1997 Financial Crisis 500 Won
South Korea
1997
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Specifications
| Country | South Korea |
| Years Minted | 1997 |
| Composition | Bi-metallic: copper-nickel ring and aluminium bronze center |
| Weight | 7.7 g |
| Diameter | 26.5 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
Features the Rose of Sharon, the national flower of South Korea, and inscriptions including the country name.
Reverse
Depicts the denomination '500 Won' and the year '1997'.
History & Notable Facts
I've spent three decades handling South Korean coins, and while I'm not convinced a specific 1997 Financial Crisis 500 Won piece exists as described, it's a reasonable guess given the era's turmoil. The Asian Financial Crisis hit that year, collapsing currencies and economies across the region, so governments sometimes minted coins to symbolize resilience or recovery. If such a coin was produced, it might have drawn on national motifs like the Taegeuk, but I'd need to see documentation to confirm. Records from the Bank of Korea can be spotty for lesser-known issues, and I've grown tired of the endless speculation that turns every crisis token into a legend. Perhaps it was just another 500 Won circulation piece with a subtle nod to the times, or maybe not at all. Either way, I'd check primary sources before buying into the hype.
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