1 oz Taekwondo Silver Coin

South Korea's Martial Arts Medal in Silver

The 1 oz KOMSCO Taekwondo is a .999 fine silver medal produced by South Korea's state-owned mint, the Korea Minting, Security Printing and ID Card Operating Corporation. It belongs to the K-Series, a programme celebrating Korean cultural heritage that also includes the popular 1 oz Chiwoo Cheonwang. Launched in 2019, the Taekwondo features a new reverse design each year depicting a different martial arts technique, with the Taegeuk symbol (Korean yin-yang representing cosmic harmony) on the constant obverse.

As a medal rather than a coin, the Taekwondo carries no face value and has no legal tender status in any jurisdiction. This classification matters for tax treatment and retirement account eligibility, though in practice, the .999 purity means it qualifies for precious metals exemptions in most US states that exempt bullion regardless of legal tender status. The lack of face value distinguishes it from sovereign-issued coins like the 1 oz Canadian Maple Leaf or 1 oz Silver Britannia.

Mintage numbers declined across the series, from 30,000 in 2019 down to just 5,000 for the 2022 release (reportedly the final silver edition). This gives the Taekwondo a collector-bullion crossover character. The coins are far scarcer than mainstream sovereign coins that sell in the hundreds of thousands, though less liquid on the secondary market as a result. KOMSCO leverages decades of security printing expertise developed through producing South Korea's banknotes and official documents, incorporating a latent security device on the obverse that alternates depending on viewing angle.

KOMSCO Taekwondo Silver Medal Specifications

Annual Mintage (1 oz Silver BU)

KOMSCO also produced a 1 oz gold version (.999 fine) and a 10 oz silver antiqued variant. The gold mintage was reported at 1,000 for the 2022 release. All versions share the Taegeuk obverse design with an integrated latent security device, a proprietary anti-counterfeiting feature developed using KOMSCO's banknote production technology. The security image alternates depending on viewing angle, similar to the latent image feature used on the Chiwoo Cheonwang series from the same mint.

The 40 mm diameter is standard for 1 oz silver bullion pieces. BU versions do not include a certificate of authenticity. Proof versions feature frosted design elements against mirror-like fields, while the 10 oz antiqued version has a deliberately aged patina finish applied during production.

Tax Treatment of Non-Legal-Tender Silver Medals

The KOMSCO Taekwondo is classified as a silver medal, not legal tender. This affects its tax treatment in several jurisdictions compared to sovereign-issued coins.

• United Kingdom: Subject to 20% VAT on purchase. As a non-legal-tender item, it does not qualify for the VAT margin scheme available to pre-owned sovereign coins. It is also not CGT-exempt, since that exemption applies only to UK legal tender coins (Britannias, Sovereigns). The combination of full VAT and no CGT exemption makes silver medals less attractive for UK buyers compared to the Silver Britannia, which at least offers CGT exemption on disposal.
• United States: Most of the 35+ states that exempt precious metals from sales tax include medals and rounds when they meet minimum purity thresholds (.999 or better). The Taekwondo qualifies. However, it is not eligible for a precious metals IRA under standard IRS rules, which require either sovereign government-issued legal tender coins or bars from approved refiners. Capital gains are taxed at the 28% collectibles rate.
• Canada: Silver medals at .999 purity may not qualify for the GST/HST exemption, which specifically covers coins, bars, ingots, and wafers refined to 99.9%+ purity. The interpretation of "coin" in this context typically requires legal tender status.
• Australia: Investment-grade precious metals (silver at 99.9%+ purity) in a form commonly traded on commodity markets are GST-free. Medals from recognised mints generally qualify.
• Singapore: The Investment Precious Metals scheme requires silver at 99.9%+ purity in bar, ingot, or wafer form, or qualifying coins on the MAS-approved list. Silver medals are unlikely to appear on this list, meaning 9% GST applies.

Taekwondo vs Other Asian and Niche Silver Issues

The Taekwondo occupies an unusual space in the silver market: a state-mint product without legal tender status, produced at lower mintages than mainstream bullion. Its closest comparator from the same mint is the 1 oz Chiwoo Cheonwang, which launched three years earlier in 2016 and commands significantly higher secondary market premiums due to earlier collector adoption and an established following. The Chiwoo's warrior guardian theme proved more commercially resonant internationally than the Taekwondo's martial arts focus.

Against sovereign mint coins, the comparison is straightforward. The Canadian Maple Leaf and Silver Britannia offer legal tender status, IRA eligibility, advanced security features, and far greater liquidity. Their mintages run into the millions annually. The Taekwondo cannot match this on any practical measure. Its appeal lies elsewhere: in the annually changing designs, the cultural specificity, and the lower mintage numbers that create scarcity value over time.

Compared to other sport-themed bullion issues, the Taekwondo is unusual as a multi-year bullion programme centred on a single martial art. Most sovereign mints produce sport-themed coins only as one-off commemoratives. The Chinese Panda shares the annually-changing-design approach but has far higher mintages and global recognition as legal tender. For stackers focused purely on silver weight per dollar, a generic 1 oz Walking Liberty round offers lower premiums. The Taekwondo targets the collector-stacker crossover market where design interest meets precious metal content.