May 17, 2023
SEOUL – South Korea’s state-run minting agency said Tuesday the commemorative medal for the 10th anniversary of K-pop sensation BTS’ debut has racked up its all-time highest sales ever.
Korea Minting and Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corp., or Komsco, on Tuesday said the first edition of BTS’ 10th anniversary medal sold over 10,000 copies last year, racking up around 6 billion won ($4.49 million) in sales.
Komsco said it is the highest sales recorded by any commemorative medal it has produced until now.
The medal was jointly launched by Komsco and the band’s label, Big Hit Music, last year in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the band’s debut this June.
The minting agency added the 1-ounce (28-gram) gold medal, of which 1,000 were issued worldwide, sold out in just two hours after it went on sale at the Weverse Shop, the official K-pop merchandise shop run by Hybe, the parent company of Big Hit Music.
Komsco said BTS’ medal stood out not only for its sales record, but also in terms of the stamping technology used. The band’s official logo was carved in a fine pattern, with a technology usually used by the banks for coins, which was applied for the first time on a commemorative medal.
The mint mark, which shows where the coin was made and is mostly seen on significant commemorative coins, is also visible on BTS’ medal, Komsco added.
The state-run agency plans to launch the second edition of BTS’ 10th anniversary medal within this year.
The new medal will come in a different design, with portraits of the seven members carved onto the plate using the most cutting-edge technology, the medal manufacturer said.
“The second edition of the medal will add value to the 10th anniversary of BTS’ debut with Komsco’s special design and state-of-the-art technology,” Bahn Jahng-shick, head of Komsco, said in a statement, and added, “We’re devoting our efforts into making a medal that carries value matching the reputation of BTS.”