KM#Pn19 is a pattern piece, not a circulation strike — issued at a moment when the Joseon court was actively negotiating its monetary future under competing pressures from Japan, China, and Western powers. The 1886 patterns were produced as Korea explored a modern coinage system, ultimately leading to the formal establishment of the Joseon mint at Incheon in 1892. Gold-plated copper was a common expedient for pattern work of the period, allowing designers to simulate precious metal issues without committing bullion.
Fewer than a handful of examples are documented in major collections.
KM#Pn19 is a pattern piece, not a circulation strike — issued at a moment when the Joseon court was actively negotiating its monetary future under competing pressures from Japan, China, and Western powers. The 1886 patterns were produced as Korea explored a modern coinage system, ultimately leading to the formal establishment of the Joseon mint at Incheon in 1892. Gold-plated copper was a common expedient for pattern work of the period, allowing designers to simulate precious metal issues without committing bullion.
Fewer than a handful of examples are documented in major collections.