1500 Won Marine Turtle

North Korea's commemorative coin program expanded aggressively in the mid-2000s, producing collector-targeted silver issues almost entirely for foreign export through intermediaries — the domestic population had no access to hard currency denominations of this kind. These pieces were distributed primarily through European dealers, particularly in Germany and Austria, and were never intended to circulate within the DPRK itself.

The marine turtle subject likely references the hawksbill or green turtle populations of the Korean coastal waters, though the program's wildlife series during this period showed no consistent conservation partnership behind the themes.