20 Won Trans-Atlantic Sail Steamship Helena Sloman

The Helena Sloman holds a specific place in maritime history as one of the earliest purpose-built screw steamships to complete a transatlantic crossing, doing so in 1850 under German flag — a significant demonstration of steam propulsion's viability on ocean routes at a time when sail still dominated commercial shipping. North Korea's numismatic program has issued coins commemorating subjects entirely disconnected from its own history with some regularity, targeting the collector export market rather than domestic circulation.