Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ed Provencher]

I found a 10 won coin from 1972 in my coin jar a moment ago which made me curious what old Korean coins you all have found.

Back in the US, I occasionally found buffalo nickels and wheat cents in my pocket change. The coolest coin I ever found in the US was a three cent piece from the late 1800's.

[Globutron]

Urgh, '72 is my oldest too. I've collected about 7 million wons worth of coins in the 6 months i've been here, and i went through them all to find the oldest.

[Bondrock]

I've got a 100 won banknote and a couple 500 won notes. Can't see a year printed on them. Anyone know when Korea stopped using paper for these denominations?

[blackjack]

[schwa]

The 100-won coin was first issued at the end of 1970. There could still be some 10-won coins out there from 1966. Thats as old as any circulating coins will get.

Banks will still give out 1 & 5-won coins when you cash out an account. They're tiny!

[candyteacher]

I have a 10 won coin from 1971. It was given to me in a bunch of change from a family mart. Its a pretty cool looking coin!

[Troglodyte]

I just checked the coin bowl on my desk and it has 10Won coins from 1970, 1971 and 1972, and a 100 Won coin from 1974.

I used to have a 5 Won coin with a turtle boat on it.

I remember once trying to get some 1 and 5 won coins from banks but none ever seemed to have them.

[bluelake]

I probably have most anyone here beat for the oldest coin found in Korea. While doing historical research on Ganghwa Island, I found a buried coin that dates back to about 1800. I keep it on my key chain.

I have other old Korean currency that dates back to the Japanese occupation; my dad picked it up when his ship came to Korea in September 1945 (one of the first American ships here at the end of WWII).

[Bondrock]

Thanks for that link Blackjack. Here is a picture of the 100 won note I have. "Sejong the Great" issued in 1965.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:100_won_serieIII_obverse.jpeg

And my 500 won notes:

One is this one (1973): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:500_won_serieIII_obverse.jpeg

And another one is (1966): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:500_won_serieII_reverse.jpeg

I have a handful of those 1 won coins, especially the aluminum coins. Kids regularly used them a few years back at the small mom and pop stores.

[Louis VI]

I have about a dozen one won coins from 1966-69. I also have an older 10 won coin with Korean year 4294 on it from about a decade earlier. The locals don't seem as impressed as I am by old dirty coins, but I can't resist stashing them away like I used to back home.

[air76]

[Epik_Teacher]

I've got coins from when the Japanese ruled Korea. Coins from the 1950's thru today. Have lots of silver coins from the 1980's and some silver/gold from the 2002 World Cup. I've been collecting silver and gold coins since 2005. You can buy them in Insa-dong. There's an old man there who sells them in a little shop in the middle of the main drag.

[brier]

a 10 won coin dated 1964. Old Prez Park instituted a monitary reform in '62 so anything dating back to then is still legally usable.

[kimchi_pizza]

The oldest I've found, (so far!), are two ancient Korean coppers dated around 1750s. I took them to the coin dealers in Insadong hoping at their value. Imagine my disappointment when he said they're valued at about 1,000 won each called 삼평동보, sangpyeongtongbo. He said they were pretty common, so I made one into a necklace that I wear occassionally.
Modern coins?
2 1967 1 won coins, 1 1972 5 won coin, 2 1967 10 coins and 1 1972 100 won coin.

As a side note, I've found two chinese coppers from around 1750s and 1 aluminum 1941 Japanese coin from their occupation of this country.

Yes, metal detecting is a hobby of mine!

Sorry, blue!

[bluelake]