You’re standing in front of a shiny vending machine in a Seoul subway station, parched, staring at a bottle of cold corn tea. It costs 1,300 won. You’ve got a 1,000-won note, but you need that extra bit to make the machine roar to life. You dig deep into your jeans and pull out a small, silver-colored disc featuring a stern-looking man with a tall hat. That’s the 100 South Korean won coin. It’s the workhorse of the Korean economy. It’s the coin that buys you ten more minutes at the PC bang or unlocks a grocery cart at E-Mart. While the world screams about Bitcoin and contactless credit cards, this little piece of cupronickel refuses to die.
Honestly, it’s kind of impressive.
Most people see small change as a nuisance. In many countries, the equivalent—like the US nickel or the British 5p—is basically trash that collects at the bottom of a cup holder. But in South Korea, the 100 won coin still carries weight. It’s not just "change." It’s a cultural touchstone that has survived currency reforms, massive inflation cycles, and the digital revolution.
The Man on the 100 South Korean Won Coin
Who is that guy? If you look closely at the obverse of the 100 South Korean won, you’ll see the stoic face of Admiral Yi Sun-shin. Koreans don’t just respect him; they revere him. He’s the naval hero who saved the peninsula from Japanese invasions in the late 16th century, most famously winning the Battle of Myeongnyang despite being outnumbered 133 to 13.
Putting a national savior on such a common coin was a deliberate move by the Bank of Korea.
When the current design was first issued in 1970, it replaced the older series that featured flowers. By putting Yi Sun-shin on the 100 won, the government ensured that every citizen, from the wealthiest CEO to a kid buying a piece of gum, would carry a reminder of Korean resilience. The Admiral’s presence gives the coin a certain dignity. You might throw away a 10 won coin if you’re feeling lazy, but you rarely see a 100 won piece lying on the sidewalk. People pick them up.
📖 Related: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Menu: Why You’re Probably Ordering Wrong
What Can 100 South Korean Won Actually Buy Today?
Let’s be real: 100 won is worth about 7 or 8 cents in US currency, depending on how the exchange rate is swinging this week. You aren't buying a meal with it. However, the psychological value is higher than the face value.
In the 1980s, 100 won was a king’s ransom for a child. You could get a "cup tteokbokki" (spicy rice cakes) from a street vendor or several rounds of Street Fighter at the local arcade. Today, that’s gone. Inflation in Korea hasn’t been kind to the 100 won's purchasing power. But it still has "functional utility."
- The Grocery Cart Key: If you go to a major supermarket like Homeplus or Lotte Mart, you need a 100 won coin to unlock the cart. You get it back when you return the cart, but without that coin, you’re carrying heavy bags by hand.
- Vending Machines: While many modern machines take cards, thousands of older coffee vending machines—the ones that drop a tiny paper cup and fill it with "Maxim" 3-in-1 instant coffee—still charge exactly 300 or 400 won.
- The "Bus Fare" Buffer: If you realize your T-money card is empty just as the bus pulls up, having a few 100 won coins to bridge the gap between your 1,000 won bill and the actual fare is a lifesaver.
- Temple Offerings: Walk up to a Buddhist temple in the mountains, and you’ll see thousands of these coins stacked neatly on stone pagodas or tossed into fountains for luck.
It’s the "finishing" currency. It’s the grease in the gears of daily life.
The Technical Stuff: Composition and Weight
The 100 South Korean won coin isn't made of silver, though it looks like it. It’s an alloy. Specifically, it’s 75% copper and 25% nickel. It weighs exactly 5.42 grams and has a diameter of 24.0 mm.
If you’re a coin collector, or a "numismatist" if you want to be fancy, you should look for the 1970 and 1974 editions. Those were the early years, and they are becoming increasingly hard to find in good condition. But the "Holy Grail" of Korean coins is actually the 1998 500 won coin, though some rare 100 won mintages from the late 90s (during the IMF crisis) also fetch a premium because the government minted so few of them that year.
👉 See also: 100 Biggest Cities in the US: Why the Map You Know is Wrong
During the 1997-1998 financial crisis, there was a massive national campaign to collect gold and coins to help the country pay off its debts. Millions of 100 South Korean won coins were pulled out of piggy banks and donated. This collective sacrifice is part of why the coin feels so "Korean"—it’s tied to the nation's survival story.
Why Korea Hasn't Killed the Coin Yet
You’ve probably heard that South Korea is one of the most cashless societies on Earth. It's true. You can buy a single candy bar with a credit card or a phone app anywhere. The Bank of Korea has even launched "Coinless Society" pilots where you can deposit your change directly onto your transportation card instead of receiving physical coins.
So why keep minting them?
Tradition is one part of it. The other is the elderly population. While the youth in Gangnam use apps for everything, the "ajummas" and "ajussis" in traditional markets like Gwangjang or Namdaemun still deal heavily in cash. For them, the 100 South Korean won is a vital unit of trade. Removing it would disrupt the micro-economy of these markets where prices are often negotiated down to the last hundred won.
Also, the cost of production is a factor. While it costs more than 10 won to make a 10 won coin (which is why they are now tiny and copper-clad aluminum), the 100 won coin still hovers around a break-even point in terms of metal value versus face value. It’s still "worth" making.
✨ Don't miss: Cooper City FL Zip Codes: What Moving Here Is Actually Like
The Future of the 100 Won
Eventually, the 100 South Korean won will probably become a digital ghost. We’re already seeing it. Many self-service kiosks at ramen shops or cafes don't even have a coin slot anymore. They want your Samsung Pay or your Visa card.
But for now, it remains a symbol of a transition era. It’s the bridge between the grit of post-war Korea and the neon-soaked high-tech future. It’s a tiny, circular piece of history that fits in the palm of your hand.
How to Handle Your Won Like a Local
If you’re traveling to Korea or living there, don't just let these coins pile up in a jar. Use them.
- Check the Year: Look at the back. If you find one from the early 70s, keep it. It’s a cool souvenir that’s actually worth more than 10 cents to a collector.
- The "Busan" Trick: In some older areas or traditional parking lots, attendants still prefer coins for small "management fees." Keeping five or six 100 won coins in your car’s center console is a pro move.
- Donate at the Airport: When you’re leaving Incheon Airport, you’ll see large transparent bins for UNICEF. Empty your heavy pockets of 100 South Korean won coins there. It’s better than carrying "dead weight" home, and those coins actually fund real-world aid projects.
- Traditional Games: If you ever play Yut Nori (a traditional board game) during Chuseok or Seollal, people often use 100 won coins as betting markers. It keeps the stakes low but the energy high.
The next time you see Admiral Yi Sun-shin staring back at you from a piece of change, don't just think of it as "small money." Think of it as a tiny piece of the Korean soul that’s still fighting to stay relevant in a world of 1s and 0s.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Audit your change: If you have a jar of Korean coins, sort out the 100 won pieces and check for mint years before 1980; these are worth preserving as the alloy composition and strike quality were different.
- Load your T-Money: Take your accumulated 100 won coins to a self-service recharge station at any subway stop. Most machines allow you to dump change to top up your transit balance, turning "annoying" metal into useful digital credit.
- Visit a "Coin Noraebang": Use your 100 won coins at a coin-operated karaoke booth (found in every student neighborhood like Hongdae) where 500 won usually gets you two songs, but some older machines still accept 100 won increments.