Item number: A2825

Year: AD 1937

Material: Silver

Size: 24.1 x 24.1 x 1.4 mm

Weight: 5.65 g

Manufactured by: Tibet, Zhashi Mint

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2020

This is a silver coin minted in Tibet in the 11th year of the 16th cycle of the Tibetan calendar (corresponding to AD 1937), bearing the denomination “Srang Gang Sho Inga,” which translates literally as “1 Srang 5 Sho.” As the coin could be exchanged for ten smaller denomination tangka silver coins, it was colloquially referred to as “Bcu Sgor”, meaning “10 Cash” in Tibetan.

In AD 1932, during the initial design phase of the 3 Srang silver coin known as Srang Gsum Skor Mo, the Tibetan authorities initially considered reusing the design of the smaller-denomination 1 Srang 5 Sho coin. However, the proposal was ultimately abandoned before issuance. It was not until AD 1936 that the second version of the Srang Gsum Skor Mo die was repurposed for the mass production of the Srang Gang Sho Inga silver coin. This coin was struck by the Zhashi Mint in Lhasa, but production ceased in AD 1938. A limited mintage resumed in AD 1946, resulting in a total of four distinct date varieties for this coin type.

At the centre of the coin’s obverse is a solid medallion depicting a lion with its head held high, facing left, against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains and two suns. The snow lion is a significant totem in Tibetan culture; in early Tibetan mythology, it was regarded as a malevolent spirit responsible for spreading disease. Over time, however, it came to symbolise authority and protection in Tibetan political and religious contexts.

The outer border of the coin is adorned with auspicious symbols such as the endless knot, the parasol, the twin fish, and the conch shell. Interspersed among these motifs is the Tibetan inscription: “དགའ་ལྡན ཕོ་བྲང ཕྱོགས་ལས རྣམ་རྒྱལ”, which may be translated as “Ganden Phodrang, Victorious in All Directions.” Ganden Phodrang refers to the residence at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa traditionally occupied by the Dalai Lamas prior to assuming full political authority, and by extension represents the spiritual and temporal power vested in the Dalai Lama.

At the centre of the coin’s reverse is a ritual vase (kumbha) adorned with lotus motifs, symbolising abundance and spiritual purity. Flanking the vase on either side are eight-petalled floral designs serving as decorative dividers, while the upper and lower sections feature representations of the dhvaja (victory banner) and the dharmachakra (wheel of the law), both of which are emblematic of Buddhist doctrine and sovereignty. The surrounding Tibetan inscription indicates the coin’s denomination—“1 Srang 5 Sho”—as well as its date of issue in the 11th year of the 16th cycle of the Tibetan calendar, corresponding to AD 1937.

物件編號: A2825

年代: 公元 1937 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 24.1 x 24.1 x 1.4 mm

重量: 5.65 g

製造地: 西藏, 扎什造幣廠

來源: 福君錢幣 2020

這是一枚標示為藏曆第16繞迥的第11年(公元1937年)，西藏鑄造的「桑康雪阿」銀幣，直譯為面額「一兩五錢」。由於這枚銀幣得以兌換十枚小面額的章嘎銀幣，故民間又稱之為「九郭」即「十元」。

公元1932年，西藏在設計面額三錢的「桑松果木」銀幣時，曾打算直接沿襲發行面額較小的一兩五錢銀幣，但是發行未果。直到公元1936年，重拾第二版「桑松果木」模具以量產「桑康雪阿」銀幣。「桑康雪阿」銀幣由拉薩「扎什造幣廠」負責鑄造，不過於公元1938年停產。但是公元1946年，又有少量恢復鑄造，因此總計有四種年份的版型。

錢幣正面的實心圓裡面是一隻以雪山和兩粒太陽為背景，面朝左側昂首的獅子。雪山獅子是西藏重要的圖騰，最早在西藏神話中是一種厲妖，即傳播疾疫的兇神，後來成為西藏權力與護佑的象徵。錢幣的外圈以吉祥結、寶傘、雙魚、法螺等圖案作為裝飾，中間穿插的藏文「དགའ་ལྡན ཕོ་བྲང ཕྱོགས་ལས རྣམ་རྒྱལ」可譯為「噶單頗章，威伏四方」，「噶單頗章」是歷代達賴親政前於拉薩哲蚌寺的居所，亦是代表達賴擁有的權力。

錢幣背面的正中央是以蓮花裝飾的寶瓶圖騰，外圍的左右兩側以八瓣花飾作為分界線，上下兩側以法幢和法輪作為裝飾。外圍的藏語銘文，分別是面額「一兩五錢」和發行的藏曆紀年「第16繞迥的第11年」，相當於公元1937年。