Coins

Himalayan News Service, Kathmandu, 28th May 2004.

Tilak Rawal, Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank releases a silver coin worth Rs. 250 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Marwadi Sewa Samiti Nepal (MSSN).

The silver coin weighs 18 grams and consists of 40% silver and 60% alloy of copper and other metals. 10,000 pieces of the coin has been made public. The printing year is marked as 2004 on the coin.

"Tenzing struggled up and joined me and I carried on cutting steps over bump after bump. Finally, I saw to the right a rounded snowy dome. On a tight rope, I continued cutting steps upwards and reached the crest of the ridge. Tenzing joined me and we looked around in wonder - we had reached the top of the world."- Sir Edmund Hillary.

Little did Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay realise that morning in 1953 how important a few minutes spent on a hard patch of snow would lead them off on all manner of great adventures. For the rest of the world, this was adventure enough.

On the Golden Anniversary of this momentous occasion, New Zealand Mint has minted a .9999 pure gold coin issued under the authority of the Kingdom of Nepal.

"I was just an enthusiastic mountaineer of modest abilities who was willing to
work quite hard and had the necessary imagination and determination" - Sir
Edmund Hillary.

When Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay stood atop the great mountain on May
29 1953 they had no idea that the world would still be celebrating 50 years later.
The now world-famous ascent by a New Zealand bee-keeper and his Nepalese Sherpa
has been recognised as one of the greatest feats of mankind.

To mark this historic occasion, New Zealand Mint has produced a .999 pure silver
coin issued under the authority of the Kingdom of Nepal. This 1oz proof coin
is not only endorsed by Sir Edmund Hillary himself, but also by the Tenzing
Norgay family and the Royal Geographic Society (co-funders of the triumphant
1953 British-led expedition).

On 29th May 2003 Nepal has issued Silver and Gold Coins to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Conquest of Mt. Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norge Sherpa. Here is a scan of the Silver Coin.