3 Rupees - Jigme Dorji Ascension

Jigme Dorji Wangchuck's formal ascension coinage of 1966 commemorates a reign that had technically begun in 1952 — the delay between accession and this commemorative issue reflects Bhutan's gradual and cautious engagement with international numismatic convention. Jigme Dorji is widely credited with opening Bhutan to the outside world, abolishing serfdom, and establishing the National Assembly, reforms that made his reign transformative by any measure.

The 3-rupee denomination itself is characteristic of Bhutanese issues of this period, which did not yet align with decimal coinage — full metrication came only in 1974 with the introduction of the ngultrum.