...Poland - 20 Zlotych Nicolaus Copernicus Commemorative 2023 Polymer Note

 Rzeczpospolita Polska
(Republic of Poland)

Naradowy Bank Polski
(National Bank of Poland)
Currency - Zlotych (PLN)

 

Another Polish commemorative note released on 09.02.2023. This note was originally scheduled to be released in November 2022, but was then delayed until February 2023. 

This note is issued in honor of the 550th birth of Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolaus Copernicus was born in the historical city of Torun (about 220 km north-east of Warsaw) on 19.02.1473, and died on 12.05.1543, at the age of 70 years old. During his lifetime, he was a Renaissance polymath, a mathematician, an astronomer, and also a Catholic canon.

 

This is also the same guy that tried to tell the world that the sun was the center of the universe, rather than the earth, in 1514, when he hand wrote a book explaining this to his friends. However, according to another source, this theory of having the sun as the center of the universe was already raised 18 centuries earlier by a Greek guy called Aristarch of Samos (b.310BC-230BC).

Like all previous commemorative banknotes issued, this note came with a simple card folder, and sold for 160 zlotych each. A total of 100,000 sets have been issued. As this is a legal tender banknote, and is sold as a numismatic product with a premium, it is very unlikely any of these notes will be used as face value transactions. This note is printed on polymer substrate, and is also the second polymer note issued by the bank. To date, this is the 15th commemorative note issued by the National Bank of Poland since the 50 zlotych Pope John Paul ll commemorative issued in 2006.

Twenty Zlotych

Nicolaus Copernicus (b.1473-1543)

Front - Nicolaus Copernicus (b.1473-1543) at far right, the heliocentric model showing the Earth and other planets revolving around the Sun at the center of the universe. This note is quite unique. According to the text printed on the back of the folder, it contains a security feature which produces visual 3D and motion effects. I believe this is refers to the round feature in blue to the left of the note. It's quite cool when you look at it. I have seen such features before, but it is usually printed as a security thread, I think.

Signatures

President - Adam Glapinski (tenure 21.06.2016 - 22.06.2022)

Chief Treasurer - Barbara Jaroszek

Quantity - 100,000 sets

Issue price - 160 zlotych

Imprinter - Polish Security Printing Works

Watermark - N/A

Dimensions - 151mm x 78mm

 

Back - Ancient coin with Zygmunt I Stary, three smaller coins, the heliocentric model showing the Earth and other planets  revolve around the Sun at the center of the universe.

 

Ancient coin, heliocentric model

Front folder cover

Below are the full list of all commemorative notes issued since 2006;-

2006 - 50zl Karol Wojtyla aka Pope John Paul ll : qty 2.0M (i/p 90zl)

2008 - 10zl Josef Pilsudski : qty 80,000 (i/p 15zl)

2009 - 20zl Poet Julius Slowacki : qty 80,000 (i/p 80zl)

2009 - 20zl Frederic Francois Chopin : qty 120,000 (i/p 50zl)

2011 - 20zl Marie Sklodowska Curie : qty 60,000 (i/p 60zl)

2014 - 20zl Josef Pilsudski [polymer] : qty 60,000 (i/p 50zl)

2015 - 20zl Jan Dlugosz : qty 30,000 (i/p 72zl)

2016 - 20zl Doubravka of Bohemia & King Miezko : qty 35,000 (i/p 75zl)

2017 - 20zl Our Lady of Czestochowa : qty 55,000 (i/p 60zl)

2018 - 20zl Josef Pilsudski : qty 50,000 (i/p 75zl)

2019 - 19zl Polska Wytwornia Papierow Wartosciowych [hybrid] : qty 55,000 (i/p 80zl)

2020 - 20zl Josef Pilsudski : qty 60,000 (i/p 80zl)

2021 - 20zl Lech Kaczynski : qty 80,000 (i/p 100zl)

2022 - 20zl Protection of the Eastern Front : qty 80,000 (i/p 50zl)

2023 - 20zl Nicolaus Copernicus [polymer]: qty 100,000 (i/p 160zl)