In Fulfilment Of A Citizen’s Duty

Hi ………..,

As much as I feel uncomfortable to touch on this subject, I believe that there is no point in pussy-footing around the issue – so I will get on with it promptly.

It is with regard to the extremely rare Bhutanese coin which I came by a while ago. I had told you that the asking price was enormous and that it was beyond my capacity to afford it. Thus, I offered it to you instead. Quite obviously you were interested.

Coin Die of Druk Desi Kitshelpa Dorji Namgyal and some coin varieties of Bhutan's ancient hammered coins

Without beating about the bush, I have to tell you that I had a change of heart since – I have decided that I NEED to buy the piece myself – at any cost!

After I returned home heart-broken that I could not afford the piece --- I continued to brood over the issue nonetheless. At the end, I consoled myself with the truth that no man may possess all that he desires – there are some that he must let go. In any event, I assured myself that I had its image that would do quite nicely for my upcoming book.

Then it hit me: the piece is not merely an extremely rare piece – but Bhutan’s one-of-a-kind national treasure. Its value, I realized, went beyond money. If I could pawn off my soul for the asking price, I would gladly do it. As you are also aware, there is only one another copy of it in existence – but it is anybody’s guess where exactly it is at this time in our history.

Having compared the two known pieces – one featured in your book, and the other from the real stuff that is now in my possession - I am convinced beyond a shred of doubt that the piece is genuinely Bhutanese. That is validated by the numeral “CHIIG” inside the alphabet “CHA” on the obverse of the coin. I would go as far as to say that in all probability, the coin may have been struck from the same die – but using a larger flan. As you know this numeral can be found on the country’s earliest coins – including on the “MA” coin.

I hope you understand that I would be failing in my citizen’s duty if I allow this unique piece to go out of the country. I cannot live with the guilt that I have knowingly allowed a piece of immense cultural and historical value to Bhutan, to be lost forever. I feel that I am duty bound to ensure that the piece remains within the country – thus I need to possess it, at any cost!

Therefore, I would like to inform you that I have scoured the globe for help – to help me buy this unique piece so that I can keep it within the country. I am happy to tell you that I have been able to raise the funding needed – thus I am buying and keeping the piece for myself. Please forgive me. I promise that should another piece surface in my life time – I will be happy to offer it to you. But this one …. I am compelled to save it for the country and the future generations of Bhutanese!

Bye and take care ….. I hope you understand my compulsions.

Yeshey