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Early Coins dated 15-43 (1909)THE NICHOLAS RHODES COLLECTION - COINS OF TIBETCOINAGE OF THE 13TH DALAI LAMA330330 Tibet, Anonymous (1909), 1-Tam Srang, 19.13g, 15-43, snow lion looking back,ornaments above lion’s back, within circle to which eight lotus petals are attached, eachcontaining one syllable of the legend dga ldan pho brang phyo(gs) las rnam rgyal (“theGanden Palace, victorious in all directions”), rev. triratna (triple gem) in centresurrounded by circle around which the following legend is found (starting at 12 o’clockand reading clockwise): rab byung 15 lo 43 tam srang gang (“cycle 15, year 43, one tamsrang”), this surrounded by a circle to which eight lotus petals are attached, eachcontaining one of the eight Buddhist auspicious emblems (YZM 391 rev. var; KM. Y#12;LM 656), in PCGS holder, small planchet fault on reverse, very fine and scarceThe traces red puja powder found on the coin indicates that it had been used for somereligious ceremony. The figure “3” on reverse is written in a peculiar way; the lower strokebeing separate from the upper part of the figure.The triratna or “triple gem” (Tibetan; nor bu, “jewel” or dkon mchog gsum “the threerare ones”), refers to buddha, sangha and dharma, i.e. “the enlightened”, “thecommunity” and “the teaching” or “religion.”HK$30,000-40,000(US$4,000-5,000)331331 Tibet, Anonymous, 1-Tam Srang, 19.85g, 15-43, snow lion looking back, as previouscoin, rev. as before but vertical (instead of horizontal) stroke in the north symbol (YZM-; KM. Y#12 var), in PCGS holder, graded AU58, rare variant HK$30,000-40,000(US$4,000-5,000)332332 Tibet, Anonymous, 1-Tam Srang, 18.49g, 15-43, snow lion looking back, as previouscoin, rev. as before but horizontal stroke in north symbol (YZM 390; KM. Y#12), inPCGS holder, graded XF45, scarceHK$30,000-40,000(US$4,000-5,000)WWW.SPINK.COM