Item number: A1356

Year: AD 1906

Material: Copper

Size: 25.5 x 25.5 mm

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024

This coin is a Korean Empire 5 Fen copper coin, issued in the 10th year of Gwangmu (AD 1906) during the reign of Emperor Gojong. The obverse features an imperial eagle, a symbol of authority, surrounded by the inscription “大韓·光武二年·일젼·1 CHON”. Both “일젼” and “1 CHON” refer to 1 Jeon. The reverse shows the denomination “一錢” (one Jeon) in the centre, with plum blossoms and a wreath surrounding it.

The first Korean coin was minted on December 4, AD 1892, but it was not officially issued until August 20, AD 1894. The delay was mainly due to opposition from the Chinese warlord Yuan Shikai, who objected to the inclusion of the term “大韓” (Great Korea) on the coin. As a result, the coins minted in AD 1893 and 1894 did not feature this inscription. It was only after China’s defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War that coins bearing the inscriptions “大韓” and “韓國” (Korea) were issued.

The Gwangmu era (AD 1897–1907) was a crucial period of political, economic, and cultural reform in Korea. During this time, Korea sought to strengthen itself and assert independence amidst both internal and external pressures. The reform of the monetary system was an integral part of this process, and the Gwangmu 10th-year 1 Jeon copper coin embodies this reform. It represents Korea’s attempt to modernise its currency system in response to international challenges, strengthening its national identity and efforts to break free from foreign control.

物件編號: A1356

年代: 公元 1906 年

材質: 銅

尺寸: 25.5 x 25.5 mm

來源: 福君錢幣 2024

此硬幣為大韓帝國五分銅幣，光武十年（公元1906年）高宗皇時期。硬幣正面中央描繪了象徵權威的帝國鷹，被銘文「大韓·光武二年·일젼·1 CHON」包圍。「일젼」及「1 CHON」均指1錢。背面為中央為漢字一錢，上方為梅花，被花環包圍。

韓國首枚硬幣於公元1892年12月4日鑄造完成，但直到公元1894年8月20日才正式發行。此延遲主要因中國軍閥袁世凱對於硬幣上刻有「大韓」一詞表示反對。因此，公元1893年和1894年鑄造的硬幣並未包含此刻字。直到中國參與甲午戰爭並戰敗後，才開始發行刻有「大韓」和「韓國」的硬幣。

光武時代（公元1897–1907年）是韓國進行一系列政治、經濟與文化改革的關鍵時期。當時，韓國在內外壓力中努力尋求自我強化與獨立，並在大韓帝國的旗幟下重建國家機制。貨幣制度的改革是這一時期的重要組成部分，這枚「光武十年一錢」銅幣正是這一改革的具體體現。它代表了韓國在面對國際勢力的挑戰時，試圖通過貨幣現代化來加強自我認同並擺脫外國控制的努力。