A Guide to the Coins of South Korea and How to Exchange Them
Posted by: Ian Stainton • 14 Feb 2026
So, you’ve just come back from an amazing trip to Seoul and found a handful of won coins jangling in your pocket. It’s a familiar story, but what do you actually do with them now that you're back in the UK? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the coins of South Korea, from telling a 500-won piece from a 100-won one, to turning that leftover holiday money back into cash.
Turn Your Leftover South Korean Coins into Cash
When you get home from a holiday, it’s easy to toss leftover foreign coins into a jar and forget about them. You might think it’s not worth the hassle to exchange them, but those little bits of metal can add up surprisingly quickly. To give you an idea, Post Office data shows a single 100-won coin is worth around 7 pence. A few of those, and you’ve got the price of a coffee. You can find more insights like this in their travel money guide.
That’s where we come in. At We Buy All Currency, we specialise in turning those forgotten souvenirs back into real money for you.
Our whole process is designed to be completely straightforward and stress-free. There's absolutely no need to sort through your coins or notes. Just gather up your mixed collection of foreign currency, send it over, and let us handle the rest. It’s the simplest way to get sterling back for all your leftover coins and banknotes.
We back our service with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Our goal is to give you a simple, reliable way to deal with your leftover holiday money, whether you want to cash it in for yourself or donate your foreign coins to charity.
A Trusted and Hassle-Free Exchange Process
We’re proud to have earned the trust of major UK organisations, from well-known charities and supermarkets to airports and even police forces. They rely on us because our process is credible, efficient, and built to handle large volumes of foreign currency without a hitch. That trust is built on a foundation of total transparency and simplicity.
Here’s what makes our service stand out:
- Fast and Easy: We’ve made the entire process quick and simple, from the moment you get an online quote to when the money lands in your account.
- No Sorting Required: Don't waste time separating different currencies. Just pack up all your coins and notes together—we do all the hard work of sorting and counting.
- Complete Reliability: As a trusted partner for major organisations, we provide the same secure and guaranteed service to every single customer, no matter the amount.
Ready to finally clear out that jar of foreign coins? Get started by visiting our homepage and see just how easy it is to exchange your leftover currency with a service you can count on.
Identifying Current South Korean Coins in Circulation
Got back from a trip with a pocketful of unfamiliar coins? It’s a common story. Let's solve the puzzle of the coins of South Korea you've likely brought back. This guide will help you quickly identify the four main coins you'll find jangling in your luggage, turning that confusing pile of metal into something you can easily understand.
The most common coins you'll encounter are the 10, 50, 100, and 500 won pieces. Each one has a distinct size, colour, and design, which actually makes them pretty easy to tell apart once you know what you’re looking for. Think of this as your quick field guide to leftover currency.
You'll find it easier to read the values stamped on each coin if you're a little familiar with the Sino-Korean number system, which is what the currency uses.
A Closer Look at Each Coin
Let's break down the key features of each coin, so you can sort through your collection like a pro.
The 10 Won Coin (십원): This is the smallest and lightest of the bunch. If you have an older one, it'll be made of brass. The newer ones (minted after 2006) are copper-plated aluminium with a reddish tint, making them feel noticeably lighter. Its defining feature is the Dabotap Pagoda, a famous stone structure from the Bulguksa Temple.
The 50 Won Coin (오십원): A bit larger and silver in colour, this coin is made from a nickel-brass alloy. You can spot it easily by the single stalk of rice on its face—a powerful symbol of agriculture and prosperity in South Korea's economic story.
The 100 Won Coin (백원): This is one of the most common coins you'll find. It’s made of a cupronickel alloy, giving it that familiar silver look. It proudly features a portrait of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, a celebrated 16th-century naval hero famous for his victories against invading forces.
The 500 Won Coin (오백원): As the largest and most valuable coin in regular circulation, the 500-won piece is also made of cupronickel. Its design shows a red-crowned crane in flight, a bird that symbolises longevity and good fortune in Korean culture.
Quick Guide to Identifying Modern South Korean Won Coins
Sorting through foreign coins can be tricky, especially when you're just back from a trip. This simple table summarises the key features of the current South Korean coins in circulation to help you quickly identify what you have.
| Denomination (Won) | Diameter (mm) | Material | Key Design Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Won | 18.0 | Copper-plated Aluminium | Dabotap Pagoda |
| 50 Won | 21.6 | Nickel-Brass Alloy | A stalk of rice |
| 100 Won | 24.0 | Cupronickel | Portrait of Admiral Yi Sun-sin |
| 500 Won | 26.5 | Cupronickel | Red-crowned crane in flight |
With this guide, you should be able to confidently sort your 10, 50, 100, and 500 won coins and know exactly what's in your collection.
The flowchart below shows just how simple it is to get your leftover coins turned into usable cash.
Our process is designed to be fast and hassle-free, turning your collection of leftover foreign currency into sterling with minimal fuss. Now that you can identify your coins, the next step is to understand their history and potential value.
A Brief History of South Korean Coinage
Every coin rattling in a travel jar has a story to tell, and the coins of South Korea have a particularly gripping one. Their journey is tied directly to the nation's incredible economic rise, and knowing a little about it helps explain why certain coins look the way they do and why you won't see older pieces in your change anymore.
The South Korean currency we know today was really forged in the decades after the Korean War. The country had to switch from its old currency, the 'hwan', to the 'won'—a move that was essential for stabilising the post-war economy and setting the stage for the powerhouse it would become.
From Hwan to Won: A Story of a Nation
The won's story actually begins with its predecessor, the hwan. Following the war, South Korea was grappling with massive inflation, so on 15 February 1953, the hwan was introduced to replace the old won at a rate of 100 to 1. But for years, there were no coins. The first ones, the 10 and 50 hwan, didn't appear until 1959 to help with a shortage of small-value notes. For more on this, the evolution of Korean currency provides some great historical context.
The big change came on 10 June 1962. A major currency reform brought in the new won, with 10 won equalling 1 hwan. This was a smart move, simplifying daily transactions and reflecting the country's growing economic confidence. The first actual won coins didn't get minted until 1966, but this reform was the foundation for the coinage system still used today.
You can see this journey unfold in the image below, which shows the different series of notes and coins issued over the decades.
It's a clear visual story of how the designs, security features, and denominations changed as South Korea’s economy modernised at a breathtaking pace.
The Coins That Vanished
As South Korea's economy boomed, something interesting happened: the smallest coins became almost worthless. Their metal content and production cost actually became more valuable than their face value.
This economic reality meant the 1 and 5 won coins were quietly retired. While they're technically still legal tender, they effectively disappeared from circulation by the 1990s.
You won't get these in your change on a trip to Seoul, but they often turn up in old collections and travel jars. This is a perfect example of how even forgotten, obsolete coins can still have value. At We Buy All Currency, our fast, easy, and hassle-free service is designed for exactly this kind of money.
There’s no need to sort anything yourself; we take care of it all, handling both current and discontinued currency to make sure you get the best value, backed by our 100% guarantee. Our expertise is trusted by major brands, including charities, supermarkets, airports, and police forces, who rely on us to convert foreign coins and banknotes without any fuss. Ready to clear out your collection? Pop over to our homepage to get started.
Spotting Valuable Commemorative and Collectible Coins
While most of the leftover currency you find will be the everyday coins we’ve already covered, you might just stumble across something special. South Korea has a long and proud history of releasing commemorative coins to mark big national moments and international events. These aren't the coins you get back as change at a Seoul convenience store; they're specially designed for collectors and often carry a value well beyond what's stamped on their face.
Spotting one of these gems takes a keen eye. You're looking for designs that stand out from the standard circulation coins. Think of major events like the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics—all of which had beautiful, sought-after coin sets made in their honour. These pieces often feature stunning designs tied to the event, like athletes in action, iconic stadiums, or official logos.
What Makes a Coin Valuable
So, what separates one of the coins of South Korea from being a cool souvenir to a valuable collectible? A few key factors come into play, and knowing them can help you figure out if you've found something worth holding onto.
Here’s what to look for:
- Rarity: Was it a limited edition? As a rule of thumb, the fewer coins that were minted, the higher the demand from collectors is likely to be.
- Condition: A coin that looks like it just left the mint—pristine and uncirculated—is always going to be more desirable. Any scratches, wear, or discolouration can seriously reduce its numismatic value.
- Precious Metal Content: Many commemorative coins aren't made from standard metals. They're often minted in silver or gold, giving them a base value just from their metal content alone.
- Historical Significance: Coins that celebrate a pivotal moment in Korean culture or history often command a premium among collectors who value the story behind the metal.
It's important to remember that our service is all about exchanging leftover foreign currency based on its face value and weight. We don't purchase coins for their collector's value, but we do believe in giving you the knowledge to spot a potential treasure yourself.
What to Do with a Potential Find
The global appeal for these special issues is very real. In 2022, sales from South Korea's official mint, KOMSCO, proved just how high the demand is, with Olympic coins from 1988 and 2018 remaining favourites among UK collectors.
If you think you've got a rare or collectible coin on your hands, your best bet is to do a bit of research online on numismatic websites or even pop into a local coin dealer for an expert opinion. For a more general overview of what makes any coin valuable, have a look at our guide on foreign coins that are worth money.
For all your other leftover coins, our service is still the simplest solution. It's fast, easy, and 100% guaranteed. You don’t even have to sort them—just pop them in a package, send them our way, and we'll take care of everything else.
How to Exchange Your South Korean Coins for Cash
So, you’ve sorted through your coins of South Korea and now you’re ready to turn that pile of won into cash. We believe this part should be the easiest of all. That’s why we’ve built a straightforward, no-fuss process that gets you paid quickly, without any complicated hoops to jump through.
Our service is built on a simple promise: it’s fast, incredibly easy, and 100% guaranteed. Forget about the tedious task of sorting coins by denomination or country. Just gather up all your leftover foreign currency, and we’ll handle the rest. This commitment to simplicity is why we're trusted by major brands—including charities, supermarkets, airports, and even police forces—to manage their currency exchange needs.
Our Simple Four-Step Process
We’ve refined our system over the years to be as user-friendly as possible. There are no hidden fees or complex forms—just a clear path from your leftover coins to cash in your account.
Here’s how it works:
- Find Your Currency: Gather all your leftover coins and notes. Remember, there's absolutely no need to sort them. We take mixed collections, including old and obsolete currency.
- Get a Quick Quote: Use our online calculator for an instant estimate of what your currency is worth. This transparency means you know what to expect right from the start.
- Pack and Post: Pop your coins and notes into a sturdy box or padded envelope and send them to us.
- Get Paid Fast: Once we receive and process your currency, we’ll send your payment promptly via your chosen method, like a bank transfer or PayPal.
This streamlined approach is designed to save you time and effort. For a deeper dive into the specifics, you can check out our detailed guide on how to exchange foreign currency.
A Service Built on Trust and Simplicity
The sheer volume of coins of South Korea finding their way to the UK is a real testament to the country's economic boom over the last few decades. To put it in perspective, CEIC data shows that the value of Korea's 10 won coins in circulation peaked at 86.125 billion KRW in November 2018. That’s a massive jump from a low of 24.420 billion KRW in January 1991. This economic growth floods UK airports and retailers with leftover won, and we provide a simple solution to convert it back to sterling.
Our core mission is to provide a fast, easy, and hassle-free way to exchange foreign coins and notes. With our 100% happiness guarantee, you can be confident that you're getting a fair and reliable service every time.
We understand that trust is everything. That’s why we partner with well-known UK organisations that rely on our credibility and efficiency. Whether you’re an individual with a small jar of holiday money or a business looking to donate foreign coins to charity, our process is exactly the same: simple, secure, and guaranteed.
Ready to clear out your leftover currency? Visit our homepage to get started and see just how easy it is.
Turn Your Leftover Coins into Charitable Donations
That forgotten jar of holiday money, full of leftover coins of South Korea and other currencies, is worth more than you think. Instead of letting it gather dust, you can easily put it to good use. We offer a simple, hassle-free way to donate the value of your leftover foreign currency to one of our trusted UK charity partners.
This is a great option not just for individuals with a handful of coins from their travels, but for our corporate partners too. Charities and businesses often find this process a lifesaver for fundraising. Think about it: airlines and shops can collect thousands of pounds in mixed foreign coins every year, and a service like ours lets them redeem it for its full value. It’s a classic case of small change adding up to make a huge difference.
Making a Big Difference with Small Change
Every single coin you send in joins a larger pool, collectively funding vital work and community projects across the country. We make it incredibly easy to donate foreign coins to charity, which is why so many organisations see us as a key partner for their fundraising and corporate social responsibility efforts.
The whole process is designed to be fast and completely hands-off for you:
- No Sorting Needed: Just gather up all your mixed foreign coins and notes. Don’t waste time separating different currencies or denominations—we do all of that for you.
- Hassle-Free Process: Send your collection to us, and we manage everything from counting and sorting to the final payment.
- Direct Impact: The full exchanged value goes straight to your chosen charity, making sure your donation has the maximum possible impact.
Our service is built on trust and credibility. It's why we’re the chosen partner for major brands, including well-known charities, supermarkets, airports, and even police forces. They all rely on us to convert foreign coins and banknotes securely and efficiently.
When you choose to donate, you’re not just clearing out some clutter from a drawer. You're making a real, tangible difference. To find out more about how it all works, check out our detailed information on where you can donate foreign coins.
Still Have Questions?
Got a few more queries about sending in your South Korean coins or any other leftover foreign currency? No problem at all. Here are some quick answers to the questions we hear most often from people using our fast and simple service.
Do I Need to Sort My South Korean Coins Before I Post Them?
Absolutely not! That’s one of the best parts of our hassle-free service. There's no need for you to spend time sorting through everything. Just gather up all your leftover foreign coins and notes and pop them in one package. Our team of experts will handle all the fiddly sorting and counting for you. It's fast, easy, and 100% guaranteed.
What About Old or Damaged South Korean Coins? Can You Exchange Those?
Yes, in almost all cases. We’re specialists in this area, so we can exchange current, withdrawn, obsolete, and even slightly damaged currency. If a coin or note is very heavily damaged, its value might change, but our goal is always to get you the best possible price when you convert foreign coins and banknotes.
How Can I Be Sure I’m Getting a Fair Price?
We believe in being completely upfront. Our online calculator gives you a clear quote based on current rates before you even send anything, and there are absolutely no hidden fees.
Plus, our 100% happiness guarantee means the whole process is risk-free. If you’re not happy with our valuation for any reason, we’ll simply return your currency to you, no questions asked and at no cost. It’s this level of trust that has made us the go-to partner for major charities, airports, and supermarkets.
Ready to turn that drawer of clutter into cash? At We Buy All Currency, our trusted service makes it fast and easy to exchange foreign coins and notes. Pop over to our homepage to get your instant quote and see for yourself just how hassle-free it is. Our service is 100% guaranteed, so you can exchange your leftover holiday money with complete confidence.