South Korea 1950-1953 1000 won note - counterfeit or error?
jmm2562
Posts: 102 ✭✭
Hello Currency Experts!
I have a banknote from South Korea 1950-1953 1000 won. There is a defect on the obverse that might suggest this is a counterfeit bill or perhaps a printing error. Check out the man's face. It kinda-sorta looks like the Korean peninsula if you squint a bit. What do you think?
Thanks for your input.
Jim
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Portrait of Syngman Rhee definitely looks problematic (like what happens when you make too many photocopies).
Use a magnifying glass to inspect the microprint (all the pink background). There should be a design in all the fields of the note (where there is no green border/design/seals). If there is no microprint & elaborate design patterns (but just a blurry pink) in the design fields, it is definitely fake.
Check out what a real 1000 Won P-8 from S Korea looks like & compare. I can't see microprint from the picture you posted but it is very hard for us to tell (without inspecting banknote in hand). Also, the feel of the note will likely be wrong (it won't feel like cotton-blend of a banknote but more like paper). Finally, if you're still unsure, take it to your local coin shop (LCS). These guys (dealers) can spot a fake a mile away.
**https://sites.google.com/view/notaphilycculture/collecting-banknotes **
Wow, thanks for the expert guidance. I examined the note further. The pink microprint is prevalent in all the same areas as the numista reference. The paper is fairly crisp but does feel like a real bill with clothy paper similar to the US currency. There are 2 somewhat suspicious artifacts though...
1) Pink specs throughout the non-green areas, including the empty borders
2) The top middle horizontal design (with the dots) is located slightly higher than numista reference
Enclosed below are additional photos showing these suspicious artifacts. I hope collectors.com does not modify the image so you can see details.
If it's a fake, it's a rather good one. Have you ever seen a printing error like the one on Syngman's face?
Those are great close-up shots. The patterns & design elements look good to me. I don't see blurring in the fields as mentioned.
Can't say I have but it could be an ink smear. You may want someone else's opinion (in person).
**https://sites.google.com/view/notaphilycculture/collecting-banknotes **
Nice closeup photo.
It does look like there may have been a drop of ink or contaminate on the printing plate.
In my opinion, not really big enough to call a smear, just a minor defect when the banknotes was printed.