Gold Coins – Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang, South Korea, February 2018

PyeongChang 2018 is the highly prestigious winter Olympic sporting event due to take place in Pyeongchang County, South Korea between 9 to 25 February 2018. It is the 23^rd Winter Olympics and South Korea’s first. PyeongChang is only the third Asian city to host the winter games. The first two were held in Japan in 1972 and 1998.

To commemorate the event, South Korea has issued a set of coins made in gold, silver and bronze. The coins were issued in 2016 and have evoked quite a bit of international interest from collectors and investors across the world.

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The first series – 30,000 Won gold coin

The 30,000 Won gold coin is among the first series of coins issued to commemorate the event. The coin features the Olympic logo, as well as the PyeongChang winter games logo on the obverse. The face value of the coin is shown on the reverse along with a motif showing Gorosoi skis and people using it.

The Gorosoi ski is a popular means of transportation in the snowy mountainous region of the Gangwon province. It is considered to be the traditional skis of the region. They are meant to be used along with snowshoes with a hardwood frame called Seolpi. A stick is used by the user to move in the right direction along with a spear at the other end, used for hunting.

The coin contains 31.10 g of pure gold that is 99.9% pure, along with a diameter of 35 mm. While the face value of the coin shows 30,000 won, the coin is priced internationally at £2042 (2,96,000 KRW).

Other editions

Apart from the 30,000 Won issue of the Winter Games gold coin, there are other similar coins that have been issued to commemorate the event. The 20,000 Won gold coin is smaller and weighs 15.55 g. It has a size of 28mm in width and is made of 99.9% solid gold. It is available as part of an 11 coin set issued to commemorate the games, featuring both the 30,000 Won and the 20,000 Won gold coins along with a 5,000 Won silver and a 1,000 Won brass coin.

A set of 10 coins has also been issued that does not contain the large 30,000 Won gold coin. This set features only the 20,000 Won version and all silver and brass coins from the first series. The set of 10 is well presented in an oval-shaped case, which has been designed to replicate the ice rink, where all the skating events will take place at the games. The set is priced at £1406 (2,038,000 KRW). These sets, as well as the individual coins, are of great interest to numismatists across the world. Some collectors have painstakingly put together a thematic collection of gold and silver coins commemorating previous Olympics and Winter Olympics. Needless to say, these coins would be of immense interest to them as a new addition.

Call Physical Gold for help with your collection

Our experts at Physical Gold have the expertise and experience to advise you on how to build a valuable collection over the years. We are always happy to discuss your goals in building a prized collection of gold and silver coins that can be your legacy and an heirloom you can pass on to future generations. We may even be able to procure certain coins that you need but are unable to get. We are also able to advise you on valuations when you need to sell. Call us now on 020 7060 9992 and speak to one of our experts.

Image Credit: Robert Scoble