Korea, South: KM# 33.2a does NOT exist. Krause Error. [solved]

The 10-Won coin that Krause claims exists (KM# 33.2a) does not exist.  This is an obvious error.  The “Aluminum Bronze” coin doesn't exist.

The KM #103 does exist.  That is the new version of the 10-Won coin (or the “4th Series” 10-Won).  This is the copper-clad aluminum coin.

The description(s) from the Bank of Korea itself, in Korean and English:

From here:  http://www.bok.or.kr/eng/main/contents.do?menuNo=400121

and here:  http://www.bok.or.kr/portal/main/contents.do?menuNo=200385

Also…

In this image, the rows in red are non-existent.  The cells in yellow (33.2 and 103) do exist.  The values on the far right are the mintages.

That first yellow row, the 2006-dated 33.2, does exist (the older 65% copper coin from 1983-2006), although I HIGHLY DOUBT that there is such a thing as “thicker value below date” (i.e. the Krause claims of varieties 33.1 and 33.2 - Nobody, but nobody, in Korea recognizes these varieties).  Neither do the Koreans recognize the KM# 35.1 (small bust of Yi Sun-sin, 1983) and KM# 35.2 (large bust of Yi Sun-sin, 1984-date).

So, I don't know if Numista wants to remove the 33.1 and 33.2 or 35.1 and 35.2 distinctions from the catalog, but please remove any references to a “Aluminum Bronze” coin.  That is clearly a Krause error.

The correct descriptions of the 10-Won coin, and all its iterations over the years, are explained in my new 400-page book, South Korean Coins in the Era of Development, which is fully cited with direct references to source materials.  

A lot of members claim to have this coin, so we should ask them if they can confirm that their coin has a yellow colour and weighs 1.22 g, especially if it's dated after 2006 when the last brass 10 won coins were issued. Any yellow coins dated 2007 or later could not be KM#103. If we don't get any confirmation, then we should remove KM#33.2a and add comments to both KM#33 and KM#103 saying what we've done.

ceh2019

A lot of members claim to have this coin, so we should ask them if they can confirm that their coin has a yellow colour and weighs 1.22 g, especially if it's dated after 2006 when the last brass 10 won coins were issued. Any yellow coins dated 2007 or later could not be KM#103. If we don't get any confirmation, then we should remove KM#33.2a and add comments to both KM#33 and KM#103 saying what we've done.

Thank you.  I think waiting for evidence of a “yellow coin dated after 2006” is fine.

I wrote the standard work on South Korean coins, a new 400-page book, using official source materials.  I have been in communication with members of the Korean collector community for years, as well as the owner of South Korea's main auction business.  If there was ANY such coin, you can be assured that you or I or anybody would be able to find large numbers of images and references to this coin in the Korean literature and on the Korean internet.   Trust me, there is NO such thing as that “aluminum bronze” 33.2a coin.  I visited the  Korean Mint in 2019 and interviewed the head designer and a former engraver there.  Krause messed that listing up.  There is the KM#33 (a.k.a. 33.1 and 33.2 or whatever, since I don't believe there is any [major] distinction, and neither does anybody in Korea) and it ran from 1983 to 2006.  In December 2006, the Bank of Korea stopped its production and introduced that copper-clad aluminum coin for which I showed photos above.  That is KM# 103, and that is a real coin, and Krause (or should I say Numismaster.com) gives it the correct description.

If national mints or central banks of any given country have lists of their current circulating coins, such as the links I provided above, then Numista's listings should reflect these organizations' information, since they are the SOURCE of the coins(!)  I don't like the fact that so many of us are beholden to supposed Krause varieties, or claims of varieties in their catalog that do not even have a shred of photographic evidence.  Just because Krause follows the advice of some guy standing in a wheat field in Kansas who looked at two Korean coins three decades ago and said, “Hey, lookie here:  The kung-fu master guy on this date looks a little smaller than the kung-fu master on this date!” doesn't mean that other catalogs need to follow that advice.  If Numista members want to add information about their claims of varieties with photographic evidence to known coins that the issuing authorities acknowledge, I would think that's perfectly fine!  

Let's see what members think..

The acknowledgement of a mint is irrelevant. If a variant exists, it exists. Whether the change is sufficient to be the basis for a new type or sub-type is largely a matter of judgement. The comments on KM#33 make it clear how slight the difference is but it is there.

As for the supposed KM#33.2a, it wouldn't be the first time a mint has released coins in a different metal without saying they've done so (Canada certainly did so with the 1 cent), so let's just make sure. KM has made a huge number of errors over the years but we mustn't assume every time we see something “odd” that it has to be another KM error.

ceh2019

The acknowledgement of a mint is irrelevant. If a variant exists, it exists. Whether the change is sufficient to be the basis for a new type or sub-type is largely a matter of judgement. The comments on KM#33 make it clear how slight the difference is but it is there.

As for the supposed KM#33.2a, it wouldn't be the first time a mint has released coins in a different metal without saying they've done so (Canada certainly did so with the 1 cent), so let's just make sure. KM has made a huge number of errors over the years but we mustn't assume every time we see something “odd” that it has to be another KM error.

You make good points.

However, I think “mint acknowledgement” can be a starting point.  Especially in reference to the existence of a coin(!) that some outside entity is claiming.

Hello,

I have seen that a referee validated your comment on the page, thus agreeing and so I removed the coin.

We should add a comment to the page for KM#33 so that anyone looking here and at SCWC will know why we don't list KM#33.2a. I suggest the following:

The Standard Catalog ofWorld Coins lists an aluminium bronze version of this coin dated between 2006 and 2013 as "KM#33.2a". Records from the Bank of Korea indicate that no such coins exist and that all 2006 dated coins are either this type or KM#103, with all later issues KM#103.

Agreed, requested your text to be added.