1 won 1978
About This Note
This is an uncirculated 1 won note from North Korea issued in 1978, cataloged as Pick P-18c. The obverse features a dynamic socialist realist composition with multiple figures—a woman with a flag, workers, and a child—set against a modern cityscape with ornate pink and green decorative borders. The reverse displays a central portrait surrounded by roses with additional worker figures, rendered in sophisticated engraving with muted purples and browns. The note exhibits pristine condition with sharp, clear printing throughout and vibrant colors characteristic of uncirculated North Korean currency of this era.
Common. The 1 won denomination from 1978 (Pick P-18c) was issued in substantial quantities during North Korea's standard circulation period and remains relatively available in the collector market. While North Korean notes have more limited international availability compared to other nations, this particular denomination and year does not show the characteristics of a scarce or rare issue (no documented short print run, recall, or limited issuing period). The UNC condition grade, while desirable, does not substantially increase rarity as sufficient examples of this note exist in uncirculated state.
This 1978 note reflects North Korea's state ideology during the post-Korean War era, with its emphasis on collective labor and revolutionary ideals depicted through the worker figures and flag-bearer on the obverse. The architectural elements visible in the cityscape background represent the regime's modernization narrative, while the central male portrait on the reverse likely depicts a national hero or ideological figure important to North Korean state identity. The flowering plants and roses throughout suggest themes of national prosperity and socialist reconstruction during the late 1970s period.
The obverse depicts a socialist realist scene with five figures arranged across the composition: a woman on the left holding a revolutionary flag (symbolizing national liberation), a man in center-left, a standing central figure, a woman on the right, and a young child in the lower center. These figures likely represent the worker, peasant, and youth of North Korean society. The background features a modernist cityscape with multi-story buildings rendered in pink tones, symbolizing industrial progress. Ornate decorative borders in pink, green, and gray frame the composition with intricate geometric and floral motifs. The circular emblem on the left displays the national symbol with a star. The reverse features a central male portrait (likely Kim Il-sung or another state figure) surrounded by roses and flowering plants, flanked by two additional male figures in working or harvesting poses, set against institutional architecture. Both sides employ sophisticated fine-line engraving with complex security patterns throughout the borders and backgrounds.
Front: '조선민주주의인민공화국' (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), '중앙은행' (Central Bank), '1978' (1978), '하나' (One/Won), 'OF 771885' (Serial number). Back: '조선민주주의인민공화국중앙은행' (Democratic People's Republic of Korea Central Bank), '하나' (One/Won).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving and steel plate printing), characteristic of 1970s North Korean currency produced by the Central Bank's printing facilities. The technique is evident in the fine line work visible throughout the composition, the sharp detail in the portraits, and the intricate security border patterns. This represents high-security banknote printing of the period, with multiple color layers applied to the engraved plates.
The serial number 'OF 771885' visible on the obverse indicates this specific variety within the P-18c printing. Known varieties for Pick P-18c may include different serial number prefixes or blocks reflecting different printing runs. Without additional specimens or specific catalog notation of major varieties for this Pick number, this note represents a standard example of the 1978 1 won issue.
