2020-11-03 Tue

Zang Bao coins were the set of coins issued to be used as a trade coin between Assam and Tibet. The coin was discovered in Assam with Chinese inscriptions shows the influence of Qing dynasty.

The coin is an Early Ahom coin also reveal the attempts of the Assamese kings to develop trade and commerce with Chinese character on either side. This octagonal rupee was issued in 1570 AD in Assam during the reign of the ruler Jayadhvaja Simha.

The coin depicts crudely engraved Chinese character “bao” within a square, surrounded by a border of pellets on the obverse and another Chinese character “zang” written with mirror image and date within. Zang Bao means ‘currency/ valuable of Tibet’ where “Zhang” means Tibet.

The piece highlighted the Nicholas Rhodes Collection: Coins of North East India auction on 27th September 2016 which made GBP 23,000 (USD 29,880) at Spink in London.

Image Courtesy: cdn.shopify.com