1996 1 Oz Krewe of Contraband Doubloon BU

Rare doubloon!  The Krewe of Contraband is one of Lake Charles' oldest carnival krewes. It began operations in 1963 and has been involved in the Lake Charles carnival parade since that time.  The theme in 1996 was "Flowers of Louisiana".

Obverse: The central image depicts some of the flowering plants of Louisiana. The phrase "FLOWERS OF LOUISIANA" is inscribed at the top. Immediately underneath is the text "KING CHARLES XXXIII". The king of the Krewe is given the title of King Charles along with the Roman numeral designation of the number of years since 1963, the founding of the Krewe. 

Reverse: The reverse features the insignia of the Krewe of Contraband.  It consists of a shield separated into three parts with a fleur-de-lis on the left, three crowns on the right, and a ship at the bottom. The shield is decorated with wind ivy on either side. The upper inscription states "KREWE OF CONTRABAND" in scripted letters while the lower inscription designates the location "LAKE CHARLES LA."

Edge: The edge is reeded except for a smooth place at the bottom of the round that specifies the purity and content of "999 F.S."