South Korean Silver Coins

Silver Bullion Medallions from KOMSCO

Until 2016, many investors and collectors in North America were unfamiliar with the official sovereign mint of the Republic of Korea, better known as South Korea. KOMSCO, or the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, was founded in October 1951 to provide secure and stable currency production and control for the nation of South Korea. Following the 2016 release of the Chiwoo Cheonwang Series, KOMSCO leaped onto the map globally as a new powerhouse in precious metals product. Learn about these exciting range of South Korean silver bullion medallions below!

Chiwoo Cheonwang Series

The South Korean Chiwoo Cheonwang Series of gold and silver medallions from KOMSCO put the South Korean minting facility at the forefront of investor minds during one of the hottest sales years for many bullion programs around the world. Introduced in 2016, the Chiwoo Cheonwang Series features the image of Chiwoo Cheonwang, a real-life figure whose exploits on the field of battle earned him mythological status among ancient Chinese and Korean people.

KOMSCO uses what it considers a progressive design approach for the Chiwoo Cheonwang medals. By this, it means the designs of Chiwoo Cheonwang on the reverse side change each year, but not just at random. The design elements are meant to follow Chiwoo as he prepares for war and leads his troops into battle. Each design remains focused on his military exploits with a different pose each year. For example, the progression of the designs from 2016 to 2018 went as follows:

• 2016 – Chiwoo Cheonwang was depicted standing alone on the field. He has donned his full military regalia and armor in this pose and is awaiting his warhorse to be brought to him so he can lead the army into battle.
• 2017 – This Chiwoo Cheonwang depiction shows the accomplished military leader after mounting his warhorse. The horse bucks upward as he no doubt delivers an inspirational speech to his troops before the battle begins.
• 2018 – In the 2018 design, Chiwoo Cheonwang is featured taking the fight to his enemies. This is the closest the design elements have come to his figure, capturing mostly his torso in the design as he is riding his horse into the battle. He lowers his sword preparing to strike down any enemies he encounters. This is most likely the view his enemies had of him just before their death at his hands.
• 2019 – The fourth design in the Chiwoo Cheonwang Series is, by far, the most docile image to date. The progressive series has, to this point, followed Chiwoo’s preparation for battle and his exploits in the midst of the fight. On the reverse of the 2019 Silver Chiwoo Cheonwang, the God of War is depicted in the calm following battle. He stands on a rocky plateau as he surveys the field of battle. His helmet is removed, offering a glimpse of a calmer Chiwoo. His shield rests at his right side while his left hand clutches the handle of his massive sword.

When the Chiwoo Cheonwang Silver Medallions were introduced in 2016, the mintage was set at just 30,000. That figure was increased to 50,000 for the 2017 release in response to the initial popularity and then lowered modestly to 45,000 in 2018 as demand for silver began to cool. KOMSCO responded to the lower demand for silver that continued into 2019 by setting the mintage cap for the 2019 release at just 33,000 medals. The Silver Chiwoo was available only in 1 oz silver in 2016 and 2017, but as of 2018, a 10 oz silver bullion option has been introduced as well.

Zi:Sin Series

The second major silver bullion series from KOMSCO is the Zi:Sin Series. Similar to the many Chinese lunar-themed collections available in the market, the Zi:Sin Series is a 12-medallion release that focuses on a new figure each year. However, this collection focuses on the mythical warriors that lead god’s armies into battle when the forces of evil threaten the peace and harmony of mankind. The collection debuted in 2017 with the Gallus design, with details of the first three releases through 2018 including:

• 2017 Gallus: The warrior Gallus is one of god’s 12 Guardians and he has the power of foresight, granted by the large helmet he wears on his head. Most importantly though, he has the ability to unleash a blinding light to distract enemy forces and deter evil from appearing.
• 2018 Canis: The leader and spearhead of god’s armies, Canis can always be found at the head of the army as it marches into battle against evil forces. Like a dog, Canis is loyal to god and never fails to remain by his master’s side.
• 2019 Scrofa. The Scrofa warrior is a female fighter who appears third in the series. Highly intelligent and sociable, she has all the perfect abilities to lead the forces of god into battle against evil.

Additional Zi:Sin Series Options

KOMSCO has responded to the growing popularity of the Zi:Sin Series of silver coins for sale by producing variations in the collection. This movement began with the 2019 introduction of the Scrofa designs in the series. Examples of additional Zi:Sin Series bullion medals include the following:

• 2019 Scrofa Ghost: Each of the members of the 12 Guardians group of warriors in God’s armies has their own special talents and abilities. Among the most powerful talents of Scrofa was her ability to duplicate her figure in battle to confuse enemies. This resulted in KOMSCO’s release of the low-mintage 2019 Scrofa Ghost Silver Medal. With just 10,000 medals issued, the Scrofa Ghost featured Scrofa by the Salt Lake with her “ghost” apparition behind her.
• 2019 Scrofa Eclipse: The Scrofa Eclipse Silver Medal delivered a distinctive design that includes KOMSCO’s exclusive latent imaging technology on the entire design field where Scrofa features. This visible image-changing technology reveals different visuals as you change the angle of viewing. Scrofa features prominently, but as you change the angle of viewing you’ll find that Scrofa’s primary figure is eclipsed in darkness as the Ghost figure appears behind her. The mintage of this release is limited to 1,000 medals only.
• Scrofa Gold and Rhodium Plated: In yet another stunning release from KOMSCO, the Zi:Sin Scrofa collection grew further with a silver medal plated with gold and rhodium. The obverse image of Do ggae bi on Chiwoo Cheonwang’s battle shield features a rhodium plating in this release, with Scrofa’s figure depicted with a plating of beautiful gold on the reverse side. Only 500 silver medals are available.
• Scrofa 3 Medal Set: Perhaps the most beautiful collective release of the series, the 3-medal set offers .999 pure silver medals with different metal plating. One silver medal has a gold plating on the image of Scrofa on the reverse, while another has a rhodium plating on her figure. The third silver medal has a full gold plating on the background field with a rhodium plating on Scrofa’s figure. Just 333 sets are available.

Proof Zi:Sin Silver Medals are also available in the series. Each one is limited in mintage to 1,000 medals and comes with truly beautiful presentation packaging. The individual medal designs are all the same and come with frosted design elements overlaying mirrored background fields. The medals all come with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity from KOMSCO and arrive with presentation packaging.

The boxes in this series that house the coins reflect the appearance from the obverse of the coin. This design includes Do ggae bi’s image on the battle shield of Chiwoo Cheonwang. The coin is encapsulated inside and is revealed when you open the case down the center to reveal the silver medal within.

South Korean Silver Tiger Medallions

The South Korean Tiger Medals debuted from KOMSCO in 2016 alongside the coveted Chiwoo Cheonwang collection, however, the Tiger Medals were initially only available as gold bullion products. It wasn’t until 2018 that KOMSCO introduced a South Korean Silver Tiger Medal option for investors.

The common reverse design in the series features a unique, stylized reverse that depicts the Korean peninsula using traditional Korean language characters to form the shape of the peninsula. As a unifying symbol, there is no demarcation between North and South Korea in the map’s design, only the image of the entire peninsula.

As with other programs, KOMSCO offers differing designs on its Silver Tiger Medals. The 2018 debut of the silver bullion Tiger Medals included a 1 oz silver medal and a 10 oz silver medal, each with its own unique design, and the second release in 2019 also delivered a new design for the 1 oz option. Available designs include:

• 2018 1 oz Silver Tiger Medal: The debut issue used the same design found on the Gold Tiger Medals from KOMSCO. A solitary tiger silently stocks its prey through the bamboo foliage.
• 2018 10 oz Silver Tiger Medal: In a twist, the 10 oz version of the Silver Tiger Medal features the world’s largest predatory cat as it kneels down next to a body of water to drink.
• 2019 1 oz Silver Tiger Medal: The second release in the Silver Tiger Medal series offers a more aggressive depiction of the beast. Here, the cat’s claws scratch through the visual field leaving slashes behind the expose the fierce beast’s face as it growls and exposes its deadly teeth.

The 2018 Silver Tiger Medals debuted with a total mintage of 30,000 medals available in individual protective capsules, rolls of 18, or boxes of 90 medals. The 2019 Silver Tiger Medal features a lower mintage of 20,000 medals total with products shipping inside of protective plastic flips, tubes of 25 medals, or a Monster Box of 250 medals (10 tubes in all). The 2018 10 oz Silver Tiger had a mintage of just 2,000 medals and featured a presentation box with Certificate of Authenticity included.

Packaging of South Korean Silver Medallions

KOMSCO issues its silver bullion medallions with individual and bulk purchase options. For both the Chiwoo Cheonwang Series and the Zi:Sin Series of silver for sale, KOMSCO offers the medallions with either individual protective plastic, mint tubes of 25, or sealed boxes of 250 medallions that includes a total of 10 tubes per box. The Tiger Medallions have a different packaging setup. Individual 2018 Tiger Medallions ship in protective capsules, while multiples of 18 are housed in rolls and boxes are available with a total of 90 medallions.

Certified South Korean Silver Bullion

Both the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation and the Professional Coin Grading Service have certified a variety of South Korean silver bullion products from these lineups. The South Korean Chiwoo Cheonwang and Zi:Sin collections both feature low-mintage proof options which have been certified as well. Examples of certifications include:

• Mint State 70: Identifies a bullion coin as perfect, with full, original mint luster and no detracting flaws.
• Mint State 69: Denotes a near-perfect bullion coin with full, original mint luster and a maximum of two minor detracting flaws.
• PF/PR70: This certification is reserved for proof coins and symbolizes the same condition as an MS70 coin.
• PF/PR69: Also reserved for proof coins, this symbolizes the same condition as an MS69 coin.

About KOMSCO

Known officially as the Korea Printing and Security Printing Corporation, KOMSCO is the government-owned corporation responsible for the production of paper banknotes, circulation and bullion coins, stamps, passports, and other government documents for the Republic of Korea. The mint was founded on October 1, 1951, during the Korean War as a means of providing the South Korean government with secure, stable printing and coining services. Now headquartered in Daejeon, the mint opened a technologically advanced facility in Gyeongsan in 1975 and it produces currency and other products for some 40 other nations.

Buying South Korean Silver from JM Bullion

We encourage those silver buyers interested in silver bullion from KOMSCO and the Republic of Korea to reach out to JM Bullion at 800-276-6508. You can connect with us on the web as well using our live chat feature or email address.