1000 Won Tennis

Issued as part of South Korea's commemorative program for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, this piece belongs to a large series the Bank of Korea produced across multiple years leading up to the Games — the country's first time hosting the Summer Olympics and a moment of considerable national investment in international legitimacy following decades of authoritarian rule and economic reconstruction.

The copper-nickel composition was chosen over silver for this denomination, keeping the lower-value pieces accessible while silver and gold issues covered the upper tiers of the series.