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Matam Copper Coin
Period II Type C
馬塔姆銅幣
第二時期C型
Item number: A362
Year: AD 1810-1850
Material: Copper
Size: 19.8 x 19.5 x 1.8 mm
Weight: 3.7 g
Provenance: Noonans 2022
This is a hand-crafted Matam copper coin from the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, located on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, minted between AD 1810 and AD 1850.
Numismatists categorise Bhutanese coins issued between AD 1785 and AD 1930 into four periods, and this coin represents a typical design ofthe second period.During this time, Bhutan gradually distanced itself from the influence of Cooch Behar from the south, incorporating more indigenous design elements.
The coin is cast in red copper, with both sides featuring rectangular designs composed of lines and Tibetan script. Due to the coin being manually struck, the decorations on the obverse side are only clear and complete in the centre. The central elements, from right to left, include the Dzongkha word “ndra” written in Tibetan script, and the Tibetan symbol “ས” (Sa) in the lower left corner. The Tibetan “ས” signifies “land,” a motif commonly found on Bhutanese coins.
When comparing this coin with similar types, it is noticeable that it lacks the “two crescents with a dot in between” spell motif on the far right. Additionally, an extra vertical stroke and a circle motif are present below the “ndra” script. These features suggest that this coin might have been minted independently by a local leader, known as a “Penlop.”
The reverse side of the coin is divided into two sections. The upper section features a prominent hook-shaped pattern. The lower section displays a teardrop motif with a central dot, accompanied by a left-aligned rectangular box to its right.
Prior to the 20th century, Bhutan did not have a significant need for monetary transactions, and coins were often given as gifts by kings or local chieftains known as “Penlop.” Historical records indicate that Bhutan initially commissioned the minting of coins from the southern Cooch Behar kingdom before establishing a domestic minting industry. Due to the scarcity of precious metals like gold and silver within Bhutan, copper, which was abundant locally, became the primary material for coin production. Early coin designs were heavily influenced by Hindu culture, but over time, they gradually incorporated more elements of indigenous Mahayana Buddhism.
Charles K. Panish, “Early Coinage of Bhutan,” Museum Notes (American Numismatic Society), 1971, pp. 247-254
Nicholas Rhodes, “Coinage in Bhutan,” Journal of Bhutan Studies, 1999, pp. 84-113
R Sarkar, “Coinage in Bhutan During the 19th and 20th Centuries,” Journal of Bhutan Studies, 2010, pp. 37-55
Michael Givel, “The Impact on Early Bhutanese Coinage of Contentious Relations Between Bhutan and Cooch Behar from 1772 to 1774,” Journal of Bhutan Studies, 2021, pp. 70-84