North Korea - 50 Won - P-16 - dated 1959 Foreign Paper Money - Gorgeous Colors

50 Won, P-16. Nice color! North Korea.

The 1959 North Korea 50 Won banknote, cataloged globally as Pick-16 or P-16, stands as a significant milestone in the economic history of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Issued by the Central Bank of the DPRK, this note was part of the country’s second currency series introduced in February 1959. This monumental currency reform aimed to stabilize the economy after the devastation of the Korean War by revaluing the original won at a rate of 100 to 1. Under the founding leadership of Kim Il-sung, the P-16 banknote served as a primary high-denomination medium for domestic transactions during an era characterized by aggressive state-led industrialization, socialist transformation, and the emphasis on national self-reliance.

Beyond its economic significance, the physical design of the P-16 note serves as a valuable visual artifact of mid-century North Korean state propaganda. Measuring 193 × 91 mm, the large paper note features a distinctive purple and yellow color scheme. The front side (obverse) prominently displays the national coat of arms alongside a detailed depiction of the historic Taedong River railroad bridge in Pyongyang. This imagery symbolizes post-war reconstruction and connectivity. The back side (reverse) features a smiling peasant woman holding a substantial bundle of harvested wheat against a mountainous backdrop. This design directly reflects agrarian collectivization and socialist productivity.