Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
Korean Empire
20 Chon
Yunghui 4th year
大韓帝國
二十錢
隆熙四年
Item number: A2725
Year: AD 1910
Material: Silver
Size: 20.3 x 20.3 x 1.3 mm
Weight: 4.0 g
Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015
This is a silver coin with a denomination of 20 Chon, issued during the reign of Emperor Sunjong, the second emperor of the Korean Empire, bearing his era name “Yung-hui” (隆熙).
The obverse of the coin features a beaded circular border, within which a three-clawed flying dragon is depicted grasping a flaming pearl at the centre. Along the outer edge of the beaded circle, the upper margin bears the inscription of the minting year “Year 4 of Yung-hui” (AD 1910) in Chinese characters. The left side is inscribed with the country name “Daehan” (大韓) in Chinese characters, while the right side presents the denomination “이십젼” (20 Chon) in Hangul. The lower margin displays the denomination “20 CHON” in English.
The reverse of the coin bears the denomination “二十錢” (20 Chon) prominently at the centre in Chinese characters. Flanking the central inscription on both sides are decorative sprigs of hibiscus (mugunghwa, the national flower) and plum blossoms. At the top of the design is a plum blossom, serving as a national emblem of the Korean Empire.
Emperor Sunjong, whose personal name was Yi Cheok, was the second and final emperor of the Korean Empire. During his reign, Japan gradually usurped Korea’s sovereignty, culminating in the formal annexation of Korea in AD 1910. Thereafter, Sunjong was accorded the status of a member of the Japanese imperial family and remained in that position until his death in AD 1926.