2 Mun Won

The 2 Mun was introduced in 1678 under King Sukjong as part of a deliberate push to monetize the Joseon economy — a society that had functioned largely on barter and cloth currency for centuries. The Sangpyeong Tongbo coinage, of which this is a denomination, was produced not by a single central mint but dispersed across government offices, military bureaus, and even Buddhist temples granted minting authority, which accounts for the extraordinary range of reverse mint marks seen across the series.

The temple mints were eventually revoked as authorities grew uncomfortable with ecclesiastical institutions controlling coin production.