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Auction: 15004 - Ancient, British and Foreign Coins and Commemorative Medals
Lot: 231

Nepal, Maharaja Surendra Vikram Shah (1847-81), silver Medal, 42mm, 24.75g, awarded at the time of the Third Nepal Tibet War (1855-86) to Nepali prisoners held in Tibet since the previous war of 1841, bust of King Surendra left, wearing a plumed hat, Urdu legend Sri 5 Maharajadhiraja Surendra Vikram Shah Bahadur ke hukum, rev. Urdu legend, Sri 3 Jang Bahadur Rana Maharaja ne samvat 1912 salamein Tibbet se jang kar ke pandrah baras pesh se Jammu taraf ke Bhut mein jo qaid khalas kiya, mounted with suspension loop for wearing, of local manufacture (N.Rhodes, 'A Remarkable Silver Medal from Nepal,' ONS Newsletter 170, Winter 2002), extremely fine and very rare

The legends indicate that this medal was awarded by order of the Maharaja in SE1912 (1855) to those released from Tibet on 4th September, 15 years after the war.

In 1841 the Dogra general of Jammu, Zorawar Singh, had invaded Tibet and suffered a heavy defeat. Some of his army were captured and taken to Lhasa as prisoners. They remained in Tibet until Jang Bahadur Rana of Nepal made a successful invasion in 1855. One of the clauses of the subsequent peace treaty specified that the prisoners captured in 1841 be released. This was not as simple as it sounded as many had settled in southern Tibet and did not want to return. The British Resident was informed that 34 of the original 'prisoners' had evaded detection, and of the 106 that were finally mustered in Nepal, only 56 wished to return to Jammu. These 56 were given a silver medal and a robe of honour by the King of Nepal.

Therefore one may assume that only 56 medals of this type are in existence. Nicholas Rhodes (ONS 170, 2002, pp.30-31) knew of only two: one in the ANS in New York and another awarded to Wazir Lab Joo of Kishtwar. There is no indication as to whom this example was presented to, but it is housed in an envelope on which the number '13' has been written.


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Sold for
£9,000