2oz Yi Soon Shin

[swAgger]

So Korean subjects seem to be appearing thick and fast, for some reason.

The 2oz art coin market is one i turned my back on a couple of years ago. The way some dealers went about hyping every single one played a large part. They would have you believe all of them were solid investment pieces, and a steal at this price range of $250-$400. Conning many new collectors who got sucked into that belief, and bought more than one. If you fall in love with one, of course buy it for personal reasons but don't ever think of it as investment.

But for everything i don't like about the way that end of the market is run, i do see a lot of very fine designs and enjoy looking at them.

I aint buying, and i'm certainly not promoting but just wanted to share one that caught my eye for a few reasons.

This is the Cook Islands, 2oz, antiqued, 500 mintage, first issue of 12, 60mm dia "Yi Soon Shin".... and breathe

So what catches my eye more than most other art coins? I like the mirror detail on the sword. I like the two swords on the obverse (standing perilously close to Liz's head... yikes). I like the really big 60mm diameter. I like the coin sits inside the artwork of the box perfectly. I like the box (or folder, rather) includes comic book issue #1 of the Yi Soon Shin graphic novel series, signed and numbered by the author as well. I like that apparently there are 12 sections to the graphic novel series, and each future coin is for each part (accompanied by each comic again signed and numbered). Very cool if you like that kind of thing.

What i don't like is the European price €300. Whereas from the Yi Soon Shin site shop (try saying that fast 5 times) it's $249 (almost a hundred euro cheaper) so that's good if you have a mate in the states who can send on, i guess.

 

 

http://www.yisoonshin.com/shop/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XN88cry__g

 

 

[999magnum]

Very nice!

[Mark43]

500 mintage though.  Tempting.    

 

 No no no

 

[fehk2001]

I don’t understand how come they don’t have even one Korean character on the coin ??? 

[swAgger]

4 hours ago, fehk2001 said:

I don’t understand how come they don’t have even one Korean character on the coin ??? 

In what way do you mean? Korean characters as in lettering? Why should it?

[fehk2001]

1 hour ago, swAgger said:

In what way do you mean? Korean characters as in lettering? Why should it?

I just find it a bit strange that they don’t use Korean words that’s all 

Those “ words “ on the swords are Chinese /Japanese ) 

[augur]

9 hours ago, fehk2001 said:

I don’t understand how come they don’t have even one Korean character on the coin ??? 

The Hangul was developed as a simplified phonetic version around 1450 AD to allow uneducated people to be able to communicate in writing. 

Educated and or noble people would reject these simplified characters opposed to the traditional Chinese Characters. The Queen of England wouldn't communicate with emojis either, would she?

Without knowing the character but assuming his social status and time according to his armor, he would only have used traditional Chinese Characters. 

[JohnA]

The comic book gives it cross market value. I guess $250 is a little high. But it comes with a lot of appeal.

Edit ...Oh, I googled the comic. It is very cheap. Unless I am seeing the wrong version.