Timeline and imperial coinage
of Vietnam

Thuan D.Luc, Vladimir Belyaev			26 September, 1998 last updates 29-Apr-04
VIETNAM - the nation is located in Southeast Asia west of the South China Sea. The word VIET means 'to traverse' or 'the name of a group of people lived in the delta of Hong river'. The word NAM means 'the South'. VIETNAM means 'to traverse to the South' or 'the Viet people in the South'. Vietnam has its country name changed throughout its history as follows.         The coins listed below are only the imperial Vietnamese copper issues in the Chinese cash style.         Coins with one of the listed below legends, made from non-copper metal, are non-regular issues (for example, common Minh Mang zinc coin). Also exists a lot of non-regular legends of copper coins.         All non-regular issues will be the subject of future investigations. Designations: - extremely rare - very rare - quite rare Other coins are common. - coin exist, but not mentioned in the historical chronicles - coin mentioned in the historical chronicles, but had never been seen - there is Chinese coin with the same legend - click to read coin description.
Name of Nation		Period of nation
NAME of Dynasty
Name of Emperor / Leader Years of reign	Reign title	Reign years	Coins legend	Rarity
Comments.
VAN LANG		2879 BC - 258 BC
HONG BANG DYNASTY
Kinh Duong Vuong Lac Long Quan (Lac Dragon Lord) 18 Hung Vuong (18 Hung kings)
The ancient Annals of Vietnam recorded that Hung King named his realm as Van Lang and establised his capital in Phong Chau (Province of Son Tay, North Vietnam now).
AU LAC		257 BC - 207 BC
THUC DYNASTY
An Duong Vuong (King An Duong)
Thuc Phan (King An Duong), the ruler of a kingdom named Nam Cuong (Southern frontier) comprising Cao Bang in North Vietnam and part of Kuang-hsi of China. Thuc dethroned the 18th Hung King, conquered Van Lang and founded Au Lac.
NAM VIET     (Nan Yueh)		208 BC - 111 BC
TRIEU DYNASTY
Trieu Da 208 BC - 136 BC Trieu Van Vuong 136 BC - 124 BC Trieu Minh Vuong 124 BC - 112 BC Trieu Ai Vuong 112 BC - 112 BC
Trieu Duong Vuong 111 BC - 111 BC	Canh Duc
When Ch'in Emperor Shih Huang Ti who ruled the Northern of China and went down to the South to conquer the "Hundred Yueh" (Bach Viet) died, Ch'in Commissioner Trieu Da defeated King An Duong, gained control of Yueh lands (Kuang Tung, Kuang-hsi) and founded Nam Viet which was from Hsi River of China to Ma river of Au lac.
GIAO CHI     (Intertwined feet)		111 BC - 202 AD
CUU CHAN     (Nine Verities)
NHAT NAM     (South of the Sun)
UNDER CHINESE WESTERN HAN DYNASTY
Trung Sisters
Han defeated Trieu and organized the lands of Nam Viet into 9 prefectures. Prefectures of Giao Chi, Cuu Chan and Nhat Nam were in Viet Nam, the others were in China.
GIAO CHAU     (Giao Province)		203 - 544 AD
-        UNDER CHINESE EASTERN HAN & WU (THREE KINGDOMS) DYNASTIES
Lady Trieu
-       -       -       -        UNDER CHINESE JIN - SONG - QI - LIANG - SUI DYNASTIES
In 203 AD Han changed the name of the southern part of Nam Viet to Giao Chau. Then in 226 AD Wu divided Giao Chau into two parts: from the north of Hop Pho (Ho-p'u of Kuang-hsi) up was called Kuang Province and from the south of Hop Pho was called Giao Chau.       Finally, in 264 AD Wu reorganized Nam Viet's land, Giao Chau was comprised of Hop Pho, Giao Chi, Cuu Chan and Nhat Nam; Kuang Province was comprised of Nan hai, Ts'ang wu and Yu lin.
VAN XUAN     (Ten thousands Spring Times)		544 - 603 AD
Ly Nam De	Thien Duc
In 541 Ly Nam De drove Liang Governor of Giao Chau out of the province, proclaimed himself the emperor of Nam Viet and published the name of his realm as Van Xuan.
Trieu Viet Vuong Ly Phat Tu
Ly was defeated by Sui dynasty. Van Xuan was under Chinese Sui dynasty.
AN NAM DO HO PHU     (The Protectorate of Annam)		603 - 909 AD
In 679 Chinese dynasty Tang changed the name of Giao Chau to An Nam Do Ho Phu. An Nam means Pacified South. In 938 Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han‘s army with the Battle of Bach Dang River and opened an era of independence.
-       -       -        UNDER CHINESE SUI - TANG - Later LIANG - Southern HAN DYNASTIES
Mai Thuc Loan Phung Hung (The Great Father and Mother King) Khuc Thua Du Khuc Thua My Khuc Hao Duong Dien Nghe Ngo Quyen
DAI CO VIET		968 - 1054 AD
Dai is a Chinese word Ta meaning Great, Co is a Vietnamese word meaning Great also. The Emperor could change reign title several times.
DINH DYNASTY
Dinh Bo Linh 970-979	Thai Binh	970-979	Thai Binh Hung Bao
Dinh Phe De
LE DYNASTY
Le Dai Hanh 980-1005	Thien Phuc	980-988	Thien Phuc Tran Bao
	Hung Thong	989-994
	Ung Thien	994-1005
Le Trung Tong 1005-1005	Long Viet	1005-1005
Le Long Dinh 1005-1009	Ung Thien	1006-1008
	Canh Thuy	1008-1009
LY DYNASTY
Ly Thai To 1010-1028	Thuan Thien	1010-1028	Thuan Thien Dai Bao
Ly Thai Tong 1028-1054	Thien Thanh	1028-1033
	Thong Thuy	1034-1038
	Can Phu Huu Dao	1039-1041	Can Phu Nguyen Bao
	Minh Dao	1042-1043	Minh Dao Nguyen Bao
	Thien Cam Thanh Vu	1044-1048	Thien Cam Nguyen Bao
	Sung Hung Dai Bao	1049-1054
DAI VIET		1054 - 1413 AD
LY DYNASTY
Ly Thanh Tong 1054-1072	Long Thuy Thai Binh	1054-1058
	Chuong Thanh Gia Khanh	1059-1065
	Long Chuong Thien Tu	1066-1067
	Thien Huong Bao Tuong	1068-1068
	Than Vu	1069-1072
Ly Nhan Tong 1072-1127	Thai Ninh	1072-1075
	Anh Vu Chieu Thang	1076-1084
	Quang Huu	1085-1091
	Hoi Phu	1092-1101
	Long Phu	1101-1119
	Hoi Tuong Dai Khanh	1110-1119
	Thien Phu Due Vu	1120-1126
	Thien Phu Khanh Tho	1127-1127
Ly Than Tong 1128-1137	Thien Thuan	1128-1132
	Thien Chuong Bao Tu	1133-1138
Ly Anh Tong 1138-1175	Thieu Minh	1138-1139
	Dai Dinh	1140-1162	Dai Dinh Thong Bao
	Chinh Long Bao Ung	1163-1173
	Thien Cam Chi Bao	1174-1175
Ly Cao Tong 1176-1210	Trinh Phu	1176-1185
	Thien Tu Gia Thuy	1186-1201	Thien Tu Nguyen Bao
	Thien Gia Bao Huu	1202-1204
	Tri Binh Long Ung	1205-1210	Tri Binh Thong Bao
Ly Hue Tong 1211-1224	Kien Gia	1211-1224
Ly Chieu Hoang 1224-1225	Thien Chuong Huu Dao	1224-1225
TRAN DYNASTY
Tran Thai Tong 1225-1258	Kien Trung	1225-1231	Kien Trung Thong Bao
	Thien Ung Chinh Binh	1232-1250	Chinh Binh Thong Bao
	Nguyen Phong	1251-1258	Nguyen Phong Thong Bao
Tran Thanh Tong 1258-1278	Thieu Long	1258-1272
	Bao Phu	1273-1278
Tran Nhan Tong 1279-1293	Thieu Bao	1279-1284
	Trung Hung	1285-1293
Tran Anh Tong 1293-1314	Hung Long	1293-1314
Tran Minh Tong 1314-1329	Dai Khanh	1314-1323
	Khai Thai	1324-1329	Khai Thai Thong Bao
Tran Hien Tong 1329-1341	Khai Huu	1329-1341
Tran Du Tong 1341-1369	Thieu Phong	1341-1357	Thieu Phong Nguyen Bao
			Thieu Phong Thong Bao
	Dai Tri	1358-1369	Dai Tri Thong Bao
			Dai Tri Nguyen Bao
Duong Nhat Le 1369-1370	Dai Dinh	1369-1370	Dai Dinh Thong Bao
Tran Nghe Tong 1370-1372	Thieu Khanh	1370-1372	Thieu Khanh Thong Bao
Tran Due Tong 1372-1377	Long Khanh	1372-1377
Tran Phe De 1377-1388	Xuong Phu	1377-1388
Tran Thuan De 1388-1398	Quang Thai	1388-1398
Tran Thieu De 1398-1400	Kien Tan	1398-1400
Tran De Ngoi 1407-1407	Hung Khanh	1407-1407
Tran Quy Khoang 1409-1413	Trung Quang	1409-1413
DAI NGU		1400 - 1407 AD
HO DYNASTY
Ho Quy Ly 1400-1401	Thanh Nguyen	1400-1401	Thanh Nguyen Thong Bao
Ho Han Thuong 1401-1407	Thieu Thanh	1401-1402	Han Nguyen Thong Bao
	Khai Dai	1403-1407
AN NAM		1407 - 1427 AD
UNDER CHINESE MING DYNASTY
Ho was defeated by Chinese Ming dynasty.
DAI VIET		1428 - 1802 AD
LATER LE DYNASTY
Le Thai To 1428-1433	Thuan Thien	1428-1433	Thuan Thien Nguyen Bao
Le Thai Tong 1434-1442	Thieu Binh	1434-1439	Thieu Binh Thong Bao
			Thieu Binh Phong Bao
			Thieu Binh Thanh Bao
	Dai Bao	1440-1442	Dai Bao Thong Bao
Le Nhan Tong 1443-1459	Thai Hoa	1443-1453	Thai Hoa Thong Bao
	Dien Ninh	1454-1459	Dien Ninh Thong Bao
Le Nghi Dan 1459-1460	Thien Hung	1459-1460	Thien Hung Thong Bao
Le Thanh Tong 1460-1497	Quang Thuan	1460-1469	Quang Thuan Thong Bao
	Hong Duc	1470-1497	Hong Duc Thong Bao
Le Hien Tong 1497-1504	Canh Thong	1497-1504	Canh Thong Thong Bao
Le Tuc Tong 1505-1505	Thai Trinh	1505-1505
Le Uy Muc 1505-1509	Doan Khanh	1505-1509	Doan Khanh Thong Bao
Le Tuong Duc 1510-1516	Hong Thuan	1510-1516	Hong Thuan Thong Bao
Le Chieu Tong 1516-1526	Quang Thieu	1516-1526	Quang Thieu Thong Bao
Le Cung Hoang 1522-1527	Thong Nguyen	1522-1527
Le Trang Tong 1533-1548	Nguyen Hoa	1533-1548	Nguyen Hoa Thong Bao
Le Trung Tong 1548-1556	Thuan Binh	1548-1556
Le Anh Tong 1556-1573	Thien Huu	1557-1557
	Chinh Tri	1558-1571
	Hong Phuc	1572-1573
Le The Tong 1573-1599	Gia Thai	1573-1599	Gia Thai Thong Bao
	Quang Hung	1578-1599
Le Kinh Tong 1599-1619	Than Duc	1600-1600
	Hoang Dinh	1601-1619
Le Than Tong 1619-1643	Vinh To	1619-1628
	Duc Long	1629-1634
	Duong Hoa	1635-1643
Le Chan Tong 1643-1649	Phuc Thai	1643-1649
Le Than Tong 1649-1662	Khan Duc	1649-1652
	Thinh Duc	1653-1657
	Vinh Tho	1658-1661	Vinh Tho Thong Bao
	Van Khanh	1662-1662
Le Huyen Tong 1663-1671	Canh Tri	1663-1671
Le Gia Tong 1672-1675	Duong Duc	1672-1673
	Duc Nguyen	1674-1675
Le Hi Tong 1676-1705	Vinh Tri	1676-1680	Vinh Tri Thong Bao Vinh Tri Nguyen Bao Vinh Tri Chi Bao
	Chinh Hoa	1680-1705	Chinh Hoa Thong Bao
Le Du Tong 1706-1729	Vinh Thinh	1705-1719	Vinh Thinh Thong Bao
	Bao Thai	1720-1729	Bao Thai Thong Bao
Le Duy Phuong 1729-1732	Vinh Khanh	1729-1732
Le Thuan Tong 1732-1735	Long Duc	1732-1735
Le Y Tong 1735-1740	Vinh Huu	1735-1740
Le Hien Tong 1740-1786	Canh Hung	1740-1786	Canh Hung Thong Bao
			Canh Hung Trung Bao
			Canh Hung Chi Bao
			Canh Hung Vinh Bao
			Canh Hung Thai Bao
			Canh Hung Cu Bao
			Canh Hung Trong Bao
			Canh Hung Tuyen Bao
			Canh Hung Thuan Bao
			Canh Hung Chinh Bao
			Canh Hung Noi Bao
			Canh Hung Dung Bao
			Canh Hung Lai Bao
			Canh Hung Dai Bao
Le Man De 1786-1788	Chieu Thong	1786-1788	Chieu Thong Thong Bao
MAC DYNASTY
Mac Dang Dung 1527-1529	Minh Duc	1527-1529	Minh Duc Thong Bao
			Minh Duc Nguyen Bao
Mac Dang Doanh 1530-1540	Dai Chinh	1530-1540	Dai Chinh Thong Bao
Mac Phuc Hai 1540-1546	Quang Hoa	1540-1546	Quang Hoa Thong Bao
Mac Phuc Nguyen 1546-1561	Vinh Dinh	1547-1547	Vinh Dinh Thong Bao
			Vinh Dinh Chi Bao
	Canh Lich	1548-1553
	Quang Bao	1554-1561
Successors 1562-1692
NGUYEN LORD (Dang Trong, Inner Region)
Nguyen Hoang 1600-1613
other Lords 1613-1802
TRINH LORD (Dang Ngoai, Outer Region)
TAY SON DYNASTY
Nguyen Nhac 1776-1793	Thai Duc	1776-1793	Thai Duc Thong Bao
Nguyen Hue 1788-1792	Quang Trung	1788-1792	Quang Trung Thong Bao
			Quang Trung Dai Bao
Nguyen Quang Toan 1792-1802	Canh Thinh	1793-1800	Canh Thinh Thong Bao
			Canh Thinh Dai Bao
	Bao Hung	1801-1802	Bao Hung Thong Bao
VIET NAM		1802 - 1832 AD
In 1802 Emperor Gia Long sent Ambassador Le Quang Dinh to China to get approval of the new country name of Nam Viet. Nam was indicated the old land of An Nam and Viet was indicated the new land (the South) of Viet Thuong. The Emperor of China reversed the order of two words Nam Viet into Viet Nam. He did not want to invoke Viet Nam to remember the kingdom of Nam Viet of Trieu Da and to think Kuang-hsi and Kuang Tung belonged to it in the future.
NGUYEN DYNASTY
Nguyen The To 1802-1820	Gia Long	1802-1820	Gia Hung Thong Bao
			Gia Long Thong Bao
Nguyen Thanh To 1820-1840	Minh Mang	1820-1840	Minh Mang Thong Bao
DAI NAM		1832 - 1945 AD
Emperor Minh Mang changed the country name of Viet Nam to Dai Nam. At the end of 20th century the French conquered Dai Nam and signed a Treaty of Protectorate with Nguyen dynasty. The Nguyen court wrote down Dai Nam Quoc on the treaty and the French used the term An Nam in their translation. Later on, the French terms Tonkin and Annam described the Protectorates of North Vietnam and Central Vietnam; and Cochinchina described the Colony of South Vietnam. The entire region of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos was named Indochine.
NGUYEN DYNASTY
Nguyen Thanh To 1820-1840	Minh Mang	1820-1840	Minh Mang Thong Bao
Nguyen Hien To 1841-1847	Thieu Tri	1841-1847	Thieu Tri Thong Bao
Nguyen Duc Tong 1848-1883	Tu Duc	1848-1883	Tu Duc Thong Bao
Nguyen Gian Tong 1883-1884	Kien Phuc	1883-1884	Kien Phuc Thong Bao
Nguyen Ham Nghi 1885-1885	Ham Nghi	1885-1885	Ham Nghi Thong Bao
Nguyen Canh Tong 1886-1888	Dong Khanh	1886-1888	Dong Khanh Thong Bao
Nguyen Thanh Thai 1889-1907	Thanh Thai	1889-1907	Thanh Thai Thong Bao
Nguyen Duy Tan 1907-1916	Duy Tan	1907-1916	Duy Tan Thong Bao
Nguyen Hoang Tong 1916-1925	Khai Dinh	1916-1925	Khai Dinh Thong Bao
Nguyen Bao Dai 1926-1945	Bao Dai	1926-1945	Bao Dai Thong Bao
VIETNAM		1945 AD
In April, 1945, the first national government was established and headed by Tran Trong Kim, the country name of Vietnam was again changed to Viet Nam.
Note for numismatists: For about 30 years from the beginning of 19th century and since 1945 until present time, Vietnam has been known with its current country name VIETNAM. Numismatists sometimes get confused about how to call the coins of Vietnam. Without intention of using "the bad name", one may call ANNAM coin and only mean to differentiate with the coins cast after 1946. Other may call VIETNAM coin or IMPERIAL VIETNAM coin. Note that not all coins were minted by emperors and there were a great amount of coins minted by rebels and people, particularly in period of TRINH NGUYEN. Authors would suggest that the term ANCIENT COIN of VIETNAM when referring to the round coin with square hole of Vietnam is more appropriate.