Korea (1906) 1/2 won
The first specimen was lot 912 in Stephen Album sale 30 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2018), where it sold for $1,057.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "KOREA: Kuang Mu, 1897-1907, AR ½ won, year 10 (1906), elegant example with just a touch of lovely toning, NGC graded MS63." The second specimen was lot 1694 in Stephen Album sale 37 (Santa Rosa, CA, June 2020), where it sold for $1,547. The catalog description[2] noted, "KOREA: Kuang Mu, 1897-1907, AR ½ won, year 10 (1906), good luster and strike, a lovely example! NGC graded MS64." Korea, long a protectorate of the Chinese empire, was attempting to organize herself as a fully independent nation when she fell victim to the power struggle between Russia and Japan. Japanese influence, predominant after the Sino-Japanese war of 1895, was challenged by Russian expansionism in the late 1890's. This culminated in the Russo-Japanese war of 1905 and Russian defeat. Japan annexed Korea in 1910 and colonized her until 1945. This type was minted in Japan for Korea 1905-06.
Recorded mintage: 1,200,000.
Specification: 13.48 g, 0.800 fine silver, 31 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-1129.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 30, featuring the George Anderson Collection of Tibetan Coins, the Dr. John W. Lund Collection of Swedish Coins and the Mike Edwards Collection, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2018.
- [2]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 37, featuring the Gamal Amer Collection of Egyptian Coins and the Ahmed Sultan Collection of Ottoman Coins, Part II, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.
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