Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kimiki]

i've begun to casually collect coins and bills of places i visit that seem of interest. here in SK, the oldest one i've found is a 100 won piece dated 1973. anyone seen any older ones? if not, does anyone know why they're not in circulation?

[jhuntingtonus]

They go back only to about 1966 (10, 50, 100 won) and 1983 (500 won). There are two good coin shops just off the main drag in Insa-dong - they both offer a good book (in Korean) of Korean coins and paper money, for 10,000 won or so.

[sojusucks]

OP, have you been to the Bank of Korea Museum?

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2931807

[kimchi_pizza]

[kimiki]

[kimiki]

i've been to insadong so many times i'm surprised i've not seen these stores you're referring to.... but i'll make it a point to track them down next time, 10,000 won book place, stand-up but not so friendly guy's place, and any others i see too

thanks for your replies, this info is just what i was looking for

any details though on specific locations? there are so many alleys there it's hard to keep track-- (that's part of the fun though, isn't it)

[AsiaESLbound]

It was comical how a banker laughed at me today when I plopped down 6 peanut butter jars of coins worth 244,000 won. I jokingly said, "It's heavy so don't strain yourself too much," and he carried them one by one for the sorting and counting machines. I too collect samples of currency every where I go, but it's not that often I end up with in the ballpark figure of 15kg's!

Many of the 10 and 50 won coins are 1970's, but all the shiny aluminum 500 won coins I can remember are from the 1990's and 2000's. I'm quite the collector of small coins and notes, especially those that are colorful, weird, and just oddly different like Hong Kong dollar coins resembling flattened out hamburgers and the colorful artistic Euro as well as the baht with the king of Siam on it. My favorite Korean money is the yellow note with a shiny silver strip, a tree, and a woman on it. For serious collectors check this out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numismatics

[computermichael]

I got one of the 1983 red 1000 won bills as change at the grocery store a few weeks ago that I've been holding on to. I'm sure its value is about 1000 won, but it has a special place in my heart because it looks different.

[jhuntingtonus]