Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation Releases Commemorative Medals for 9 Korean Millennium Temples

The Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corporation (KOMSCO) announced on the 10th that it will collaborate with the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to plan and release a commemorative medal series titled "Korea's Millennium Temples," themed around nine ancient temples designated as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites.

The temples featured in the commemorative medals are ▲ Bulguksa in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk ▲ Haeinsa in Hapcheon, Gyeongnam ▲ Tongdosa in Yangsan, Gyeongnam ▲ Buseoksa in Yeongju, Gyeongbuk ▲ Bongjeongsa in Andong, Gyeongbuk ▲ Beopjusa in Boeun, Chungbuk ▲ Magoksa in Gongju, Chungnam ▲ Seonamsa in Suncheon, Jeonnam ▲ Daeheungsa in Haenam, Jeonnam.

Image of the commemorative medal for 'Tongdosa Geumgang Gyedan,' part of the Korean Millennium Temples series (1). Provided by Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corporation

The first commemorative medal will be released featuring the "Geumgang Gyedan of Tongdosa." Tongdosa is a temple that houses over 30,000 cultural assets including the Daeungjeon Hall, a representative mid-Joseon Dynasty architectural treasure designated as a national treasure, the Geumgang Gyedan (Diamond Platform) enshrining the Buddha's relics, pagodas, and stone lanterns.

Tongdosa, along with Haeinsa and Songgwangsa in Suncheon, is considered one of Korea's three major temples. It is renowned as a treasure trove of Korean Buddhist cultural heritage due to its large scale, numerous temple buildings, and extensive cultural properties.

It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in June 2018 under the designation "Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea."

The commemorative medal's front side depicts the Daeungjeon Hall and the panoramic view of the Geumgang Gyedan, while the reverse side features an enlarged representation of the Geumgang Gyedan's relic pagoda.

The term "Geumgang" (Diamond) engraved on the front symbolizes unbreakability like a diamond, and "Gyedan" (Platform) refers to a pure place where precepts are received. The Geumgang Gyedan is said to have been established in 646 by the monk Jajang to enable monks nationwide to officially receive Buddhist precepts.

The Daeungjeon Hall originally signifies the main hall enshrining Sakyamuni Buddha. However, Tongdosa's Daeungjeon is unique in that it does not house a Buddha statue; instead, the Geumgang Gyedan behind the building enshrines the Buddha's true relics.

KOMSCO also engraved the phrases "World Cultural Heritage Yeongchuk Chongnim Tongdosa," "Yeongchuk (靈鷲)," "Chongnim (叢林)," and "Tongdosa (通度寺)" along with the corporation's hallmark on the reverse side.

The commemorative medals will be released in two types: gold medal (99.9% purity, 31.1g weight, 40mm diameter) and silver medal (99.9% purity, 31.1g weight, 40mm diameter). Purchases are available from the 10th via KOMSCO's online mall, Orot Diwum Center, Poongsan Hwadoyanghaeng, The Hyundai.com, Hmall, SSG.COM, LotteON, Naver Smart Store, and Hyundai Buddhist Newspaper's Maha Mall, among others.

Sung Chang-hoon, president of KOMSCO, said, "We are honored to collaborate with the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to widely promote the value of Korean Buddhist cultural heritage and to participate in its preservation. KOMSCO will strive to further publicize the value of Korean cultural heritage through various products such as artistic woodblock prints in addition to medals."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.