Owner Comments:
SERIES/TITLE: KOREAN NATIONAL PARKS – BUKHANSAN
FACE VALUE: 30,000
METAL: Ag .999
WEIGHT IN FINENESS (g): 14
DIAMETER (mm): 32
ALIGNMENT: MEDAL
STRIKE: PROOF
EDGE: REEDED
DECORATIVE ELEMENT: PAD PRINTING (COLORIZED)
MINTAGE: 20,000
YEAR/DATE OF ISSUE: SEPTEMBER 28, 2017
DESIGNERS: N/A
ENGRAVERS: N/A
FROM THE BANK OF KOREA: On September 28, 2017, the Bank of Korea issued two new ‘Korean National Parks Commemorative Coins’, in an effort to make the beauty of our natural environment and the future value of ecological preservation more widely known. The motifs of the respective coin designs are ‘Jirisan’ and ‘Bukhansan’ among the national parks in Korea.
OBVERSE: Center, a panoramic view of Bukhansan National park. In the background are depicted Baegundae and Insubong peaks. Baegundae is the highest peak in the park at 836m and Insubong is also a major peak of Bukhansan at 836m. In the foreground is depicted a section of the mountain fortress Bukhansanseong, which is located in the park and built around 1711 to protect the city of Hanyang. At the top running in a semicircle around the rim is inscribed 한국의 국립공원 / 북한산 (Korean National Parks / Bukhansan). At the bottom of the coin running in a semicircle around the rim is inscribed 2017/ 한국은행 / 삼만원 (Year of issue / Bank of Korea / 30,000 Won).
REVERSE: Center, is depicted the Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) perched on a conifer, excavating the trunk. At 3 o’clock inset in a circle is depicted Rocky Forsythia (Forsythia koreana). These are considered the two flagship species (Flora and Fauna) of Bukhansan National Park. At the top of the rim running in a semicircle is inscribed ‘Korean National Parks / Bukhansan, at the bottom of the reverse running in a semicircle around the rim is inscribed ‘2017 / THE BANK OF KOREA / 30000 WON’ (year of issue / issuing party / denomination).
NOTES: This coin marks yet another reduction in the planchet size and weight, going from 33mm x 15.55g to 32mm x 14g.
This set was released as individual coins (5,000 each) and as a set (5,000 sets), 90% of the mintages were held for domestic sale with the other 10% being made available for overseas sales with KOMSCO made the sole distributor. This is the first year of the Korean National Parks Commemorative Coin Series. The Series is to cover the 22 National Parks of the Republic of Korea and is scheduled to take seven years to complete.
Bukhansan National Park was established in 1983 and is the only National Park in the Seoul Metropolitan area. Of the 17 Mountainous Parks, Bukhansan receives the most visitors.