Catalog
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| Issuer | Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
|---|---|
| Year | 2007 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Reverse description | A full Korean ginseng root (insam) depicted in polychrome enamel in golden-yellow tones occupies the left and lower field, its fibrous rootlets extending across the base. Arching above, a curved stem bears two clusters of compound leaves rendered in vivid green enamel, while a cluster of ripe red berries hangs to the right, also highlighted in polychrome. The legend 'KAESONG KORYO: INSAM' is inscribed in raised Latin letters along the upper border, referencing the celebrated ginseng variety of the Kaesong region. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Kaesong, the ancient Goryeo capital just north of the DMZ, has been the center of Korean ginseng cultivation for over a millennium — the specific combination of soil and climate in the region produces a root considered pharmacologically distinct from Chinese or American varieties. North Korea has leveraged this reputation aggressively in hard-currency export markets, and this coin is part of a broader series issued primarily for sale to foreign collectors rather than domestic circulation.
Copper issues of this weight from the DPRK's collector series rarely, if ever, entered everyday use.