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1 Tangka 'Kong-par Tangka', type 4, single circle
| Issuer | Tibet |
|---|---|
| Year | 1890-1891 |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Tibetan |
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| Reverse description | An ornate central lotus medallion occupies the field, enclosed within a single beaded or raised circle. Surrounding this inner circle, the eight Buddhist Auspicious Symbols — comprising a white parasol, a conch shell, a treasure vase, a victory banner, a dharma wheel, a pair of golden fish, an endless knot, and a lotus flower — are each positioned within the petals of a large eight-petalled lotus that fills the reverse. The composition is executed in high relief with fine decorative detail consistent with Tibetan ecclesiastical artistic tradition. |
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| Additional information |
The Kong-par Tangka takes its name from Kongpo, the region of southeastern Tibet where these coins were produced — an unusual decentralization of mint authority in a monetary system otherwise tightly controlled through Lhasa. Type 4 of this series reflects one of several die iterations produced across a short window, distinguished numismatically by the single-circle border rather than the doubled or more elaborate variants. The precise dies used shifted frequently, making strict type attribution dependent on border and pellet configurations rather than gross design changes.
Tibet's tangka coinage of this period circulated alongside both Chinese sycee and Indian rupees pressing in from the south — the latter an increasing irritant to Lhasa authorities.