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Polish złoty

Polski złoty (Polish)
200-złotych banknote obverse 5-złotych coin obverse
ISO 4217
Code	PLN (numeric: 985)
Subunit	0.01
Unit
Plural	The language(s) of this currency belong(s) to the Slavic languages. There is more than one way to construct plural forms.
Symbol	zł‎
Denominations
Subunit
1/100	Grosz
Symbol
Grosz	gr
Banknotes	10zł, 20zł, 50zł, 100zł, 200zł
Coins	1gr, 2gr, 5gr, 10gr, 20gr, 50gr, 1zł, 2zł, 5zł
Demographics
User(s)	Poland
Issuance
Central bank	National Bank of Poland
Website	www.nbp.pl
Mint	Mennica Polska
Website	www.mennica.com.pl
Valuation
Inflation	-1.3%
Source	(April 2015)

The złoty (pronounced [ˈzwɔtɨ] ; sign: zł; code: PLN), which literally means "golden", is the currency of Poland. The modern złoty is subdivided into 100 groszy (singular: grosz, alternative plural forms: grosze; groszy). The recognized English form of the word is zloty, plural zloty or zlotys. The currency sign zł, is composed of Polish small letters z and ł (Unicode: U+007A z LATIN SMALL LETTER Z & U+0142 ł LATIN SMALL LETTER L WITH STROKE).

As a result of inflation in the early 1990s, the currency underwent redenomination. Thus, on January 1, 1995, 10,000 old złotych (PLZ) became one new złoty (PLN). Since then, the currency has been relatively stable, with an exchange rate fluctuating between 2.5-4 zloties for a United States dollar.

History

First złoty

Kingdom of Poland and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

The złoty (golden) is a traditional Polish currency unit dating back to the Middle Ages. Initially, in the 14th and 15th centuries, the name was used for all kinds of foreign gold coins used in Poland, most notably Venetian and Hungarian ducats. In 1496 the Sejm approved the creation of a national currency, the złoty, and its value was set at 30 groszy, a coin minted since 1347 and modelled on the Prague groschen. The grosz was subdivided into 2 półgrosz or 3 solidi.

The name złoty (sometimes referred to as the florin) was used for a number of different coins, including the 30 groszy coin called the polski złoty, the czerwony złoty (Red złoty) and the złoty reński (the Rhine guilder), which were in circulation at the time. However, the value of the Polish złoty dropped over time relative to these foreign coins and it became a silver coin, with the foreign ducats eventually circulating at approximately 5 złotych.

Following the monetary reform carried out by King Stanisław August Poniatowski, the złoty became Poland's official currency and the exchange rate of 1 złoty to 30 groszy was confirmed. Until 1787, the złoty was tied to the Conventionsthaler of the Holy Roman Empire, with 8 złoty equal to one Conventionsthaler and, consequently, 4 groschen equal to the złoty. Two debasements of the currency occurred in the years before the final partition of Poland.

Duchy of Warsaw

The złoty remained in circulation after the Partitions of Poland and the Duchy of Warsaw issued coins denominated in grosz, złoty and talar (plurals talary and talarów), worth 6 złoty. Talar banknotes were also issued.

Congress Poland

From 1816, the złoty was issued by the Russian-controlled Congress Poland, with a fixed exchange rate between the Polish and Russian currencies of 1 kopeck = 2 grosze, or 15 kopeck = 1 złoty. The Warsaw mint issued grosz and złoty until 1832, when it began to issue coins denominated in both Polish and Russian currencies. From 1842, the Warsaw mint issued regular type Russian coins along with some coins denominated in both grosz and kopeck. In 1850, the last coins bearing Polish denominations were minted. Between 1835 and 1846, the Free City of Kraków also issued a currency, the Kraków złoty

Currencies of Congress Poland - Ruble and Mark

From 1850, the only currency issued for use in Congress Poland was the rubel consisting of Russian currency and notes of the Bank Polski. The monetary system of Congress Poland was unified with the Russian Empire following the failed January Uprising in 1863. However, the gold coins remained in use until the early 20th century, much like other gold coins of the epoch, most notably gold roubles (dubbed świnka, or piggy) and sovereigns. Following occupation of the Congress Poland by Germans during World War I in 1917, the rubel was replaced by the marka (plurals marki and marek), a currency initially equivalent to the German Papiermark.

Second złoty

Second Republic

The złoty was reintroduced as Poland's currency by Władysław Grabski in 1924, following the hyperinflation and monetary chaos of the years after World War I. It replaced the marka at a rate of 1 złoty = 1,800,000 marek and was subdivided into 100 groszy. The złoty was pegged at 0.1687 grams pure gold. 1 1939-złoty = 8 2004-złoty.

General Government

On December 15, 1939, the new Bank Emisyjny was established by the General Government, itself set up by Nazi Germany. In May 1940, old banknotes of 1924–1939 were stamped by the new entity. The money exchange was limited per individual, the limits varied according to the status of the person (Pole, Jew, etc.). The fixed exchange rate 1 Reichsmark = 2 złote was established. A new issue of notes appeared in 1941. The General Government also issued coins using similar designs to earlier types but with cheaper metals.

Lublin Poland

New złoty banknotes were introduced after July 22, 1944 by the Narodowy Bank Polski. They circulated until 1950.

Third złoty

In 1950, a new złoty (PLZ) was introduced, replacing all earlier issues at a rate of one hundred to one. The new banknotes were dated 1948, while the new coins were dated 1949. Initially by law from 1950 1 złoty (zł) = 0.222168 g of pure gold, see also Dziennik Ustaw 50, 459. From January 1, 1990 it was a convertible currency.

Between 1950 and 1990, a unit known as the złoty dewizowy (which can be roughly translated as the foreign exchange złoty) was used as an artificial currency for calculation purposes only. It existed because at the time the złoty was not convertible and its official rate of exchange was set by the Government, and there existed several exchange rates depending on the purpose of the transaction and who was exchanging, i.e. a given amount in złoty could be exchanged for say US dollars at one of several official exchange rates depending on what was to be bought for the hard currency and the company that was buying foreign exchange; it worked similarly when a company had some earnings in Western currency and wanted (or needed) to convert them into złotych. The exchange rate did not depend on the amount being converted. Visitors from countries outside of the Soviet Bloc were offered a particularly poor exchange rate. Concurrently, the private black-market exchange rate contrasted sharply with the official government exchange rate until the end of Communist rule in 1989 when official rates were tied to market rates.

Fourth złoty

The new Polish złoty (PLN) is the unofficial name of the current currency of Poland, introduced on January 1, 1995 as a result of the redenomination of the old currency. The official name of the Polish currency did not change since the Polish currency law of 1950 (DZ.U nr 50. poz. 459 with later changes), which defines the official currency as the złoty, up to one million denominated notes remains in effect. The redenomination rate was 10,000 old Polish złoty to 1 new Polish złoty. The issuing bank is the National Bank of Poland. See also original law from 7 July 1994 Dziennik Ustaw Nr 84, 386

Future

Conditions of Poland's joining the European Union (in May 2004) oblige the country to eventually adopt the euro, though not at any specific date and only after Poland meets the necessary stability criteria. Serious discussions of joining the Eurozone have ensued. However, article 227 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland will need to be amended first, so it seems unlikely that Poland will adopt the euro before 2019. Public opinion research by CBOS from March 2011 shows that 60% of Poles are against changing their currency. Only 32% of Poles want to adopt the euro, compared to 41% in April 2010.

Coins

First złoty coins

In the late 18th century, coins were issued in denominations of ⅓, ½, 1, 3, 6, 7½, 10 and 15 groszy, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 złotych. The ⅓ and ½ grosz were denominated as the solidus and polgrosz, whilst the 7½ and 15 groszy (copper) were denominated as 1 and 2 silver groschen. Coins up to 3 grosz were minted in copper, those between 6 and 15 grosz were billon whilst the denominations from 1 złoty upward were in silver.

The Duchy of Warsaw issued copper 1 and 3 grosze, billon 5 and 10 groszy and silver ⅙, ⅓ and 1 talar. After 1816, the Congress Poland issued copper 1 and 3 grosze, billon 5 and 10 groszy, silver 1, 2, 5 and 10 złotych, and gold 25 and 50 złotych. During the insurrection of 1831, coins were minted for 3 and 10 groszy, 2 and 5 złotych.

Between 1832 and 1834, coins denominated in both Polish and Russian currencies were issued, for 1 złoty (15 kopeck), 2 złote (30 kopeck), 5 złotych (¾ ruble), 10 złotych (1½ ruble) and 20 złotych (3 ruble). These were issued, along with the copper and billon coins, until 1841. In 1842, Russian coins were introduced, supplemented by 40 groszy (20 kopeck) and 50 groszy (25 kopeck) coins. These two coins were issued until 1850.

Second złoty coins

In 1924, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy, 1 and 2 złote. The lowest three denominations were first minted in brass, then in bronze. The 10, 20 and 50 groszy were in nickel, with the higher denominations in silver. Gold 10 and 20 złotych coins were minted in 1925. Silver 5 złotych coins were introduced in 1928. The size of the silver coins was reduced in 1932, a move accompanied by the introduction of silver 10 złotych coins. During the German occupation of World War II, 1, 5, 10 and 20 groszy coins were issued (dated 1923) in zinc and 50 groszy (dated 1938) in nickel plated iron or iron.

Third złoty coins

In 1950, coins were issued for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy and 1 złoty. All denominations were minted in aluminium. Previously (1949) the 5 groszy was minted in bronze, the denominations above 5 groszy minted in cupro-nickel and 1 and 2 groszy were in aluminium. From 1957, aluminium coins for 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy and 1 złoty were issued, with aluminium 2 and 5 złotych introduced in 1958. Cupro-nickel 10 and 20 złotych followed in 1959 and 1973, respectively. Brass 2 and 5 złotych were introduced in 1975, reverting to aluminium in 1989. In 1990, 1 (aluminium), 10, 20, 50 and 100 złotych coins were issued, although they saw little circulation due to the high inflation occurring at that time.

Fourth złoty coins

Coins were introduced in 1995 (dated from 1990) in denominations of 1, 2, 5 (colloquially called miedziaki corresponding to its copper colour or dziady as coins with very low value and identified with poor people), 10, 20 and 50 groszy, 1 (colloquially called złotówka), 2 (colloquially called dwójka) and 5 złotych (colloquially called piątka). The 1, 2, and 5 groszy are minted in brass, and the 10, 20 and 50 groszy and 1 złoty in cupro-nickel, whilst the 2 and 5 złotych are bimetallic. 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 500 złotych coins also exist and are legal tender, but are not in normal circulation. The 5, 10, 20 złotych coins are often made of silver whilst the 25, 50, 100, 200, 500 złotych coins are made of gold. They are minted by the Mint of Poland and issued by the Bank of Poland for the main purpose of numismatics. Until 2014, commemorative 2 zl coins were issued every year, an average of 20 annually, made of Nordic Gold; they are legal tender, but not recommended for circulation. In 2014, the Polish Mint introduced new versions of the 1, 2, and 5 groszy minted in brass-plated steel.

Emission

The emission of zloty and grosz coins are shown in the tables.

Banknotes

First złoty banknotes

In 1794, treasury notes were issued in denominations of 5 and 10 groszy, 1 złoty, 4 złote, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 złotych. The Duchy of Warsaw issued notes for 1, 2 and 5 talarów.

In 1836, the Bank Kassowy Królestwa Polskiego issued notes for 10, 50 and 100 złotych. The Bank Polski issued notes dated 1830 and 1831 in denominations of 1, 5, 50 and 100 złotych, whilst assignats for 200 and 500 złotych were issued during the insurrection of 1831. From 1841, the Bank Polski issued notes denominated in rubel.

Second złoty banknotes

In 1924, along with provisional notes (overprints on old, bisected notes) for 1 and 5 groszy, the Ministry of Finance issued notes for 10, 20 and 50 groszy, whilst the Bank Polski introduced 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 złotych. From 1925, the Ministry of Finance issued 2 and 5 złotych notes, before they were replaced by silver coins, and the Bank Polski issued 5, 10, 20 and 50 złotych notes, with 100 złotych only reintroduced in 1932. In 1936, the Bank Polski issued 2 złote notes, followed in 1938 by Ministry of Finance notes for 1 złoty.

In 1939, the General Government overprinted 100 złotych notes for use before, in 1940, the Bank Emisyjny w Polsce was set up and issued notes for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 złotych. After liberation, notes (dated 1944) were introduced by the Narodowy Bank Polski for 50 grosz, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 złotych, with 1000 złotych notes added in 1945.

Second złoty banknotes
Picture		Denomination	Size	Color	Obverse	Reverse	Date of print	Date of withdrawal
|	|	2 zł	102 мм x 63 мм	Dark gray	Denomination and portrait of a Doubravka of Bohemia	Denomination and Coat of Arms of Poland	1936	1940
|	|	5 zł	144 мм x 78 мм	Navy blue	Denomination and portrait of a woman	Bank of Poland caption	1930
|	|	10 zł	160 мм x 80 мм	Light brown	Denomination in the center and images of saints	Three figures: a woman with a model ship, a worker and a farmer	1929
|	|	20 zł	163 мм x 86 мм	Gray, blue	Portrait of Emilia Plater and sculpture of a woman with two children	Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral	1936
|	|	50 zł	188 мм x 99 мм	Green, blue and brown	Denomination in the center and images of a farmer and a worker	Images of memorable buildings in Warsaw	1929
|	|	100 zł	175 мм x 98 мм	Brown	Portrait of Prince Józef Poniatowski	An oak representing the history of Poland	1934

Third złoty banknotes

In 1950, new notes (dated 1948), were introduced for 2 złote, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 złotych. 1000 złotych notes were added in 1962. 200 and 2000 złotych notes were added in 1976 and 1977, followed by 5000 złotych notes in 1982. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw high inflation in Poland and led to the introduction of notes in denominations of 10,000 (in 1987), 20,000 (1989), 50,000 (1989), 100,000 (1990), 200,000 (1989), 500,000 (1990), 1,000,000 (1991) and 2,000,000 złotych (1992). A possible 5,000,000 zlotych banknotes with the portrait of Marshall Jozef Pilsudski was in planning, but scrapped after the fall of Communism. These notes (and coins of course) were valid (with the exception of the 200,000 one) until the end of 1996. They could be exchanged at the National Bank of Poland (and some banks obligated to it by the NBP) until December 31, 2010; they are no longer legal tender.

Fourth złoty banknotes

In 1995, notes were introduced in denominations of 10 (colloquially called dycha), 20, 50, 100 (colloquially called stówa or stówka) and 200 złotych. Since 2006 several commemorative banknotes for collectors have been issued.

On September 24, 2013, the National Bank of Poland presented new banknotes in denominations of 10, 20, 50 and 100 złotych. The designs of the originals have remained unchanged, but the security features have been improved, such as, among others, an outdoor field watermark, enhanced security on both front and back, and the introduction of an opaque paint. The new banknotes were put into circulation on April 7, 2014. On June 23, 2015, a new banknote of 200 złotych was presented, which is planned for introduction in February 2016 and also announced plans of introduction of a new denomination of 500 złotych with Jan III Sobieski in 2017. All old banknotes from the 1994 series are valid indefinitely.

First series, "Sovereigns of Poland", (1994)
Image		Value	Dimensions	Watermark	Description		Date of
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	printing	issue	annul
File:10 złoty (Poland) note.jpg		10 zł	120 × 60 mm	As portrait	Mieszko I	Silver denar coin during the reign of Mieszko I	25 March 1994	1 January 1995	current
File:20zl r.jpg		20 zł	126 × 63 mm		Bolesław I the Brave	Silver denar coin during the reign of Bolesław I Chrobry
File:50zl r.jpg		50 zł	132 × 66 mm		Casimir III the Great	White Eagle from the royal seal of Casimir III the Great and the regalia of Poland: sceptre and globus cruciger
File:100zl r.jpg		100 zł	138 × 69 mm		Władysław II Jagiełło	Shield bearing a White Eagle from the tombstone of Władysław II Jagiełło, coat of the Teutonic Knights and the Grunwald Swords		1 June 1995
		200 zł	144 × 72 mm		Sigismund I the Old	Eagle intertwined with the letter S in a hexagon, from the Sigismund's Chapel
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixel per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

Exchange rates

See also

• Commemorative coins of Poland
• Economy of Poland
• Historical coins and banknotes of Poland
• Poland and the euro
• Polish coins and banknotes

Footnotes

1. Kozłowski, Mariusz (April 15, 2015). "Komentarz MG: inflacja w marcu 2015 r." Ministerstwo Gospodarki RP. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
2. The nominative plural, used for numbers ending in 2, 3 and 4 (except those in 12, 13 and 14), is złote [ˈzwɔtɛ]; the genitive plural, used for all other numbers, is złotych
3. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 3rd ed., p. 2078.
4. "Poland may hold euro referendum in 2010-Deputy PM". Forbes. September 18, 2008. Archived from the original on June 3, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2008. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; March 8, 2010 suggested (help)
5. "Poland may push back euro rollout to 2012". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
6. "Poland may push back euro rollout to 2012". BizPoland. Retrieved September 19, 2008.
7. "Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 2nd April 1997, as published in Dziennik Ustaw (Journal of Laws) No. 78, item 483". Parliament of the Republic of Poland. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
8. "Polish charter must change before ERM-2". fxstreet.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
9. Sobczyk, Marcin (May 18, 2011). "Poland Backtracks on Euro Adoption". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
10. "CBOS za przyjęciem euro 32 proc. Polaków, przeciw 60 proc". bankier.pl. March 28, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
11. http://www.biztok.pl/waluty/500-zl-jednak-powstanie-jest-deklaracja-nbp_a21607
12. National Bank of Poland - Internet Information Service

External links

• Banknotes issued by the NBP
• Coins issued by the NBP
• A fan-shaped 10 złoty commemorative coin released in 2004
• National Bank of Poland – Schedule of exchange rates
• "English" counterfeit banknote 500 zloty 1940 issued by Bank Emisyjny
• Chosen Polish banknotes
• Polish Zloty coins catalog information
• A numismatic catalog with over 650 Polish coins
• "NBP Safe" - official app dedicated to Polish money

v t e Polish currency and coinage
Topics	National Bank of Poland Polish coins and banknotes
Coins	1 gr 2 gr 5 gr 10 gr 20 gr 50 gr 1 zł 2 zł 5 zł Commemorative coins of Poland
Banknotes	10 zł 20 zł 50 zł 100 zł 200 zł 500 zł 1000 zł

• Currencies with ISO 4217 code
• Currencies of Poland