Catalog
100 Won
| Issuer | Bank of Korea |
|---|---|
| Year | 1970-1982 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Uniformed bust of Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545–1598), Korea's celebrated naval hero, facing left in three-quarter profile, rendered in high relief against a flat field. The Hangul legend '한국은행' (Bank of Korea) appears along the upper periphery, with the denomination '백 원' (One Hundred Won) inscribed below the portrait. The design is framed by a plain inner border, presenting a dignified and austere official portrait style characteristic of mid-20th century Korean coinage. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Hangul |
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| Additional information |
South Korea's copper-nickel coinage program of this period was shaped directly by the country's rapid industrialization under Park Chung-hee's government, which prioritized a stable, durable circulating coinage to support an economy growing at rates that regularly exceeded 10% annually. The 100 Won denomination, introduced in 1970, was the highest-value circulating coin in the series at the time of its launch — a reflection of how far purchasing power had shifted since earlier issues.
Park's assassination in October 1979 fell squarely within this coin's production run, yet the type continued unchanged through the political turbulence that followed, including Chun Doo-hwan's coup in 1980.