Historical reports show that striking of coins in Bhutan existed as far back as 1790. Of the huge variety of coins that were struck, the “Sa” coins – hammered coins with the word “Sa” is credited with the Wangchuck Dynasty. This means earliest of these coins would have been struck by Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyal in the 1860’s when he captured some Cooch Beharis and brought them as slaves and put them to work to hammer coins. Trongsa Penlo Jigme Namgyal, also referred to as the Black Ruler, would have stuck his coins at his mint in Enduchhoeling, Trongsa.
The following are few of the many variations of “Sa” coins that would have been struck by Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyal, and later on by his successor Druk Gyalpo Ugyen Wangchuck, followed by His Majesty the Second King Jigme Wangchuck.
The Coin Die on the left above belonged to Druk Desi Kiptsep Dorji Namgyal. This die is currently in the possession of the Desi's descendants. The hammered coins on the right depict a variety of design variations but all bearing the mark "Sa" credited with the Wangchuck Dynasty
It is difficult to say which of the many Penlops and Druk Desi’s hammered which coins. But one coin that can be identified with Daga Penlop is the following:
One of Daga Penlop's many hammered coins
Other earliest hammered coins are the following:
This coin is supposedly from the year 1790 - 1840. Strangely it has a "Sa" marked on its Obverse. If this is true then there is something wrong with the recorded history.
1835 - 1910
The following coins may be the last of the coins hammered by the Wangchuck Dynasty - before the milled coins were introduced in 1927 and there after.
Last of the Wangchuck Dynasty's Hammered Coins: 1910 - 1927
As of 1927, Bhutan stopped hammering coins. Instead milled coins came into being - initiated by the Second King Jigme Wangchuck. Two of the earliest milled coins were the following:
Silver Thala of 1928
Bronze Zantam of 1928 - two sizes of these coins were issued