| First Polish polymer banknote | |
| (05-08-2014) |
Acting at the request of the National Bank of Poland, the Polish Security Printing Works has produced 50 thousand collector’s banknotes issued on polymer substrate. The banknotes will be put into circulation on August 5th, 2014.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of forming the Polish Legions, the National Bank of Poland issued a 20-zloty collector’s banknote. The obverse of the banknote depicts Marshal Józef Piłsudski. The reverse features images of the Virtuti Militari Order (Grand Cross with a Star) awarded to Marshal Józef Piłsudski, the badges of the 1st Brigade of Polish Legions and the Legions’ eagle.
The banknote commemorating the 100th anniversary of forming the Polish Legions is the first polymer banknote issued by the National Bank of Poland. The banknote was designed by Andrzej Heidrich many years ago before denomination took place. The original design was intended to be printed on paper substrate.
‘The National Bank of Poland entrusted PWPW S.A. with an extremely difficult task consisting in creation of a polymer banknote on the basis of a paper banknote design,' says Marek Siwiec, the President of the Management Board of PWPW S.A. ‘We have successfully completed this task. The banknote contains security features that are characteristic for both polymer and paper money.’
The polymer banknote produced at the request of the National Bank of Poland is a novelty for collectors. Polish banknotes in circulation, both old ones and modernized ones, are printed on paper substrate.
Security features of the collector’s banknote include a transparent window in which a holographic image of Belweder is depicted, a plant graphical element changing its color depending on the angle from which you look at it, a transparent element, a metallic blue element incorporated in banknote graphical design as well as intaglio print, microlettering and typographic numbering.
‘Polymer banknotes are usually issued in hot and humid countries,‘ adds Marek Siwiec. ‘The production of the first Polish banknote on this kind of substrate is valuable experience to PWPW S.A., a company which only recently has been authorized to print banknotes on polymer substrate.’
In January 2013 PWPW S.A. was awarded a Guardian Printer Accreditation certificate confirming that the company meets all requirements within the scope of appropriate machinery, processes and qualifications necessary to produce banknotes on polymer substrate. Only less than twenty companies hold that certificate.
PWPW S.A. manufactures banknotes not only for the National Bank of Poland but also for other central banks around the world. The company also provides modern documents and IT solutions to domestic and foreign government institutions.