KOREA
    Korea has for thousands of years taken its cultural cues from China, but it is not China.  Today the south has come back from utter ruination to become one of the foremost industrialized nations in the world.  Undeniable success story, in the south at least.  The north is essentially a criminal enterprise.  Numismatics in Korea is pretty much unorganized.  Collector's clubs are toothless, most dealers are either ignorant or mendacious.

KOREA, Tong Guk Tong Bo, 1097 AD, M3.8, seal script, long cap Bo, VF $91.00 sold 9/19/2007
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KOREA, Tong Guk Tong Bo, 1097 AD, M3.8, seal script, long cap Bo, F+ $91.00
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KOREA, Tong Guk Tong Bo, 1097 AD, M3.8, seal script, long cap Bo, F $86.00
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KOREA, Tong Guk Tong Bo, 1097 AD, M3.9, seal script, short cap Bo, VG $63.00
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KOREA, Tong Guk Tong Bo, 1097 AD, M3.9, seal script, short cap Bo, F $82.00
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KOREA, Tong Guk Tong Bo, 1097 AD, M3.9, seal script, F $95.00
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KOREA, Tong Guk Chung Bo, 1097 AD, M4.1, orthodox, large characters, F $62.00
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KOREA, Tong Guk Chung Bo, 1097 AD, M4.1, orthodox, large characters, 26mm, 6.1g, aVF $130.00 sold 9/19/2007
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KOREA, Tong Guk Chung Bo, 1097 AD, M4.2, orthodox, medium characters, aF $87.00
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KOREA, Hae Dong Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M6.4, seal script, long cap Bo, aF $62.00
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KOREA, Hae Dong Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M6.4v, seal script, 22mm, 5.1g, long cap Bo, F $122.00
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KOREA, Hae Dong Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M6.6, seal, 22mm, 3-4g, short cap Bo, F $63.00
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KOREA, Hae Dong Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M6.6, seal script, 22mm, short cap Bo, aF $49.00
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KOREA, Hae Dong Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M7.1, orthodox script, 25mm, 4.6g, aVF $66.00
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KOREA, Hae Dong Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M6.9-10, medium sized cursive characters, 25mm, 3.9g, aVF $250.00 sold
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KOREA, Hae Dong Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M7.2, orthodox script, 24mm, VG $50.00
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KOREA, Hae Dong Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M7.3, orthodox script, 22mm, VG $50.00
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KOREA, Sam Han Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M8.5, seal script, long cap Bo, F $160.00 sold 9/19/2007
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KOREA, Sam Han Tong Bo, 1097-1105, M8.6, G $50.00
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KOREA, Sam Han Chung Bo, 1095-1105, M9.1, orthodox, F $135.00
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KOREA, Sip Chon Tong Bo, 1794-1804?, M11.4.  Mandel wrote conjectures about this type, but there are no records, thus they were probably a state approved private issue.  No one I know can authenticate this, as there are none around to compare it with.  37mm, 13.9g, supposedly there is a wide variety of size & style. F $1,000.00, and my usual lifetime authenticity return policy applies. sold 10/10/2007 $650.00
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KOREA, 92mm brass, loop at top, 2 horse warrant, v. M-W1.1, Kae house, Yong Zheng 8th year (1730), 6th month, _ day, 2 horses, VF $1000.00 sold 10/10/2007 $650.00
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    Things like this were used by the Korean secret service in their trips around the country attempting to uncover corrupt officials.  They would be presented at government stables to requisition the number of animals required.  They were dated according to the Chinese imperial year, Korea being in a vassal relationship with China at that time.  The month and day were filled in with ink, receipts duly collected, paperwork appropriately filed.  This one comes with a story that it was presented to him at a state dinner by an aide to president Chung Hee Park in the 1950s.  There are lots of fakes, most easy to spot.  Genuine specimens such as this one are very rare.


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