250 Ngultrums Compass Rose

Bhutan's Royal Monetary Authority issued this high-value bimetallic piece during a period of significant economic modernization under Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, who had been systematically opening the country to foreign trade and limited tourism since the 1970s. The 250-ngultrum denomination placed this well above everyday circulation — it functioned from the outset as a commemorative and collector issue rather than a working coin. The bimetallic format, then fashionable among mints producing prestige issues, required the silver centre to be seated into the steel ring under considerable pressure, a process that occasionally produced minor misalignments visible on the join.