20 Rupees - Birendra Bir Bikram IYC, proof

Issued to mark the 1979 International Year of the Child, this proof was struck during a politically charged moment in Nepal's modern history. That same year, violent protests over party-less Panchayat rule forced King Birendra to call a national referendum — the first direct vote Nepali citizens had been offered — on whether to retain the system or move toward multiparty democracy. The referendum, held in 1980, narrowly preserved the Panchayat structure by a margin many considered suspect.

The .925 silver proof series tied to IYC was produced in limited numbers for collector export, a common revenue strategy for the Nepal Rastra Bank during this period.