Antique Tibetan Money Hook Dzi Bead — Bloodspot 37.0 mm 100–300 Years (AT-B-101226-MH)

We never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.

This bead measures 37.0 mm along its long axis and 12.5 mm at its widest point — an elongated barrel with a relatively narrow diameter, giving it a slender, linear profile when held or strung. The agate ground is a deep pitch-black: not the warm dark brown seen in many antique dzi, but a true saturated black, dense and opaque, with none of the tonal variation characteristic of the brown agate types. The contrast this creates with the cream-white motif lines is exceptional — the highest-contrast ground color available in antique Tibetan dzi production — and at any viewing distance the light motif lines register immediately against the dark field. The surface in the motif zones is smooth and settled, carrying the unified polish that develops over centuries of continuous handling; the dark agate zones have their own surface character, which is discussed in the condition note below.

The motif is the money hook — a continuous S-curve or wave form that flows across both long faces of the bead, running from one end cap zone to the other in a single unbroken undulating line. The motif line is rendered in cream-white to warm beige, with the characteristic amber and tan tones of bloodspot patina distributed through the cream zones, giving the motif a warmer, more complex color than a plain cream ground would show. Horizontal cream band lines at both end cap zones mark the transition from the motif field to the plain dark tips at each drill aperture. The money hook reads differently from the two long faces: on one face the curve resolves as a clear S-form; on the other, the composition wraps into arc shapes that read as closed loops from certain angles. This variation between faces is natural in hand-worked ancient material, where the etching on each face was executed independently. Both faces carry the same motif; the line weight and curve character differ slightly between them.

The bloodspot patina is concentrated in the cream motif zones, where it presents as a rich warm amber to rust-orange mineral staining distributed through the surface of the cream agate. The macro photograph (image 8) shows the character of the bloodspot clearly: the amber tones are dense and saturated in the center of the cream bands, fading toward the edges where the cream transitions into the dark ground. This depth and saturation of color in the bloodspot zones is consistent with a piece of this age and agate type — the deep mineral density of the black agate matrix produces bloodspot staining of a more saturated amber than is typical on lighter cream-ground dzi.

Condition note: surface flaking. The macro photograph (image 7) shows clearly visible surface flaking and spalling in the dark agate zones between the cream motif lines. In these areas, thin layers of the pitch-black agate surface have partially lifted and fragmented, producing a rough, fractured surface texture with small raised flake edges visible at the macro scale. This damage is present in the dark field zones and is not visible on the cream motif lines, which remain fully intact across both long faces. It is not a crack extending through the stone body and does not affect the structural integrity of the bead, but it is a significant visible condition issue in the dark areas, and the macro photograph documents it without omission. Buyers should review image 7 carefully before purchase.

The Money Hook Motif

The money hook (Tib. ལྕགས་ཀྱུ, lcags kyu) is among the recurring single-element motifs in the Tibetan dzi tradition, understood as a symbol of attraction and accumulation — a hook that draws wealth, good fortune, and positive energy toward its wearer. The flowing S-curve of the hook is visually dynamic: it suggests continuous movement rather than a static emblem, which is part of why the motif reads so well in elongated bead form, where it travels across the full length of the face without interruption. In the context of dzi production, the money hook appears both as a standalone motif — as on this bead — and as a component within larger multi-element compositions. As a standalone motif running continuously across the face from end cap to end cap, the accumulation symbolism is undiluted, and its pairing here with a pitch-black ground — the deepest and most visually commanding of the antique dzi ground types — gives the bead a visual presence that reflects the seriousness of what it was made to carry.

Specifications

Motif: Money Hook — continuous S-curve cream-white motif line on pitch-black agate ground; warm amber bloodspot tones in cream zones; horizontal band lines at both end cap zones; motif fully intact across both long faces
Length: 37.0 mm
Diameter: 12.5 mm
Form: Elongated barrel
Material: Natural agate
Color: Pitch-black agate ground; cream-white to warm beige etched motif with amber bloodspot tones
Bloodspots: Yes — rich warm amber to rust-orange iron mineral staining concentrated in cream motif zones; clearly visible in macro photograph (image 8)
Tier: Antique
Age Estimate: Antique — 100–300 years
Condition: Fair–Good. Motif intact across both long faces. Surface flaking and spalling in dark agate zones between motif lines — thin surface layers partially lifted and fragmented, rough fractured texture visible in macro photograph (image 7). No cracks through the stone body. Both drill holes functional. Review image 7 carefully before purchase.
Product ID: AT-B-101226-MH
Collections: Ancient Dzi · All Products

Other antique dzi beads in the collection:

• AT-B-101226-TLV — Antique Tibetan Twin Lotus Treasure Vase Dzi Bead, Bloodspot, 32.6 mm
• AT-091626-9E2 — Antique Nine-Eye Dzi Bead, 54 mm, Medicine Dig
• AT-082524-DS — Antique Diamond Spear Agate Dzi Bead with Bloodspots

Further reading: How to Identify Genuine Ancient Dzi Beads · Tibetan Dzi Beads: Luck, Fortune & Meaning

Every piece at Ancient Dzi Shop is photographed unretouched and described exactly as found. What you see is what you will receive.

Photos: Unretouched images of the exact bead listed. Eight product photographs: four white-background lateral profile views showing both long faces, the money hook motif composition, and end cap band lines from different rotations; two angled end views showing both drill hole apertures and the full barrel profile; one macro close-up showing the surface flaking and spalling in the dark agate zones (image 7); one macro detail showing the bloodspot patina character in the cream motif zones (image 8).

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