Gabrisch Collection of Coins of Tibet and Nepal, Tibetan, MEDALS OF TIBETAN INTEREST: Large Gold Medal awarded by the Reting Rimpoche (the Regent after the death of the 13th Dalai Lama) to Rai Bahadur Norbhu Dhondup, in the Fire Ox year (1937), 36.00g, 40mm (published by Gabrisch, Geld aus Tibet, p.108). Extremely fine, unique, and an interesting historical item. Norbhu Dhondup was son of a Tibetan trader, but was brought up in India, near Darjeeling. He served the British, first during the Younghusband military expedition in 1904, and then as Assistant to the Political Officer for Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet, in Gangtok. He was based in Tibet from 1937 until his retirement in 1942, as the British Trade Agent in Yatung and, occasionally, as acting Head of Mission in Lhasa.
