5 Won Ming Treasure Ship

North Korea's foreign-currency commemorative program, active since the 1980s, was never intended for domestic circulation — these coins were produced exclusively for hard-currency export sales through state trading companies, with proceeds feeding directly into government coffers bypassing the collapsed won economy entirely. The "Ming Treasure Ship" subject draws on Zheng He's 15th-century expeditions, a theme that saw heavy exploitation across Asian commemorative issues during the mid-2000s anniversary cycle surrounding the 600th year of his first voyage.