Catalog
5 Won
| Issuer | Bank of Korea |
|---|---|
| Year | 1983-2023 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | 1.34 mm |
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| Obverse description | Central device depicts a finely detailed rendering of the Geobukseon (turtle ship), the iconic 16th-century Korean ironclad warship credited to Admiral Yi Sun-sin, shown underway on stylized waves. The vessel is portrayed in three-quarter perspective, displaying its characteristic spiked iron-plated roof, dragon-headed prow, oars extended along the hull, and a tall mast flying a pennant. The Hangul inscription '오' (five) appears to the left of the ship and '원' (won) to the right, denoting the face value in the field. |
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| Reverse script | Hangul |
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| Additional information |
The 5 Won coin has been continuously struck since 1966, but the brass composition adopted in the early issues replaced an earlier cupronickel version — a shift driven by international metal price volatility rather than any domestic policy reform. By the 1980s, the denomination had become largely ceremonial in commercial life; South Korea's rapid economic growth through the "Miracle on the Han River" decade rendered such small-value pieces functionally redundant in everyday transactions, though the Bank of Korea continued production to satisfy vending machine tolerances and accounting requirements.
Annual mintages dropped sharply after 2006, with some years seeing proof-only issues.