South Korean hwan#Coins

Due to the devaluation of the first South Korean won (from 15 won to the U.S. dollar in 1945 to 6000 won to the dollar in 1953), the hwan was introduced in 1953 at the rate of 1 hwan = 100 won. The hwan was nominally subdivided into 100 jeon but the lowest denomination issued was 1 hwan. The hwan also suffered from inflation and a series of devaluations occurred.

In 1962, the second South Korean won was reintroduced at a rate of 1 won = 10 hwan, after which inflation finally slowed down.

In 1959, coins were introduced in denominations of 10, 50 and 100 hwan. They were minted by the Philadelphia Mint.

The 10 and 50 hwan coins continued to circulate until March 22, 1975, accepted as if it were 1 and 5 won coins, respectively. The 100 hwan coins were withdrawn on June 10, 1962.

In 1953, banknotes were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 100 and 1000 hwan. Some of these notes were printed in the U.S. and gave the denomination in English and Hangul as won. 500 hwan notes were introduced in 1956, followed by 1000 hwan in 1957 and 50 hwan in 1958.

The first hwan notes were printed by the United States Government Printing Office. All Hanja and Hangul inscription on both the obverse and reverse sides of these notes are written right to left (traditional direction), instead of the modern (Westernized) left to right.

They have a few obvious defects. The term "hwan" is written in Hanja (圜) while "won" is written in Hangul (원) and English. Those problems were attributed to an urgent need for new banknotes and the change in currency name, as well as the decision to commission the new notes to be manufactured in the United States.{{cite web |url=http://www.bok.or.kr/template/main/html/index.jsp?tbl=tbl_FM0000000066_CA0000000506 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310184034/http://www.bok.or.kr/template/main/html/index.jsp?tbl=tbl_FM0000000066_CA0000000506 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 10, 2007 |script-title=ko:우리나라의 화폐, 1953년~1962년 |author=Bank of Korea |authorlink=Bank of Korea |access-date=December 4, 2006 |language=korean |quote=긴급통화조치로 화폐단위가 圓에서 圜으로 바뀌었음에도 이 당시 은행권은 圜을 '원'으로 표기하고 있는데 이는 동 은행권이 긴급통화조치의 결정 이전에 다른 용도로 미국연방인쇄국에서 제조된 것이기 때문." → Translation: "With the Emergency Currency Measures, and also the exchange of currency from the won to the hwan, at the time "won" was inscribed for "hwan" on the new banknotes; and that's because, as a result of a previous Emergency Currency Measure's decision, these new notes to be issued were to be manufactured by the US Government Printing Office. }} Unaware banknote catalog editors may erroneously categorize these notes as part of the old won system, such as the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money by Albert Pick.

{{Portal|Money|Numismatics|South Korea}}

• Economy of South Korea
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• {{numis cite SCWC|date=1991}}
• {{numis cite SCWPM|date=1994}}

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{{Commons category|Money of South Korea}}

• {{in lang|ko}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310184034/http://www.bok.or.kr/template/main/html/index.jsp?tbl=tbl_FM0000000066_CA0000000506 Bank of Korea, 1953-1962 banknotes]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060826172659/http://www.bok.or.kr/template/eng/html/index.jsp?tbl=tbl_FM0000000066_CA0000001019 Bank of Korea, A Brief History of Korean Currency]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060826081444/http://www.bok.or.kr/template/eng/html/index.jsp?tbl=tbl_FM0000000066_CA0000001020 Bank of Korea, Currency Issue System]

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{{Historical currencies of Korea}}

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Category:Currencies of South Korea

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Category:1953 establishments in South Korea

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Category:Economic history of South Korea