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100 Hwan
| Issuer | Bank of Korea |
|---|---|
| Year | 1953 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Central vignette carries a portrait of Syngman Rhee (1875–1965), first President of the Republic of Korea from 1948 to 1960. The portrait is framed by guilloche borders with Korean and Chinese denomination inscriptions positioned to either side. Bank name and value appear in both Hangul and Hanja script across the face of the note. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | The BANK OF KOREA 百 백 圜 환 ONE HUNDRED HWAN (Translation: One Hundred Hwan) |
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| Comments |
The 1953 hwan series was South Korea's first post-Korean War redenomination, replacing the won at a rate of 1 hwan to 100 won in an attempt to suppress inflation that had accelerated sharply during the conflict. The 100 hwan was the highest denomination in the initial hwan release, which tells you something about just how severe the currency depreciation had been — notes that would have seemed absurdly large under the previous system were now routine.
Printed domestically by what was then a nascent security printing operation, still finding its footing in the early 1950s. The hwan itself proved short-lived; a second redenomination in 1962 retired it entirely, converting back to won at 10 hwan per won.