| Author |
 Replies: 13 / Views: 4,122 |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Korea-coin-...557464480007For anyone in the market for one. I bought it just for the 50 chon in the top row, which yesterday went for nearly $15 by itself in an auction. Not sure why, but I love that style of communist patriotic art.
|
|
|
|
Valued Member
United States
156 Posts |
I don't love a whole series of aluminum coins from any country. And then I'm not crazy about the goofy Nork version of "proletarian art". Not communist at all. The DPRK's ideology is more akin to fascism ("total state," single-leader c.o.p., subjugation of individual to him, racist "clean race" beliefs, hot-headed "might-makes-right" approach to the world, when the country can't figure things out themselves then just steal from others).
But that's beside the point. I just don't like the look of the coins: In the dictionary under the definition "tacky," there is a photo of these coins.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Germany
1063 Posts |
I got some of these from a website in China, didn't pay that much for them, I do wonder if they're actually just made in China, you get coins that are old, but shiny with no wear at all.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
6130 Posts |
Wouldn't surprise me if they contract with China for the minting. I read also that there are two identical but distinct sets of coins; one for circulation in PRNK (which are illegal to remove from the country) and one set made to sell abroad. The lower denominations are underwhelming, but you have to admit there is some charm here:  |
|
Pillar of the Community
Singapore
631 Posts |
I love the communist era art too, just bought some Mao era posters.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2490 Posts |
Notice that they're listed as Korean coins. ebay won't allow North Korea as a heading. Do they still block Iran as well? |
|
Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
I have a feeling that many of these coins were struck at a later date.
Speaking of unattractive aluminum coinage - I believe Romania did a reasonably good job when it faced high inflation rates back in 1970s. (if I recall correctly - have a nice set of them)
My partial coin collection http://www.omnicoin.com/collection/gxseriesMy numismatics articles and collection: http://www.gxseries.com/numis/numis_index.htmRegularly updated at least once a month. |
|
Pillar of the Community
Germany
1063 Posts |
I'm not sure North Korea contracted China to make these, and I'm not sure if the Chinese mint made them either.... I'm suggesting they're faked.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
354 Posts |
No, North Korean coins were influenced by China to use aluminum. They are real.North Korea's economy isn't stable enough to produce copper-nickel circulation coinage, forget rarely seen silver and gold commemoratives.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
It's very wrong to assume that North Korean's economy was too poor to support other coinage. In the early days when North and South Korea split, North Korean economy was actually doing better than South Korea. At one stage, South Korea envied North Korea until 1970s when the economy started to show signs of crack.
Mind you, North Korea does have a fair amount of natural resources - from coal to gold and they do mine a fair amount to be exported to China. It is estimated that if they ever did have the experts to mine the resources they have - it's towards 3 billion dollars. But of course, all those money go straight to military nonsense...
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
539 Posts |
what about them have folks thinking these are fakes? This eBayer seems to have quite a lot of other coins and really good feedback from a lot of folks. I'm curious what about them makes you think they are counterfeit.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Germany
1063 Posts |
Why do I think they're fake?
They're in perfect condition.
They come from China.
China produces so many fakes, and producing fakes from a country like North Korea is a no-brainer. There's demand because you can't really get them, there's no one to tell them they're doing anything wrong.
You don't need to pretend they're circulated or anything because no one knows if they circulated or not.
These coins can be very old, the 1950s and these coins look like they've just been minted.... hmmm....
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
5240 Posts |
That particular one illustrated is Krause K4, is supposed to be one issued for circulation in North Korea. Similar types have 1 or 2 stars, depending on who they were issued to.
As far as whether it is a fake, we really don't know anything about the true circulation of coinage there, or much of anything else for that matter. Maybe they never really circulated and every one is UNC.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
539 Posts |
well, fake or not, I bought a set. One coin was missing and the seller sent a second package. I checked the weights that Krause said they should be and they were pretty close percentage-wise. Still could be fakes of course but I don't plan on reselling and they weren't that much. I do see uncirculated older coins being sold by folks like Littleton (as an example and not as a means of bashing Littleton). I asked the seller if they cold be fakes. Not surprisingly he said no way. maybe he doesn't even know.
|
| |
Replies: 13 / Views: 4,122 |
|
Posted 06/17/2016 09:57 am
