Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
Matam Copper Coin
Period III
馬塔姆銅幣
第三時期
Item number: A357
Year: AD 1850-1875
Material: Copper
Size: 19.1 x 18.5 x 1.6 mm
Weight: 3.85 g
Provenance: Noonans 2022
This is a manually crafted Matam copper coin from the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, located on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, dated between AD 1850 and AD 1875.
Numismatists categorise Bhutanese coins issued between AD 1785 and AD 1930 into four periods. This coin belongs to the third period, during which Bhutanese coinage featured more Mahayana Buddhist symbols in its design.
The coin is made of red copper, with both sides featuring line-constructed rectangles and Tibetan script in the design. The obverse of the coin is roughly divided into three sections by lines. The left side features two hook-like motifs positioned back-to-back vertically, with two dots beside them for decoration. The right side displays a lightning-shaped mark inscribed with the Tibetan word “ndra” in Dzongkha, a common motif on Bhutanese coins.
The reverse of the coin is divided into two sections by lines. The upper section features a geometric pattern composed of curves and dots. In the centre of the lower section, there is a pair of heart-shaped goldfish, flanked by rectangular decorations on both sides, with the left rectangle containing a cross.
The goldfish, one of the “Eight Auspicious Symbols” revered by Buddhists, symbolise the eyes of the Buddha and are thus regarded as representations of wisdom and prosperity. Additionally, they signify those who transcend worldly existence through spiritual practise.
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