5000 Won Bank of Korea

Issued to mark the turn of the millennium, this is a commemorative piece rather than a circulating coin — the 5,000 won denomination had no everyday monetary role, and the bronze-with-enamel construction made it unsuitable for vending machines or cash registers. South Korea's commemorative program expanded significantly through the 1990s, partly driven by the mint's efforts to recover prestige following the economic crisis of 1997–98, when the won collapsed and the country accepted a $58 billion IMF bailout. The enamel inlay was produced at the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation facility in Daejeon.