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1/2 Rupee / Deb Period I
| Issuer | Bhutan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1790-1840 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 4.70 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | མ |
| Reverse description | The reverse presents an intricate arrangement of Tibetan script characters distributed across a field divided by a cruciform pattern of raised lines into four quadrants. A swastika-like symbol occupies the central area, surrounded by additional Tibetan letterforms and pellet punctuation marks in high relief. The lower register contains further abbreviated Tibetan characters. The design retains the flat, geometric quality characteristic of hammered Bhutanese silver issues of the Deb period, with the flan exhibiting the customary irregular edges produced by hand-cutting prior to striking. |
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| Additional information |
Bhutan had no formal mint infrastructure during this period — these coins were struck by hand using crude local dies, which accounts for the dramatic variation in fabric and centering that makes KM#1.1 and #1.2 difficult to attribute with confidence in worn grades. The "Deb" designation refers to the Druk Desi, the secular ruler of Bhutan, whose authority over coinage was periodically contested by the Je Khenpo, the religious counterpart to that office.
The fifty-year date range reflects genuine uncertainty rather than a long production run.