The Bank of Korea will issue two commemorative coins to celebrate the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee being held domestically.
On May 14, the bank announced it will release one silver coin and one nickel-brass coin to enhance Korea's international standing and increase interest in its natural and cultural heritage.
The silver coin has a face value of 70,000 won, with a diameter of 32.0 mm and a weight of 14 grams, made of 99.9% pure silver. The nickel-brass coin has a face value of 30,000 won, with a diameter of 40.0 mm and a weight of 26 grams, composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
The silver coin features Korea's tidal flats, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. The front depicts birds, including the black-faced spoonbill, set against a tidal flat background, highlighting the ecological characteristics and habitat value of Korea's tidal flats. The reverse side realistically portrays the white-legged crab and mudskipper, along with the salt marsh plant, highlighting the vibrancy and biodiversity of the tidal flat ecosystem.
The nickel-brass coin is themed around the Bangudae petroglyphs, a registered World Heritage site. The front realistically depicts the actual rock surface and surrounding river and natural scenery, emphasizing some of the petroglyph patterns to enhance the sense of place. The reverse side rearranges images of animals and figures, including whales and deer, along with hunting scenes, to illustrate the relationship between prehistoric humans and nature, as well as their way of life at the time.
A total of 14,000 coins will be issued, with 7,000 of each type. Individual coins will be limited to 2,000 each, while a set of both types will consist of 5,000 sets (10,000 coins total).
Ninety percent of the total issuance will be available domestically, with the Korea Mint Corporation accepting pre-orders through NongHyup Bank and its online shopping mall. If domestic applications exceed the allocated amount, winners will be selected by random draw.
The remaining 10% will be available for international orders through the Korea Mint Corporation's overseas sales network. Any unsold coins will be included in the domestic supply.
Pre-orders will be accepted from June 1 to June 23 at Korea Mint Corporation and NongHyup Bank branches and online.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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