Laeralian mark

The Laeralian mark (Code: LRM, Symbol: 分, French: Marque Laeralien, Mandarin: Sīchóuguó fēn) is the official currency of Laeral. The basic unit of the currency is the mark, which is divided into 100 fen, or cents. The current Laeralian mark replaced the old or "Republican" mark in 1974 at a rate of 1000 to one due to hyperinflation following the Great War.

History

The old or Republican mark was instituted in 1924 by the Republic of Laeral, replacing the Laeralian florin. Following the Great War, the hyperinflation of the Republican Mark and the desire to move away from institutions of the Republican Era led to the issuance of the new Laeralian mark on January 1, 1974 at a rate of 1000:1 with the old Republican Mark. Subsequent, more fiscally-conservative governments and the institution of market-based economic reforms have resulted in low inflation and a positive balance-of-payments, strengthening the mark compared to reserve currencies such as the Sanctarian Pound. The exchange rate compared to the NSD reserve currency has fluctuated from around 20 to one in the 1970s to around 1.20 to one as of October 2022.

Coins

Laeralian Mark Coins (Uniform across coinings)

Denomination	Obverse	Reverse
10 fen	Plum blossom	Value, date, "Laeral" in French and Mandarin
25 fen	Twin cornucopias	Value, date, "Laeral" in French and Mandarin
50 fen	Clasped hands with pen and brush	Value, date, "Laeral" in French and Mandarin
分1	Duck with ducklings	Value, date, "Laeral" in French and Mandarin, surrounded by floral wreath
分2	Traditional riverboat	Value, date, "Laeral" in French and Mandarin, surrounded by bamboo
分5	Snow leopard	Value, date, "Laeral" in French and Mandarin, surrounded by birds in flight

Banknotes

There have been three full-series printings of the mark (in 1974, 1995, and 2013) as well as several commemorative printings: a 2000 printing honoring Laeralian writers and playwrights, a 2007 分10 note honoring the warrior Han Guiying, and a forthcoming 2022 分5 note honoring the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Laeral. Each bill features an individual's portrait on the obverse and a depiction of a work of art, natural scene, or piece of technology on the reverse.

Laeralian Mark Banknotes (1974, 1995, 2013 printings)

Denomination	Obverse	Reverse	Watermark
分1	Rene Gramont, founder of the Republic of Laeral	Outline of Laeral with plum blossom branch, writer's brush, and pen	Josette
分2	François Guiraud, first president of the Second Allied Provinces of Laeral	Summer Court palace (1974), Republic House (1995, 2013)	Snow leopard
分5	Sun Jia-wei, final president of the Republic of Laeral	Laeralian industrial workers (1974, 2013), female engineer in a nuclear power plant (1995)	Leaping carp
分10	Sun Liang, precolonial emperor	Agricultural workers in a field (1974), agricultural workers at rest (1995), agricultural workers in field with passing train (2013)	Orchid
分20	G.E. Lematre, revolutionary leader (1974), civil rights advocate Hua Mingrui (1995, 2013)	Laeralian military aircraft (1974), Laeralian soldier during the Laeralian Civil War (1995), Laeralian soldiers in military parade (2013)	Dove of peace
分50	Education: Educational reformer Georgette Vivier (1974), Moralist philosopher Feng Shun (1995, 2013)	Children in a classroom (1974), schoolboy studying book (1995), schoolchildren writing in notebooks (2013)	Mount Yulin
分100	Musical and artistic achievements: architect Maurice Ho (1974), composer Germain Deschamps (1995, 2013)	Orchestral performance (1974), View of the Zhongshui river valley (1995, 2013)	Bamboo
分500	Technology: chemist Adolphe Durant (1974), astronomer Louis-Edouard de Payen (1995), physicist Qian Ruiwen (2013)	Rocket taking flight (1974), space capsule (1995, 2013)	Microscope
分1000	Laeralian flag waving (1974), naturalist and poet Jacob Nicolle-Yan (1995, 2013)	Independence Gate in Laeralsford (1974, 1995), Laeralian folk festival (2013)	Minjian temple