16 



E. H. C. WALSH ON 



same standard as the Newar coins current at the time in Nepal, and the Indian name 

 tang-ka was probably introduced with these coins, although in Nepal they are called 

 mohars. 



Although these coins bear on the obverse the inscription of the Newar king who 

 minted them, and on the reverse the Hindu symbols of the trident in the central 

 circle, and also the Newar symbols of the kharag and mala, the Newar sword and 

 garland, which also appear on the Newar coins, they were specially struck for the 

 Tibetan coinage and bear no resemblance in other respects than the above to the 

 Newar coins current in Nepal at the same time. 



This will be clearly seen by reference to Plates IV(A) and IV(B), in which fig. 8 

 is a Nepal coin of Sri Nivasa Malla, whose name is also on the Pa-nying tang-ka, fig. 2. 

 Similarly fig. 9 is a Nepal coin of J ay a Pratapa Malla who struck the Pa-nying tang- 

 ka, fig. 4 ; fig. 12 is a Nepal coin of Bhupatindra Malla Deva, who struck the Pa- 

 nying tang-ka shewn in fig. 6 and bears the same date ; and figures 10 and 11 are 

 Nepal coins of Jaya Ranajita Malla Deva who struck the Nag-tang tang-ka (fig. 7) 

 and bear the same date. 



Although, therefore, the only Nepal-minted Tibetan coins that I have seen or heard 

 of in Tibet are the pa-nying tang-ka of Jaya Bhupatindra, known as the ang-truk or 

 " number six ' ' from the last figure of its Newar date, and the Nag-tang tankas of Ra- 

 najita Malla Deva, I have no doubt that the other coins of similar design, which I 

 have obtained at different times from Nepal, were of the coinage minted for circulation 

 in Tibet and that coins similar to them were in circulation in Tibet. 



The distinctive mark of these coins are the characters which surround the enclo- 

 sure containing the Newar inscription and the circle containing the Trisul. I am 

 not able to decipher these characters nor have I found any Tibetan or Newar who 

 has any idea what they are intended for. 



Allowing for differences in fresh dies, they are practically constant, both in their in- 

 dividual form and their relative position on the coin (Plate IV(A ) and (B), figs. 1 to 7). 



My own opinion is that they are probably an imitation of the characters on the 

 official seal of the Dalai Lama, of which I give a facsimile for comparison. 



Official Seal of the Dalai Lama. 



(If the Seal is looked at sideways in the direction of 

 the arrow, the resemblance of the characters to those 

 on the coins will be noticed.) 



