Collection

Poland 1940 — 10 Złotych (Contemporary Counterfeit, Pick 94x)

This is a striking example of a 1940 Poland — 10 Złotych contemporary counterfeit (Pick 94x), authenticated as PMG 55 About Uncirculated. Intended as a wartime forgery under German occupation, this note retains full original design touches—but critically, it was produced without serial numbers or issue letter designations, a telltale trait of clandestine counterfeiting. It bears a bold purple WERTLOS stamp (meaning “worthless”) across the face, a cancellation overprint likely applied in situ to deter circulation or mark detection. ... Read more →

Poland 1940 — 10 Złotych (Emission Bank, Series F, Pick 94a, PMG 65 EPQ)

Authentic 10 Złotych note of the Emission Bank in Poland, dated 1 March 1940, printed by Giesecke & Devrient under German occupation. This example belongs to the elusive Series F, recognized by specialists as the rarest prefix of the issue. The obverse depicts allegorical figures with a crowned female head at left, while the reverse features classical motifs and watermark: Zigzag Lines. ... Read more →

Poland 1940 — 10 Złotych Printing Remnants (Forgery Workshop Underprint, Miłczak 94)

Fascinating semi-finished product from a wartime forgery workshop, connected with the 10 złotych 1940 issue (Miłczak 94). The piece is printed only with the underprint of the obverse design — background guilloches and the female allegorical portrait at left — without the main face value, overprints, or full intaglio elements. Trimmed to the correct banknote format, it represents an intermediate stage in the counterfeiting process. ... Read more →

Poland 1940 — 500 Złotych, Series A with Counterfeit Numbering (Pick 98a, PMG 15)

Original 500 złotych note of 1 March 1940 issued by the Bank Emisyjny w Polsce, Series A, with numbering that falls into the ranges later associated with diversionary forgeries. This note is genuine, but its serial begins within the counterfeit sequences (12xxxxx and 13xxxxx), making it an extremely rare survivor of the group later ordered withdrawn. During the German occupation, large numbers of forged 500 złotych notes were introduced into circulation as part of diversionary sabotage. ... Read more →

Poland 1941 — 1 Złoty, Sheet Fragment of 3 with Serial Numbers (Pick 99b, PMG 55)

Fragment of a 1941 Emission Bank printer’s sheet containing three vertical examples of the 1 złoty note, Series BE. Each note carries its printed series and serial numbers — a rare feature for surviving sheet remnants, which are more commonly seen without numbering. All three notes are perforated with control holes, and the center example is additionally cancelled with a diagonal red crayon stroke. ... Read more →

Poland 1940 — 20 Złotych, Series N (WWII London Counterfeit, Pick 95b, PMG 64)

20 złotych dated 1 March 1940, issued under the Bank Emisyjny w Polsce during the German occupation, here from Series N — a rarer subtype known as the 'WWII London Counterfeit' (LC). This variety is recognized by its distinct olive-toned underprint, setting it apart from the more common genuine emissions. PMG has described this piece as a diversionary counterfeit, aligning it with the series of clandestine productions created to destabilize the wartime Polish economy. ... Read more →

Poland 1940 — 500 Złotych Series B, Unfinished Print Fragment (Pick 98, PMG Holdered)

Unfinished print fragment of the 500 złotych issue dated 1 March 1940, produced for the Bank Emisyjny w Polsce under German occupation. Cut from a printer’s sheet, this piece is classed as 'makulatura' (waste print) in printing terminology, representing a rare survival of the production process. The obverse carries only two layers of underprint with a double application of series and serial number, but lacks the steel-engraved main design. ... Read more →