500 South Korean Won Banknote (Pagoda 1962 Issue)

500 Won Won (Issued 1962)

Issued during South Korea’s landmark currency reform of 1962, when the Hwan was replaced by the Won at a rate of ten to one, this 500 Won note was produced at a period of significant monetary transition for the country. The anti-counterfeiting provisions of this early Won series are modest by modern standards, reflecting the printing technology of the era, with the paper itself incorporating subtle texture and the serial numbering serving as a primary verification mechanism. The note bears a circular red seal impression on its front face, characteristic of Bank of Korea authentication stamps of this period, which formed an integral part of the note’s official integrity. These features collectively represent the foundational security philosophy of South Korea’s newly reformed currency system in the early 1960s.

On the front, the dominant central image is a detailed engraved vignette depicting Namdaemun — formally known as Sungnyemun — the great southern gate of Seoul, rendered in fine line work against a lightly shaded architectural background with trees framing either side of the stone gateway structure. The gate is presented in a slightly elevated perspective, showing its characteristic two-tiered pavilion roof rising above the arched stone base, and is executed in soft green and grey tones within a rectangular frame to the left of the note. The right-hand portion of the front face carries an intricate guilloché pattern in green and pale orange, featuring a stylised floral rosette at its centre, surrounded by swirling peacock-feather-inspired geometric designs that fill the panel with considerable decorative complexity. The issuing authority text appears in Korean characters — reading 한국은행권, meaning “Bank of Korea Note” — printed across the upper portion of the note in dark ink, with the denomination 오백원 (five hundred won) displayed prominently in large Korean script at the centre. The numeral 500 appears in the upper right corner and in the lower left corner, providing clear denomination marking in Western numerals. A circular red seal bearing Korean characters is stamped to the right of centre, representing the official Bank of Korea authorisation mark. The serial number GA1162108 is printed in reddish-brown ink beneath the gate vignette, and the note is bordered throughout by a repeating geometric frame of interlocked dark blue and green patterns that encircle the entire composition.

The reverse is printed predominantly in deep navy blue and pale green, presenting a bold and symmetrically composed design. The inscription “THE BANK OF KOREA” is printed in large, bold serif capitals across the top of the note in white lettering set against a dark blue banner, establishing the issuing institution with clear authority. Flanking a central motif are two large guilloché medallions, each containing the numeral 500 rendered in substantial dark figures against a finely engraved radiating background of concentric lathe-work lines that create a deep, almost three-dimensional optical effect. At the very centre of the reverse sits an emblem consisting of a flaming torch set within a laurel or foliate wreath, its flame rising upward and the surrounding leaves rendered in careful detail — a symbolic device associated with enlightenment and national progress. The denomination “500 WON” is printed in a clear, bold sans-serif typeface along the lower border of the note, reinforcing the face value. The entire reverse is enclosed within a multi-layered rectangular border of repeating geometric and wave patterns in contrasting tones of blue and green, giving the note a formal, structured appearance consistent with international banknote printing conventions of the early 1960s.

Looking to exchange leftover currency? Your 500 Won banknote can be sold to Webuyallcurrency.com alongside other old or withdrawn South Korean Won banknotes, turning spare money from a trip or collection into cash in one simple transaction.

• Indicate the quantity of 500 Won Won banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

From leftover holiday money to inherited collections, Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange or buy your South Korean Won banknotes and other foreign currency, handling old and withdrawn pieces in the same simple process.

Other South Korean Won you can exchange: 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 1000, 2000, 5000.