5 Ngultrums King's 40th Birthday

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck turned 40 in February 2020, just weeks before COVID-19 travel restrictions effectively sealed Bhutan's borders. The Royal Monetary Authority has periodically issued commemorative circulation coinage tied to royal milestones since the 1970s, though most pieces find their way into collector sets rather than everyday trade — Bhutan's cash economy remains limited in scope, and the ngultrum circulates at parity with the Indian rupee under a longstanding bilateral arrangement.