Catalog
500 Won Speed skating
| Issuer | Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Korean/Latin |
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| Reverse description | Two speed skaters in aerodynamic racing posture are depicted in dynamic relief across the central field, one prominently rendered in the foreground leaning deeply into a stride and a second skater shown at speed behind, with engraved lines suggesting rapid motion. The legend OLYMPIC GAMES / 1994 arcs across the upper field, while the denomination 500 / WON appears in the lower exergual area between the skaters' blades. |
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| Additional information |
North Korea's early 1990s commemorative program targeted the international collector market almost exclusively — hard currency was the objective, not domestic circulation. These pieces were sold through foreign dealers and never intended to reach North Korean citizens, who had no legal access to silver coinage of any kind.
Speed skating had modest North Korean representation at international competition by this period, though the program's broader sports series mixed genuine athletic investment with subjects chosen purely for collector appeal.