1 Won

The 1 Won coin from South Korea, issued between 1966 and 1970, features the Mugunghwa flower on its obverse, a deliberate nod to national symbolism during the country's post-war rebuilding.

This bronze piece was struck for circulation, weighing about 2.8 grams and measuring 20 millimeters across, making it sturdy for pocket use in a cash-heavy economy. Its reverse bore the value and year, keeping things straightforward amid the era's inflation woes.

Design-wise, the coin avoided frills; no portraits or elaborate motifs, just the essential flower and lettering. Some numismatists claim it carried hidden meanings, but that's mostly wishful thinking—it's a workaday coin, not a relic.

Mintage figures are spotty; records from that period weren't always kept meticulously. As for myths, I've heard tales of it being rare, but in truth, millions circulated and few survive in top condition.

Plenty of these turn up in junk boxes at shows.