Korean Seed Mun - Museum Gallery

Seed coins are specially prepared examples, perfectly round, with sharp characters, used in the preparation of clay or sand molds for the casting of the regular coinage. Larger value 2 & 5 Mun seeds are very rare, this 1 Mun is fairly common.
This one is from the 'Military Training Command' mint.
OB: (is read: top, bottom, right, left) "Sang P'yong T'ong Bo" which means 'Always even currency.' RX: "Hun" (Hul Ly On Do Gam) or Military Training Command; "Saeng" (produce) is the furnace designator; series number can be to the right or left; here on the right, it's Series '9'.
Chinese ideograms
- Top to bottom:
常平 = Sang pyong, a Department of Korean Yi Dynasty
- Right to left:
通寶 = Tong bo, means currency
Lettering:
　常
寶　通
　平
RX:
Mint mark at top, series at bottom, serial number at right.
*訓 (Hun): Military Training Command
Lettering:
　訓
Mint mark at top, series at bottom, serial number at left.

*訓 (Hun): Military Training Command
Lettering:
　訓
九 (9)
'Life'
"Song Pyong Tong Bao" coins ("Always even universal currency") were issued between 1678 to 1880's. The mint name (usually abbreviated) was placed on the reverse, along with the denomination and the issue number (usually one to ten). Numerous reverse varieties bearing different mint marks and symbols are known. Joseon (July 13921897), was a Korean sovereign state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul and the kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to the natural boundaries at the Amnok and Duman rivers (through the subjugation of the Jurchens). Joseon was the last royal and later imperial dynasty of Korean history. It was the longest ruling Confucian g its reign, Joseon consolidated its absolute rule over Korea, encouraged the entrenchment of Confucian ideals and doctrines in Korean society, imported and adapted Chinese culture, and saw the height of classical Korean culture, trade, science, literature, and technology. However, the dynasty was severely weakened during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when invasions by the neighboring Japan and Qing virtually overran the peninsula, leading to an increasingly harsh isolationist policy for which the country became known as the Hermit Kingdom.

VIEW or DOWNLOAD these Korean Coin articles:
A "Survey of Korean Coins" article, and others, are available in the Moneta Library:
German Coin Techinques in Korea - Won Yu-Han: [ link ]
Korea - A Numismatic Survey - Boling: [ link ]
Rulers of Korea: [ link ]