The 20 Ngultrum banknote issued in 1986 by the Royal Government of Bhutan is a classic example of early Bhutanese currency, combining spiritual symbolism with vibrant traditional artwork. The obverse features the Royal Seal of Bhutan, flanked by two mythical snow lions — symbols of purity and strength in Tibetan Buddhism. Traditional Bhutanese motifs and a colorful underprint further enrich the design.
The reverse shows a highly detailed image of the Tashichho Dzong, the impressive fortress-monastery located in the capital, Thimphu. Tashichho Dzong houses the throne room and offices of the King of Bhutan, as well as several monastic institutions. Printed on quality paper, the note includes a solid security thread and watermark of the King’s profile. The dimensions are 140 x 70 mm, and the note is primarily green and purple.
Obverse
Jigme Dorji Wangchuk
Scripts:Â Latin, Tibetan
Reverse
Punakha Dzong
Scripts:Â Latin, Tibetan
Lettering:
ROYAL MONETARY AUTHORITY OF BHUTAN
TWENTY NGULTRUM
Watermark
“ROYAL MONETARY AUTHORITY”
© ajbbarbados (CC BY-NC)
Signatures
| Ashi Sonam Wangchuk (ASW) | Chairman |  |
| Dorji Tsering (DT) | Chairman |  |
Printer
De La Rue (Thomas de la Rue; Thomas De La Rue & Co.; TDLR), London, United Kingdom (1821-date)
Features
| Issuer | Bhutan |
|---|---|
| Issuing bank | Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (བྲུག་རྒྱལ་གཞུང་དངུལ་ལས་དབང་འཛིན་) |
| King | Jigme Singye (1972-2006) |
| Type | Standard circulation banknotes |
| Years | 1986-2000 |
| Value | 20 Ngultrums 20Â BTN = GBP 0.17 |
| Currency | Ngultrum (1974-date) |
| Composition | Paper |
| Size | 152 × 70 mm |
| Shape | Rectangular |
