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Auction: 25088 - The Nicholas Rhodes Collection of Nepalese Coins Part I
Lot: 58

Nepal, Jaya Chakravartendra Malla (1669), Mohar, NS 789, Obv. conch (Śa?kha) and wheel (chakra) in central circle, a bow to right and five arrows to left, legend, Śrī 2 Jaya Chakrava, flowers in field, Rev. inverted central triangle contains elephant goad (a?kuśa) and noose (pāśa), to left of triangle lotus flower (padma) and to right mace (gada), legend continues, rtendra Malla Deva 789, 5.98g, 12h (RGV 264; KM 173), heavily cleaned, fine, with suspension loop attached; and, Mohar, SE 789, much as before, 5.50g, 12h (RGV 264; KM 173), darkly toned, extremely fine (2)

Provenance

The Nicholas Rhodes Collection of Nepalese Coins and Medals: Part One

ii) Mr P. Telco, May 1967, by private treaty
M. Sakya

Wright references the first coin in: History of Nepal, Translated from, Parabatiya, 3rd ed. Calcutta, 1966, p. 149. "By one Swami's (mendicant) vice Pratapa Malla of Kathmandu left his throne for a time to be filled in turn by his four sons, for one year each (during ca. A.D. 1668). Chakravartendra Malla's coin, devised by this Swami, consists of a triangular Banastra (bow and arrow), Pasha (a noose), Ankush (the iron hook for driving an elephant), Kamal (a lotus), Chamar (a yak's tail), and Sambat 789 (A.D. 1669). This vice caused his death."

Wright comments on this as follows: "A bow and arrow are ominous of death, but, nevertheless, the water in which such a coin is dipped possesses the quality of causing a speedy delivery in child-bed. These coins, which are very rare, are still used for this purpose." What Wright describes as Chamar (yak tail or fly whisk) is better identified as a mace on the coin.

ii) Mr P. Telco, May 1967
M. Sakya

One should note that the four emblems conch, wheel, mace and lotus flower are normally associated with the Hindu god Vishnu, while the elephant go and the noose are emblems related to the elephant-headed god Ganesh. According to Milan Ratna Shakya this coin type is known as Nythuban because of the five arrows (Shakya, Milan Ratna: "Ganesa Yantra. Medieval Silver coins". Mudraa Journal of Nepal Numismatic Society, No. 2, Kathmandu, March 2010, p. 28-30)

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Estimate

Starting price
£110