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1/2 Chon FAO
| Issuer | Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
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| Year | 2002 |
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| Currency | Second Won (1959-2009) |
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| Obverse description | The national coat of arms of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea occupies the central field, depicting a hydroelectric power station before a radiant sunburst, framed by two sheaves of rice bound with a ribbon at the base, and surmounted by a five-pointed star. The circular Hangul legend naming the Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea runs along the upper periphery, while the date 2002 appears in the exergue below the arms. |
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| Reverse description | A detailed depiction of a traditional Korean turtle ship (Geobukseon), rendered in profile facing left, occupies the central field; the vessel features a dragon-headed prow, a multi-masted sail rig with a small flag at the masthead, and a distinctive scaled hull. The Latin legend XXI CENTURY FAO FOOD SECURITY curves along the upper periphery. The denomination 1/2 is inscribed in the lower field, with the Hangul character 전 (Chon) immediately below. |
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| Additional information |
Issued under the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) banner, this piece belongs to a series of North Korean aluminum coins produced in the early 2000s ostensibly in support of international food security programs — a striking piece of political theater from a country that had suffered catastrophic famine throughout the late 1990s, with estimates of between 240,000 and 3.5 million deaths depending on the source. Whether these coins ever meaningfully circulated inside the DPRK is doubtful; the domestic economy operated largely on ration coupons and barter during this period.