Catalog
1 Ngultrum magnetic
| Issuer | Royal Government of Bhutan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1979 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 7.90 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | ROYAL GOVERNMENT OF BHUTAN : 1979 : |
| Reverse description | The field is divided into nine sections within a beaded circle, each compartment bearing one of the eight auspicious Buddhist symbols (Ashtamangala), with the central section inscribed with the word 'Bhutan' in Dzongkha script. The denomination legend ONE NGULTRUM appears below the central design in the exergue area. |
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| Additional information |
The magnetic 1979 Ngultrum was struck in copper-nickel clad steel as part of a broader shift toward cheaper, more durable coinage materials that several smaller Asian nations adopted in the late 1970s under pressure from rising nickel and copper commodity prices. Bhutan's Royal Advisory Council authorized the change without fanfare, and the two compositions — magnetic and non-magnetic — circulated concurrently, largely unnoticed by the general population.
The clad steel variety is catalogued separately under KM#49a precisely because the substrate difference is not visible to the naked eye, only detectable by magnet.