Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation Launches Currency Goods 'Don Ballpen'... "Available for Individual Purchase"

The currency goods ‘Don Ballpen’ have been launched and are now available for sale. Don Ballpen is a ballpoint pen made using currency by-products. Previously, it was sold only to businesses, but now individual consumers can easily purchase Don Ballpen as well.

The Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation announced on the 20th that it is launching and selling Don Ballpen as its first goods made using currency by-products.

Provided by Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation

Earlier, the Mint had reviewed ways to recycle currency by-products not as mere waste but as resources, planning and actively promoting a goods business that ‘contains the value given by money.’

Currency by-products refer to defective prints and leftover blank paper generated during the currency manufacturing process. The annual volume of currency by-products reaches 500 tons. Until now, most of these by-products were incinerated, resulting in the Mint bearing the burden of environmental pollution and disposal costs.

However, with the production of goods, currency by-products have found new uses. The previously discarded (incinerated) currency by-products have been given a new concept of added value.

Last month, the Mint first sold Don Ballpens to businesses. Starting this month, three types of Don Ballpens available for individual consumers will be launched and sold.

Provided by Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation

The lineup includes ▲Modern type ▲Clear type ▲Mini ball type, each containing currency by-products equivalent to one bill per pen. The pens are also engraved with the Mint’s currency by-product goods brand name (BI), ‘Money Made.’

The Modern type is designed with a luxurious pen body and smooth writing feel. Currency by-products of four denominations?50,000 won, 10,000 won, 5,000 won, and 1,000 won bills?are contained at the top of the pen. The pen refill colors are black, blue, and red, and a dedicated pen case is provided, making it suitable as a gift.

The Clear type features a fully transparent pen body, allowing the currency by-products inside to be seen at a glance. Like the Modern type, it is released in four bill denominations and comes with a simple dedicated case that lets you directly view the currency by-products from the outside. All pen refills are black, enhancing practicality.

The Mini ball type is a compact pen with currency by-products inside a small ball, released in two denominations: 50,000 won and 10,000 won bills. All pen refills are black, and it is sold in OPP film packaging.

The prices are set at ▲Modern type 12,000 won ▲Clear type 11,000 won ▲Mini ball type 8,000 won.

Don Ballpens can be purchased starting from the 21st of this month through the Mint’s official online shopping mall and the currency product sales center located in Mapo-gu, Seoul.

The Mint plans to sequentially release various currency goods such as ‘Donbangseok’ (Money Cushion), ‘Donsigye’ (Money Clock), and ‘Dondalryeok’ (Money Calendar), starting with Don Ballpen.

Sung Chang-hoon, president of the Mint, said, “The currency goods business is a project planned to use by-products generated during the manufacturing of new currency bills in a valuable way. The Mint will continue to assign new uses to by-products generated throughout the entire currency manufacturing and distribution process to create exemplary cases that realize a circular economy and social value.”