Korea (1887) mun

Steve Album sale 51, lot 3719

This specimen was lot 3719 in Steve Album Auction 51 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2025), where it sold for $660. The catalog description^[1] noted, "KOREA: Yi Hyong, 1864-1897, AE 5 mun, Chang Dok Palace Mint, ND (1887), mojeon "seed" or "mother" coin, series 5, chang at top, crescent at bottom, Graded 85 by GBCA 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.

Specifications: 4 g, cast bronze, 25 mm diameter, this specimen is 6.0 g.

Catalog reference: KM-886.5s.

Sources:

• 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.

Links:

• Korea (1881) mun, series 4, 7
• (1883) 5 mun, series 3, t'ong at top, tang below on reverse
• (1883) 5 mun, series 7, t'ong at top, tang below on reverse
• (1883) 5 mun, series 5, kyun at top, tang at right on reverse
• Korea (1888) 5 mun milled
• Coins and currency dated 1887