Collection PL

Poland 1940 — 10 Złotych Bank Emisyjny Series F Giesecke & Devrient (Pick 94a)

The 10 Złotych of 1 March 1940 was the first note issued by Bank Emisyjny w Polsce, the German-controlled central bank established in the General Government after the September 1939 invasion. Designed and printed by Giesecke & Devrient in Leipzig, it replaced pre-war Bank Polski currency and became the everyday money of occupied Poland. Obverse: allegorical female figures of Industry and Agriculture within neoclassical ornament; crowned female head at left — a faint echo of national dignity amid occupation imagery. ... Read more →

Poland 1919 (ND 1924) — 100 Złotych Issued Note (Pick 57)

100 Złotych dated 28 February 1919, part of the first złoty issue commissioned by the newly reborn Republic of Poland. Printed by Waterlow & Sons in London, this landmark series replaced the chaotic wartime mark with a stable national currency, reinforcing sovereignty after more than a century of partitions. The obverse features Tadeusz Kościuszko, hero of both Poland and the American Revolution, whose portrait was chosen to embody sacrifice, unity, and independence. ... Read more →

Poland 1919 (ND 1924) — 1 Złoty Issued Note Radar Serial 070070 (Pick 51)

The 1 złoty of 28 February 1919, printed in London by Waterlow & Sons, stands as the inaugural złoty of the reborn Republic of Poland following independence in 1918. It was the lowest denomination of the reform series and among the most widely used, yet it carried enormous symbolic weight: the obverse bears the portrait of Tadeusz Kościuszko, national hero of both Poland and the American Revolution, surrounded by intricate guilloches and the bold legend 'Bank Polski.' Kościuszko’s inclusion underscored the continuity of national identity after more than a century of partitions. This example is further distinguished by its serial number: a radar repeater, 070070 (Series S.26 C), a pattern highly prized by collectors for its symmetry and rarity. ... Read more →

Poland 1919 — 1 Złoty WZÓR „Bez wartości” (Pick 51s)

Specimen of the 1 złoty from the 1919 reform issue, printed by Waterlow & Sons in London and featuring the same Kościuszko portrait as the circulating note. Series S.36 B. This official specimen carries the full set of trial cancellations: diagonal red overprint 'WZÓR.' (with dot) between parallel lines, 'Bez wartości' twice on each side, and two vertical perforations. ... Read more →

Poland 1919 — 1000 Złotych Unissued Note (Pick 59a)

The 1000 złotych of the 1919 reform series, printed by Waterlow & Sons in London, is one of the largest and most ornate denominations prepared for the new złoty. Intended as part of the first złoty issue of the Second Republic, it was never officially released into circulation in 1924 due to its very high value. Some researchers suggest that a portion of the stock may have been used informally during the September Campaign of 1939 to pay Polish military officers, though no formal documentation confirms this. ... Read more →

Brazil ca. 1852–1870 — Imperial Treasury of Brazil 10 Mil Réis Contemporary Counterfeit (Pick A231x)

This note represents a contemporary counterfeit of the Imperial Treasury of Brazil ten mil réis issue, produced during the active circulation period of the official banknote and intended to pass as legal tender in everyday commerce. Classified in standard references as Pick A231x, it is a period forgery rather than a later reproduction or fantasy piece, created using materials, engraving methods, and paper consistent with mid-nineteenth-century Brazilian monetary circulation. Contemporary counterfeits occupy a distinct and historically important category within paper money studies. ... Read more →