Catalog
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| Issuer | North Korea |
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| Year | 1995 |
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| Composition | Silver (.999) |
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| Obverse description | The State Arms of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea occupies the central field, depicting a hydroelectric power station beneath a radiant star, framed by sheaves of rice and a ribbon bearing the country name in Hangul script. An open wreath of stylized grain ears frames the lower portion of the design. The Hangul legend naming the issuing state curves along the upper periphery, while the fineness '999' and weight indicator '5oz' are inscribed in the field to either side of the arms. The date '1995' appears in large numerals at the base of the design, above the tied wreath. |
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| Mintage | 1995 - Proof - 2,500 |
| Additional information |
North Korea issued a series of large-format silver wildlife pieces in the mid-1990s primarily for the international collector market, generating hard currency at a time when the country was entering the worst phase of its famine — the period North Koreans later called the Arduous March. These coins were never intended for domestic circulation and were distributed almost exclusively through foreign dealers and state-run export agencies.
The Eurasian Eagle Owl breeds across the Korean peninsula and would have carried symbolic resonance, though the practical motivation was straightforwardly commercial. KM#85 is a five-troy-ounce piece, placing it in the prestige bullion category favored by the DPRK's Paektusan Trading Corporation during this decade.