip/piastres.

In 1957, the government issued notes denominated solely in kip. The notes were for 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 kip printed by the Security Banknote Company, 100 kip printed by the Banque de France and a commemorative 500 kip printed by Thomas De la Rue. 1 and 5 kip notes printed by Bradbury & Wilkinson, and a 10 kip by De la Rue were introduced by 1962.

In 1963, 20, 50, 200 and 1000 kip notes were added, all printed by De la Rue. These were followed by 100, 500 and 5000 kip notes in 1974–75, again by De La Rue. A 1975 10 kip by Bradbury & Wilkinson and a 1000 kip by De la Rue were printed but not circulated.

The Pathet Lao kip was introduced sometime before 1976 in the areas which were under the control of the Pathet Lao. Banknote denominations of 1, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 kip were issued. The notes were printed in China.

In 1976, the Pathet Lao kip replaced the Royal kip throughout Laos following the Pathet Lao's take over of the country. The exchange rate between the two kip was 1 Pathet Lao kip = 20 royal kip.

On 16 December 1979, the old Pathet Lao “Liberation” kip was replaced by the new Lao kip at a rate of 100 to 1.[3]

Coins were again issued in Laos for the first time in 28 years in 1980 with denominations of 10, 20 and 50 att, with each being struck in aluminum and depicting the state emblem on the obverse and agricultural themes on the reverse. These were followed by commemorative 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 kip coins issued in 1985 for the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. However, due to the economic toll of the Soviet collapse in 1991 and the persistence of chronic inflation, coins are rarely seen in circulation.

Obverse	Reverse	Value	Obverse	Reverse	Composition	Date of issue
		10 att	Value, farmer	Emblem of Laos (1975-1991 version)	Aluminum	1980
		20 att	Value, man ploughing with Ox	Emblem of Laos (1975-1991 version)	Aluminum	1980
		50 att	Value, fish	Emblem of Laos (1975-1991 version)	Aluminum	1980

In 1979, banknotes were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 kip. 500 kip notes were added in 1988, followed by 1000 kip in 1992, 2000 and 5000 kip in 1997, 10,000 and 20,000 kip in 2002 and 50,000 kip on January 17, 2006 (although dated 2004). On November 15, 2010 a 100,000 kip banknote was issued to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the founding of the capital, Vientiane, and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.[4][5][6] Kaysone Phomvihane is pictured on the obverse of the 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 kip banknotes.

The Bank of Laos governor announced on January 25, 2012 that the Bank of Laos would issue 100,000 Kip banknotes as a regular issue on February 1, 2012 (but dated 2011) to encourage Lao people to use the national currency instead of U.S. dollars and Thai baht.[7][8][9]

Current Series
Image		Value	Description		Date of issue	Series Designation
Obverse	Reverse		Obverse	Reverse
		₭1	Militia unit at left, arms at upper right.	Schoolroom scene at left.	1979	P-25a
		₭5	Shopping	Elephant Logging	1979	P-26a
		₭10	Dark brown on multicolor underprint. Lumber mill at left, arms at upper right.	Medical scenes at left.	1979	P-27a
		₭20	Arms at left, tank with troop column at center.	Brown and maroon. Textile mill at center.	1979	P-28a
		₭50	Rice Planting	Hydroelectric Dam	1979	P-29a
		₭100	Harvesting	Bridge	1979	P-30a
		₭500	Modern Irrigation	Fruit Harvesting	1988	P-31a
		₭1,000	Laotian Ethnic Groups Women: Lao Lum, Lao Sung and Lao Theung.	Cattle Herd	2003	P-39
					2008
		₭2,000	President Kaysone Phomevihane, Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang, Laos	Hydroelectric Complex in Xeset, Laos	1997	P-41
					2011
		₭5,000	President Kaysone Phomevihane; Pha That Luang	Cement Factory in Vang Vieng	2003	P-34b
		₭10,000	President Kaysone Phomevihane; Pha That Luang	Mekong River Bridge	2003	P-35b
		₭20,000	President Kaysone Phomevihane; Haw Pra Keaw (Ho Phra Keo)	Theun-Hinboun Hydroelectric Powerhouse	2003	P-36B
		₭50,000	President Kaysone Phomevihane; Pha That Luang	Presidential Palace	2004	P-37
		₭100,000	President Kaysone Phomevihane, Pha That Luang in Vientiane, Laos	President Kaysone Phomevihane Statue and Museum , Vientiane, Laos	2011	P-42
		₭100,000	King Sethathirath statue, Pha That Luang in Vientiane, Dok Champa Flower and Naga Dragon.	Ho Phra Keo Temple in Vientiane	2010	P-40