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Auction: 13020 - Tibetan Coins from the Nicholas Rhodes Collection
Lot: 515

Tibet, 10 Tam, dated T.E. 1659 (= AD 1913), red, serial number 20590, Obverse: Within the central cartouche, a crouching snow lion, facing left and looking backwards; he is playing with a ball which in Tibetan is referred to as yid bzhin nor bu dga´ khyil ("wish granting jewel, whorl of happiness"). The black seal to the right is not clearly printed, but probably of type 1B. Reverse: A large central rectangle is filled with flowers and scroll work at the four corners. In the centre a vase is surrounded by leaves and flowers. The vase is composed of the eight auspicious Buddhist emblems (bkra shis rtags brgyad); the lotus flower below carries the knot of life which in turn supports the wheel of the doctrine with the two golden fishes on either side. Placed above are the banner of victory and the parasol with the white conch on top. The eighth emblem is the vase which is made up of the seven emblems just enumerated. This way of arranging the eight auspicious emblems is called rtags brgyad bum gzhugs ("eight emblems in form of a vase") in Tibetan. (Pick 2, YZM -), about very fine and very rare

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