Catalog
50 Yang
| Issuer | Joseon Government - Hojo (Department of Finance) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1893 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Yang |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in brownish-red on a light ground, centred on a circular guilloche medallion around which an italic-script promise-to-pay text is arranged. The issuing title TAI WHAN SHOU appears in bold capitals at the top, with the denomination FIFTY YANG in capitals at the foot, and the numeral 50 repeated in each corner. The border consists of fine scroll and floral ornamental work characteristic of Western-influenced banknote engraving of the late nineteenth century. |
| Reverse lettering | TAI WHAN SHOU Promises to Pay the Bearer on Demand Fifty Yang in Current Coin. FIFTY YANG. 오 십 (Translation: Fifty) |
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| Comments |
The 1893 Joseon 50 Yang is among the earliest government-printed paper currency issued domestically in Korean history. Prior to this series, the Joseon court had relied on coin currency — chiefly the mun — for centuries, and the shift to government-backed paper notes represented a fundamental break with that monetary tradition, pushed through under the reformist pressure of the Gabo Reform period.
Printed locally by the Joseon Government Printing Office rather than contracted to a foreign security printer, the technical execution was limited by the equipment available. Surviving examples are extremely rare; the series had almost no time to establish circulation before the broader monetary upheaval of the mid-1890s overtook it.