Description and research notes
A WZÓR specimen of the 20 złotych denomination from the 1994 Polish banknote series, issued by the Narodowy Bank Polski during the introduction of the post-denomination monetary reform. This specimen represents the second denomination of the new złoty series, positioned between the introductory 10 złotych note and the higher-value denominations that complete the system.
The WZÓR designation identifies a non-circulating specimen prepared for approval, institutional reference, and controlled distribution during the rollout of the new series. Within the WZÓR numbering structure, numbers below 010 were reserved exclusively for internal National Bank and printer use and were not released beyond administrative channels. Specimen number 010 represents the earliest externally released WZÓR tier.
This example bears the uniform specimen number 010, shared across all denominations in the associated complete WZÓR set. WZÓR banknotes were produced and distributed individually by denomination and were never intended to exist as coordinated, matching-number series. The survival of the 20 złotych denomination with this early specimen number forms a critical component of the only documented complete WZÓR 010 set.
The obverse features a portrait of King Bolesław I Chrobry (Bolesław the Brave), the first crowned King of Poland. His inclusion advances the chronological narrative established by the 10 złotych note, emphasizing the consolidation of sovereignty, royal authority, and Poland’s emergence as a recognized medieval state.
The reverse design incorporates architectural and symbolic elements associated with Bolesław I’s reign, reinforcing the thematic continuity of the 1994 series: a structured presentation of Polish statehood through successive rulers. As a reference object, this WZÓR 010 specimen preserves the design intent, historical narrative, and numbering logic at the moment of the series’ introduction.