1 won 1978
About This Note
This is a North Korean 1 Won banknote from 1978 (Pick P-18a) in uncirculated condition, featuring vibrant multicolored engraving with a patriotic front design depicting a woman holding a flag surrounded by children and adults, backed by a pink-toned cityscape. The reverse showcases a male portrait in traditional Korean dress with military and civilian figures, ornate floral motifs including peonies and roses, and classical architectural elements. The note exhibits sharp, clear printing throughout with no signs of wear, circulation, or damage, making it an excellent example of North Korean currency design from the early post-war period.
Common. The 1 Won denomination from 1978 was produced in substantial quantities as a standard circulating denomination of the North Korean Central Bank. No evidence of limited mintage, recalls, or short-lived production runs exists for this Pick number. The denomination and date represent routine currency production during the post-war period of North Korea.
Issued by the North Korea Central Bank in 1978, this note reflects the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's socialist iconography and state propaganda themes. The front design's woman with flag and surrounding figures symbolize collective labor and national unity, while the reverse's traditional Korean dress and classical building represent cultural heritage and state achievements. The artistic style and vibrant colors are characteristic of North Korean currency design, which emphasized ideological messaging through carefully composed patriotic and developmental imagery.
The front features a central female figure in modern dress holding a raised flag, symbolizing the Korean worker and state patriotism, flanked by children and adults representing collective society. A cityscape with pink-toned multi-story residential and commercial buildings forms the background, representing national development and reconstruction. The design is framed by ornate borders featuring intricate scrollwork, peonies, and decorative corner elements with radiating circular emblems containing state symbols. The reverse depicts a male figure in traditional Korean hanbok dress as the central portrait, surrounded by elaborate floral wreaths of roses and other flowers. Flanking figures include a worker or soldier in uniform with an implement on the left and another figure in traditional dress on the right in active poses. Below is a classical building rendered in architectural perspective. Both sides employ fine line engraving with complex crosshatching and varying line densities to create security through intricate detail work.
Front side: '조선민주주의인민공화국' (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), '중앙은행' (Central Bank), '원' (Won), '1978' (year of issue), serial number '01 5473329'. Back side: '조선민주주의인민공화국중앙은행' (Democratic People's Republic of Korea Central Bank), '원' (Won). All inscriptions appear in Korean Hangul script with Arabic numerals for the date and serial number.
Intaglio engraving (recess printing), evidenced by the fine line work, detailed crosshatching patterns, and complex background treatments visible throughout the note. The intricate decorative borders, precise portraiture, and security features indicate professional banknote production by a state security printer, likely conducted by North Korea's banknote printing facilities or an allied printing authority contracted for this denomination.
Pick P-18a denotes the primary variety of this 1978 1 Won note. The observed serial number prefix '01' and format are consistent with standard North Korean note production. Without additional reference materials confirming known variants (such as different signature combinations, printer variations, or security feature differences), no specific variety designation beyond P-18a can be confirmed from the visual analysis alone.
