1 won 1978
About This Note
This is a North Korean 1 Won banknote from 1978 (Pick P-18d) in uncirculated condition, featuring vibrant socialist realist imagery on the front depicting heroic figures including adults and children in dynamic poses with modern architecture in the background, rendered in green and pink color schemes. The reverse showcases a portrait of a central male figure with floral elements and smaller supporting figures, all framed by intricate geometric and floral borders. The note exhibits excellent preservation with sharp detail and no signs of circulation or wear.
Common. North Korean Won notes from the 1978 issue period were produced in significant quantities for domestic circulation, and P-18d remains readily available in the collector market. Uncirculated examples, while always preferable to circulated notes, are not exceptionally scarce for this denomination and year. No documented print run restrictions or widespread recalls are known for this specific variety.
Issued during the peak of North Korea's isolationist period under Kim Il-sung's rule, this 1 Won note reflects the regime's socialist ideology through heroic figural compositions and modern architectural imagery representing state advancement. The decorative symbolism, including what appears to be a tower or monument emblem on the front, likely references North Korean national monuments or ideological symbols central to the regime's propaganda. The note's design exemplifies the state-controlled aesthetic of North Korean currency from this era, emphasizing collective achievement and industrial progress.
The front depicts a heroic socialist realist scene with five human figures—an adult male in center-left wearing a cap, an adult female to the right, and three child figures positioned throughout—arranged in dynamic ascending poses suggesting revolutionary fervor, with one figure raising what appears to be a farming or industrial implement. Pink and red-toned modern multi-story buildings occupy the background, symbolizing state-led urbanization and industrial development. A circular emblem in the upper left contains what is likely the Tower of the Juche Idea or similar state monument with radiating lines. The reverse features a central male portrait (possibly depicting a historical or contemporary leadership figure) with roses in the background, flanked by supporting figures including one with a rifle on the left. Ornate decorative borders with geometric and floral medallions frame both sides in shades of green, pink, purple, peach, and cream.
Front side: '조선민주주의인민공화국' (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), '중앙은행' (Central Bank), '1978' (year of issue), serial number 'ㅇ I 1179929' (mixed Korean and Latin characters). Back side: '조선민주주의인민공화국중앙은행' (Democratic People's Republic of Korea Central Bank), denomination '1' (won). The numeral '9' appears on both sides as a secondary denomination indicator.
Multicolor offset lithography with fine line engraving, employing multiple color printing layers to achieve the complex palette of green, pink, purple, peach, blue, and red. The intricate geometric patterns, detailed floral work, and fine facial details characteristic of this note suggest sophisticated security engraving by North Korea's state printing authority, likely the Korean Banknote and Security Printing Corporation or equivalent state-controlled printer.
Pick P-18d represents the 1978 issue of the 1 Won note. The serial number observed ('ㅇ I 1179929') follows the standard North Korean format with Korean character prefix and Latin character separator. Varieties of this note may exist in different serial number prefixes or minor design variations across printing runs, but the core design elements remain consistent across documented P-18d examples. No major varieties with significantly different designs or security features are cataloged for this Pick number.
