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August 21, 2013 - HONG KONGThe 10-Srang Coins, issued by the Dugö Lekhung (‘du- ‘god las-khungs)Originally these 10-Srang coins were struck by the ‘du- ‘god las-khungs to pay Tibetan army members. This office was locatedwithin the compound of the Tibetan army at Trabshi to the west of the Government factory and mint. The syllables ‘du- ‘god havethe meaning “affairs” or “dealings” and the expression ‘du- ‘god las-khungs refers to an office which was dealing with the salariesof soldiers. This type of 10-Srang coins was struck only during two years and must have circulated along with the regulargovernment issues.431 432431 Tibetan Government, Anonymous, 10-Srang, 15.97g, Dugö Lekhung, T.E.16-24(1950), snow lion facing left in centre with mount Kailash behind with two suns above,ornaments and two tufts of grass below, surrounded by a circle to which eight lotus petalpanels are attached, each containing one syllable of the legend dga’ ldan pho brangphyo(gs) las rnam rgyal (“the Ganden Palace, victorious in all directions”), rev. date anddenomination in the centre in three lines: rab byung bcu/drug lo nyer bzhi/dngul srang bcu(“cycle sixteen, year twenty-four, ten silver Srang”), without a dot after bzhi (four) at theend of the second line, this surrounded by a circle to which eight lotus petal panels areattached, each containing one syllable of the legend: ‘du ‘dgod bde skyid ‘dod rgu ‘khyil ba(affairs, happiness, objects of desire, turning around) (YZM 527; KM. Y#30; LM 661),in PCGS slab, extremely fineAccording to D.W.Shakabpa (Shakabpa, W.D.: “Tibetan Currency” Tibet HouseBulletin, vol. 7, no. 1, Spring 1992, pp. 2-3) the meaning of the reverse legend is“finance, happiness, wealth and prosperity”. The cataloguer thinks that this legendrepresents the complete name of the office which issued these coins, suggesting that it isdealing with (turning around) the worldly necessities (objects of desire) and the welfare(happiness) [of army members].432 Tibetan Government, Anonymous, 10-Srang, 16.60g, Dugö Lekhung, T.E.16-24(1950), as previous lot, rev. date and denomination as before, a dot after bzhi at the endof the second line (YZM 527; KM. Y#30; LM 661 var), in PCGS holder, graded MS64HK$500-700(US$70-90)HK$450-600(US$60-80)433 434433 Tibetan Government, Anonymous, 10-Srang, 14.87g, Dugö Lekhung, T.E.16-24(1950), as previous lot, rev. date and denomination as before, no dot after bzhi (YZM527; KM. Y#30; LM 661 var), very fine HK$300-450(US$40-60)434 Tibetan Government, Anonymous, 10-Srang, 16.80g, Dugö Lekhung, T.E.16-25(1951), as previous lot, rev. legend: rab byung bcu/drug lo nyer lnga/dngul srang bcu(“cycle sixteen, year twenty-five, ten silver Srang”), (YZM 527; KM. Y#30; LM 661 var),very fine103HK$300-450(US$40-60)