Korea (1857) mun
The first specimen was lot 3712 in Steve Album Auction 51 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2025), where it sold for $216. The catalog description[1] noted, "KOREA: Yi Byeon, 1849-1863, AE mun, Military Training Command, ND (1857), mojeon "seed" or "mother" coin, series 5, hun at top, won at bottom, Graded 85 by Wende Grading Company." The second specimen was lot 3713 in the same sale, where it sold for $156. The catalog description[1] noted, "KOREA: Yi Byeon, 1849-1863, AE mun, Military Training Command, ND (1857), mojeon "seed" or "mother" coin, series 8, hun at top, jung at bottom, Graded 80 by Wende Grading Company." The third specimen was lot 3714 in the same sale, where it sold for $204. The catalog description[1] noted, "KOREA: Yi Byeon, 1849-1863, AE mun, Military Training Command, ND (1857), mojeon "seed" or "mother" coin, series 9, hun at top, kong at bottom, Graded 88 by Wende Grading Company." The fourth specimen was lot 3715 in the same sale, where it sold for $168. The catalog description[1] noted, "KOREA: Yi Byeon, 1849-1863, AE mun, Military Training Command, ND (1857), mojeon "seed" or "mother" coin, series 10, hun at top, jeon at bottom, Graded 88 by Wende Grading Company." The mun was the Korean equivalent of the cast Chinese cash made by the billions over a thousand years. This type was made prior to the introduction of milled coinage to Korea.
Recorded mintage: unknown but common.
Specifications: 4 g, cast bronze, 25 mm diameter. The first specimen is 4.50 g, the second specimen 3.1 g, the third specimen 3.3 g, the fourth specimen 3.6 g.
Catalog reference: the first specimen KM-449.5s, the second specimen KM-449.8s, the third specimen KM-449.9s, the fourth specimen KM-449.10s.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 51, featuring the Howard Daniel III Collection of Asian Coins, the Almer H. Orr III Collection of World Coins and the Joe Sedillot Collection of German Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2024.
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