50 Yang

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.