North Korea's full set of consecutive banknotes
"The Complete Set of North Korean Conjoined Banknotes" is a special set of commemorative whole sheets issued by the Central Bank of North Korea to mark the 95th anniversary of Kim Il-sung's birth. This is the world's first complete set of commemorative banknote whole sheets, with only 2000 sets issued globally for individual items and fewer than 300 complete sets worldwide. Upon its debut in China, it was highly acclaimed and beloved by collectors from all over, causing a sensation in the entire collectibles market. Among the public's enthusiasm for collecting, it sparked a new wave of interest, and was regarded by experts as one of the most investment-worthy and appreciating collectibles among current whole sheet collections. Experts have analyzed that there are five key drivers behind its appreciation potential:
1. **Authoritative Issuing Body**
The "Complete Set of North Korean Conjoined Banknotes" was specially issued by the Central Bank of North Korea, accompanied by watermark certificates printed uniformly with the collectible, verifying the authenticity of this collection. Collectors with experience know that when analyzing the value of a collectible, one of the main considerations is identifying the issuing institution. Only if the authority of the issuing body is recognized can the appreciation space of the collectible be extended. As the most authoritative issuing department in North Korea, the Central Bank of North Korea uses the most advanced minting technology to effectively prevent the reissue of this set of commemorative coins, ensuring the significant appreciation potential of this global issue of only 300 sets.
2. **Special Issue Theme**
This whole sheet was specifically issued to commemorate the 95th anniversary of Kim Il-sung's birth. Its nature is similar to our country's issuance of the 50-yuan denomination commemorative banknote for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the nation or the 100-yuan denomination dragon commemorative banknote. It is a type of commemorative banknote product assigned a face value but with an actual value higher than the face value. Additionally, it is the world's first complete set of commemorative whole sheet banknotes, making it a leading product among similar products in the collection of whole sheet banknotes worldwide. Its ease of operation for general collectors makes its collection value and investment potential not to be underestimated.
3. **Originality of Issue Price**
The North Korean whole sheet banknotes currently hold the title of having the highest face value in the world, totaling 162,638 North Korean won across nine whole sheets, ranging from the smallest denomination of 1 won to the largest of 5000 won. Based on the current official exchange rate, this equates to more than 8000 RMB, yet its actual issue price is less than twice its actual face value. This situation recalls the initial issuance of the fourth set of RMB whole sheet banknotes. At the time, the fourth set of RMB whole sheet banknotes had an issue price of just over 2000 yuan, but now each set has increased to over 160,000 yuan. In the 2008 Shanghai coin auction, the fourth set of RMB whole sheet banknotes was sold for a staggering 240,000 yuan, increasing more than a hundred times in value. Clearly, this is another replay of the initial issuance of the fourth set of RMB whole sheet banknotes. Considering the development prospects and trends of this collectible in popular collections, its future appreciation potential cannot be underestimated.
4. **Limited Issue Quantity**
The "Complete Set of North Korean Conjoined Banknotes" is the commemorative banknote with the smallest global issue quantity, limited to 2000 sets worldwide, issued over 9 years, with fewer than 300 complete sets globally. Due to the authoritative nature of its issuing body, it cannot be reissued. A common saying goes: "Rarity breeds value." In the factors contributing to the appreciation of collectibles—“issue quantity,” “surviving quantity,” and “demand quantity”—the topic of "quantity" always arises. Among these, the greater the demand and the smaller the issue and surviving quantities, the larger the appreciation potential of the collectible. Regarding this North Korean whole sheet banknote, which holds six world-firsts in the realm of whole sheet banknotes, its popularity and demand are self-evident. Thus, the appreciation potential and status of these 300 sets of North Korean whole sheet banknotes in the future will naturally be clear.
5. **Inevitability of Political Factors**
North Korea is currently the most watched country in the world. Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and North Korea, relations between the two countries are at an unprecedented high. Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, and Wen Jiabao exchanged congratulatory telegrams with North Korean leaders Kim Jong-il, Kim Yong-nam, and Kim Young-il. This also indicates that China-North Korea diplomatic relations will see a leap forward. With the increasingly close relations between China and North Korea in the future, based on the principles of inheriting tradition, facing the future, fostering friendly neighborliness, and strengthening cooperation, relevant departments in our country and the entire collectibles market will undoubtedly give high attention and support to representative collectibles that promote exchanges between China and North Korea.
6. **Developability of Political Factors**
Present-day North Korea is in the strong phase of proletarian revolution, akin to China's Cultural Revolution period. This set of conjoined banknotes is equivalent to the full set of Cultural Revolution stamps at that time. Will North Korea reform? Will North Korea become like today's China? Currently, China is spending large sums of money to repurchase its collectibles abroad. Perhaps, in the near future, this set of conjoined banknotes will become a witness to North Korea's transformation and a valuable item highly sought after by North Koreans! Now, North Korea's economic development is very backward, and the cost of the entire set exceeds the annual income of a three-person family. The current state of North Korea is akin to China's 1960s and 1970s, and this set of North Korean whole sheet banknotes holds a status similar to that of the first and second sets of RMB (currently, the first set of RMB has appreciated to over 3 million, and the second set is over 300,000). The operability of its collection and the certainty of its appreciation are undeniable. This is the world's whole sheet banknote, the world's most extensive whole sheet banknote set, and the world's only 9-piece set leader collectible. With North Korea's development, the appreciation of this collectible is inevitable.