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Hong Kong Signature Sale 3087 18-19 Dec 2020
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Tibet. Theocracy 6-Piece Off-Metal "Pattern" 20 Srang Set,
1) silver 20 Srang BE 15-54 (1920) - MS64 NGC, cf. Rhodes Collection-Lot 477, WS-0187 (same dies)
2) silver 20 Srang BE 15-54 (1920) - MS61 NGC, cf. T.A.R.N.S.-1-197a
3) brass 20 Srang BE 15-54 (1920) - MS64 NGC
4) copper 20 Srang BE 15-54 (1920) - MS63 Brown NGC, cf. Gabrisch-136 (different dies), cf. Rhodes Collection-Lot 478
5) lead 20 Srang BE 15-52 (1918) - UNC, 26mm. 4.90gm.
6) lead 20 Srang BE 15-52 (1918) - UNC, 26mm. 5.63gm.
KM-Unl., L&M-Unl., Kann-Unl., YZM-Unl. All with dot in the center of the reverse. A relatively enigmatic set of off-metal strikes, whose exact origins and reasons for production remain elusive to us. While Rhodes and Gabrisch suggested that such off-metal strikes represented later imitations or "gift pieces" from around the 1930s, the examples included in their collections appear to have been produced from different dies than the present specimens, and neither mentioned brass or lead pieces. Kann cited silver strikings of the gold 20 Srang as "either an essay, or else a 'mint sport'", and we note that the Tibet Autonomous Region Numismatic Society (Xi zang zi zhi ou qian bi xue hui) has published a silver specimen struck from very similar dies to the second coin in this set. Mr. Shi Xinbiao of the Shanghai Museum has also put forth that these coins were struck at the Luodui gold mint--the center of production for the gold 20 Srangs in Lhasa--though this point seems to still be open to debate. Each of the first four pieces here included displays a very similar die style, close to, but not an exact match for the circulation issue gold 20 Srang, with only some slight deviations in the engraving of the eight auspicious Buddhist symbols between specimens. The two lead pieces, on the other hand, represent an entirely different lion design from that seen elsewhere.
Due to flourishing commerce in the early 20th century, use of gold in Tibet had greatly expanded during the early Republic. As the region at the time still possessed no gold mint of its own, and in conjunction with rising market demands, in 1918 the Tibetan government established the Luotui gold mint in Lhasa to oversee the minting of a new 20 Srang gold coin based on the standard of the Indian Tola. While these coins were produced for four years between 1918 and 1921, their relatively high value in terms of silver (around 30 Taels per Srang) ultimately proved impractical, leading to a suspension in their mintage after 1921.
Sold as is, no returns.
Ex. Ma Dingxiang Collection (Beijing Poly Auction December 2011, Lot 8922)
https://coins.ha.com/itm/china/china-tibet-theocracy-6-piece-off-metal-pattern-20-srang-set-total-6-coins-/a/3087-30170.s?type=CoinArchives3087
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 50000-70000 USD
Tibet. Theocracy 6-Piece Off-Metal "Pattern" 20 Srang Set,
1) silver 20 Srang BE 15-54 (1920) - MS64 NGC, cf. Rhodes Collection-Lot 477, WS-0187 (same dies)
2) silver 20 Srang BE 15-54 (1920) - MS61 NGC, cf. T.A.R.N.S.-1-197a
3) brass 20 Srang BE 15-54 (1920) - MS64 NGC
4) copper 20 Srang BE 15-54 (1920) - MS63 Brown NGC, cf. Gabrisch-136 (different dies), cf. Rhodes Collection-Lot 478
5) lead 20 Srang BE 15-52 (1918) - UNC, 26mm. 4.90gm.
6) lead 20 Srang BE 15-52 (1918) - UNC, 26mm. 5.63gm.
KM-Unl., L&M-Unl., Kann-Unl., YZM-Unl. All with dot in the center of the reverse. A relatively enigmatic set of off-metal strikes, whose exact origins and reasons for production remain elusive to us. While Rhodes and Gabrisch suggested that such off-metal strikes represented later imitations or "gift pieces" from around the 1930s, the examples included in their collections appear to have been produced from different dies than the present specimens, and neither mentioned brass or lead pieces. Kann cited silver strikings of the gold 20 Srang as "either an essay, or else a 'mint sport'", and we note that the Tibet Autonomous Region Numismatic Society (Xi zang zi zhi ou qian bi xue hui) has published a silver specimen struck from very similar dies to the second coin in this set. Mr. Shi Xinbiao of the Shanghai Museum has also put forth that these coins were struck at the Luodui gold mint--the center of production for the gold 20 Srangs in Lhasa--though this point seems to still be open to debate. Each of the first four pieces here included displays a very similar die style, close to, but not an exact match for the circulation issue gold 20 Srang, with only some slight deviations in the engraving of the eight auspicious Buddhist symbols between specimens. The two lead pieces, on the other hand, represent an entirely different lion design from that seen elsewhere.
Due to flourishing commerce in the early 20th century, use of gold in Tibet had greatly expanded during the early Republic. As the region at the time still possessed no gold mint of its own, and in conjunction with rising market demands, in 1918 the Tibetan government established the Luotui gold mint in Lhasa to oversee the minting of a new 20 Srang gold coin based on the standard of the Indian Tola. While these coins were produced for four years between 1918 and 1921, their relatively high value in terms of silver (around 30 Taels per Srang) ultimately proved impractical, leading to a suspension in their mintage after 1921.
Sold as is, no returns.
Ex. Ma Dingxiang Collection (Beijing Poly Auction December 2011, Lot 8922)
https://coins.ha.com/itm/china/china-tibet-theocracy-6-piece-off-metal-pattern-20-srang-set-total-6-coins-/a/3087-30170.s?type=CoinArchives3087
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 50000-70000 USD