10 oz Taekwondo Silver Coin

Korea's Martial Art Immortalised in 10 oz Antiqued Silver

The 10 oz KOMSCO Taekwondo silver medal is a large-format piece from the K-Series, KOMSCO's programme celebrating Korean cultural heritage through bullion. The Taekwondo programme debuted in 2019 and ran through 2022, with each annual release depicting a different technique from Korea's national martial art. The 10 oz version is produced in an antiqued finish, giving it an aged patina that distinguishes it from the standard brilliant uncirculated 1 oz release.

KOMSCO (Korea Minting, Security Printing and ID Card Operating Corporation) is South Korea's state-owned mint, also responsible for the country's banknotes, coins, passports, and official security documents. The K-Series brand encompasses multiple sub-series including the Zi:Sin (twelve mythological guardians) and the South Korean Tiger (national animal). The Taekwondo series adds a sporting and cultural dimension to this family.

These are classified as medals, not legal tender coins. They carry no face value and are not recognised as official South Korean currency. South Korea does not operate a bullion-specific legal tender programme in the way that Australia, Canada, or the UK do; KOMSCO issues commemorative legal tender coins separately from its bullion medal programme. This distinction affects tax treatment in jurisdictions where legal tender status determines exemption eligibility.

The 10 oz antiqued version was produced in 2021 and represents one of the scarcest formats in the series. Overall Taekwondo mintages declined from 30,000 pieces in 2019 to 5,000 in 2022 for the 1 oz silver BU version, suggesting either waning commercial demand or a deliberate scarcity strategy as the series approached its conclusion. Taekwondo became an official Olympic sport in 2000 at the Sydney Games, and remains Korea's most internationally recognised martial art.

10 oz KOMSCO Taekwondo Silver Medal Specifications

Taekwondo Series Mintage (1 oz Silver BU)

The obverse features the Taegeuk symbol (Korean yin-yang representing cosmic harmony), which remains constant across all years. The reverse changes annually to depict a different Taekwondo technique. The 2020 reverse shows a fighter delivering a knockout punch with forced-perspective where the fist appears to break through the medal surface. The 2022 final release features a Taekwondo black belt master with a closed-fist privy mark. Gold versions (1 oz, .999 fine) were also produced with a reported mintage of 1,000 for the 2022 release.

Tax Position of the Taekwondo Medal

As a medal without legal tender status, the Taekwondo occupies the same tax category as silver rounds in most jurisdictions. This places it at a disadvantage against sovereign legal tender coins for tax-conscious investors.

• United Kingdom: 20% VAT on purchase as non-legal-tender silver. Not CGT-exempt. The absence of legal tender status means UK buyers face both purchase VAT and disposal CGT, the worst combination for a silver bullion product. Compare with UK legal tender silver coins (Britannia, Queen's Beasts) which at least avoid CGT on profits.
• United States: Most states that exempt precious metals from sales tax include medals and rounds when meeting minimum purity thresholds (.999 silver qualifies). IRA eligibility is very unlikely due to medal status; most custodians require sovereign legal tender coins.
• South Korea: Not classified as money or legal tender domestically. Treated as a collectible precious metal product.
• Canada: GST/HST exemption rules specify coins that are or were legal tender. Medal status may disqualify these pieces from automatic exemption.
• European Union: Silver subject to local VAT rates regardless of medal vs coin status.
• Singapore: IPM exemption requires coins on the MAS-approved list. Medal status from a sovereign mint may complicate eligibility.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty, no capital gains tax. Medal status is irrelevant.

Taekwondo vs Other KOMSCO K-Series 10 oz Medals

Within KOMSCO's own product range, the Taekwondo competes with the 10 oz South Korean Tiger and the 10 oz Zi:Sin. All three share the same mint, similar security features (latent image technology), medal status, and premium positioning. The Tiger is KOMSCO's most internationally recognised series with the largest collector following. The Zi:Sin offers mythological depth across its twelve-guardian cycle with extremely limited 10 oz mintages (75-300 pieces). The Taekwondo occupies a middle ground: culturally specific to Korea's martial art heritage, with a four-year production window that gives it scarcity without the extreme rarity of Zi:Sin 10 oz pieces.

Against sovereign legal tender coins at the same weight, the Taekwondo cannot compete on tax efficiency or liquidity. The 10 oz Silver Britannia offers UK CGT exemption, unlimited mintage keeping premiums low, and global dealer recognition. The 10 oz Perth Mint Kookaburra provides Australian legal tender status and broader IRA eligibility for US buyers. For buyers prioritising lowest premium per ounce of silver, these mainstream sovereign coins will consistently outperform the Taekwondo on cost.

The Taekwondo's appeal is collector-driven: the antiqued finish on the 10 oz version, the martial art subject matter (unusual for bullion), declining mintages suggesting genuine scarcity, and KOMSCO's banknote-grade security technology. Its value proposition depends on the collector market maintaining interest in the K-Series brand rather than on pure metal content economics.