Catalog
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
| Issuer | Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
|---|---|
| Year | 1986 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Second Won (1959-2009) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | 1978 조선민주주의인민공화국 중앙은행 세상에부럼없어라 1 일원 (Translation: Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Don't be envious in the world, One Won) |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | 조선민주주의인민공화국중앙은행 1 일원 (Translation: Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, One Won) |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
North Korea ran a dual-currency system for foreign visitors from the early 1970s onward, issuing color-coded convertible won certificates that could not be mixed with domestic currency. Red-stamped notes were reserved for visitors from capitalist countries; blue stamps denoted socialist-bloc visitors. The distinction mattered — each color carried different exchange privileges and purchasing access, largely enforced at the Foreigners' Shops (hwagyo sangjeom) that ordinary citizens could not enter.
This second series replaced the first-issue certificates without fanfare. The scheme was quietly wound down in the early 1990s as the foreign exchange system was restructured.