고려시대 화폐 주조의 시원에 대한 역사성 탐색

Abstract

The first currency in Korea, the iron coin(철전), was first created in April of the 15th year of King Seongjong (996). Seongjong started preparations for the distribution of iron coin by opening a state-run pub in October 983. And in 991, Samsa(삼사), the price control department, which was affected by Sung Empire(宋) was installed. And in 993, Sangpyeongchang(상평창) was also installed, which was associated with the purpose of price control, currency distribution. In other words, Seongjong prepared the distribution of iron coin from the following year of the accession, opened a store so that it could be used in the market, installed Samsa and Sangpyeongchang where money could be exchanged. Meanwhile, the copper coin was first cast in December of King Sukjong's second year(1097), when the coins circulated were also the first. Since then, there has been opposition from the newcomers such as Kwak Sang, but Sukjong has steadily promoted the distribution of coins. In the same as King Seonjong, Sukjong also set up a pub in Kaesong and took measures to make the people use money. In addition, he distributed money to his servants and soldiers, and he also told it to his ancestry. However, the attempts and efforts of Seongjong and Sukjong did not shine. Mokjong, the successor of the Seongjong distributed a letter that completely retreated the distribution of iron coin, Yejong, who succeeded Sukjong, showed his willingness to push forward the copper coin distribution, but distribution in the market was not active. So why did iron and copper coins not actively distribute? In the Goryeo period, the value of iron was not enough to have credit as money. And so did copper. And in Sung, coins were actively circulated and the value of copper rose. For this reason, there was a situation in which the value of copper was higher than the value of the coin, and the coin was melted. In this situation, Goryeo is believed to have seen financial profits by agreeing to export to Sung. Many countries in China, where metal currencies were actively distributed, also distributed goods currency(물품화폐) with metal currencies. This means that the distribution of metal currencies is not based on the disposal of goods currencies. In other words, metal and goods currencies could coexist. Although the Goryeo period did not actively distribute iron and copper coins, it is significant that these metal coins were first minted and distributed. Iron and copper coin in the Goryeo period is meaningful enough as a beginning.