10 Won Diplodocus

North Korea began issuing aluminum collector coins with dinosaur themes in the late 2000s, targeting the foreign numismatic market as a hard-currency revenue stream — a practice the DPRK has pursued aggressively through the Pyongyang Koryo Bank and intermediary dealers in China and Europe. These issues were never intended for domestic circulation and most reached collectors through Pobjoy Mint distribution channels or directly via specialty dealers in Germany and Austria.

At 8.3g, this piece is notably heavy for aluminum, suggesting a thick planchet specification chosen for visual presence rather than monetary function.