Coins and paper currency of Tibet, 1800s-1959

Filter Online content

Some materials from this collection are available online.
Show only online content

Collection context

Creator:
Kyaping, Dachen
Extent:
1 Linear Feet (6 coins and 3 bank notes)
Language:
Tibetan , Chinese .
Scope and content:

The Coins and Paper Currency of Tibet collection of the C.V. Starr East Asian Library at Columbia University comprises a small representative sample of historical coinage and paper currency circulating in Tibet and contiguous areas in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The core items in this collection originally belonged to the Kyaping family, who lived in the heart of Lhasa until the final occupation by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1959. It is noteworthy that the family's holdings included coins minted in Sichuan as well as Nepal, as well as paper currency printed in Tibet. The bulk of the collection was probably issued from approximately 1870 through 1940.

Access and use

Location of this collection:
300 Kent Hall
1140 Amsterdam Ave.
New York, NY 10027, USA
Before you visit:
Researchers should request materials at least one week in advance to ensure availability. Due to limited storage, please request only the materials you plan to use during your visit.
Contact:
starr@library.columbia.edu