The Narodowy Bank Polski (NBP), the central bank of Poland, has now released the design of its next commemorative banknote that will be issued on Thursday, February 9, 2023.
The banknote will be issued in a quantity of 100,000 pieces, available both online and at branch offices of the NBP. The issue price is 160 złotych, 30 złotych more than last year's commemorative issue. The face value of the banknote is 20 złotych.
This banknote commemorates the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473 - May 24, 1543) and the 480th anniversary of his death. He was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center. The publication of Copernicus' model in his book, "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), just before his death in 1543, was a major event in the history of science, triggering the Copernican Revolution and making a pioneering contribution to the Scientific Revolution. Copernicus' ideas actually were already being taught in the universities in the 16th century, but they were taught and immediately dismissed as absurd.
The front of the banknote features stylized images of a quadrant and of a fragment of the heliocentric system, with a large portrait of "Mikołaj Kopernik" at the far right. The reverse of the banknote portrays images of historic coins: the obverse and reverse of the Gdánsk szóstak (six grosz coin), the obverse of the Elbląg szóstak and the obverse of the Prussian szeląg (schilling) from Toruń. In the background (left) one also sees the Castle of the Warmian Chapter in Olsztyn.
The security feature highlight of the banknote is the large transparent blue window (front, lower left) that contains CCL Secure's Cinema™ feature. This security device shows multiple images of the planet Earth rotating around the sun, paying homage to the astronomer's ground-breaking discovery. The Cinema™ feature has a 10mm-deep depth effect combined with a flip of the earth spinning around the sun. A small crescent-shaped transparent window flanks the Cinema™ feature, portraying text from Copernicus' depiction of our heliocentric solar system in his "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium." The complexity and dimensional illusion of the 25mm-wide Cinema™ feature is complemented by a centrally located, fully clear and transparent window containing vignette line work and shadow images, providing further depth and movement and historical context to the other planets orbiting the sun, i.e., a portrayal of our heliocentric solar system. This feature in daylight is a white, photograph-like image of the inner solar system; however, under UV light it fluoresces in yellow, a metaphor for the colorful beauty of the universe we live in. These features are all embedded into the Guardian™ substrate to maximize security and also provide integration to the finished banknote with exacting registration and tolerances.
A vertical, iridescent stripe is an added security feature on the reverse of the banknote that complements the images of the old coins. Also embedded into the substrate is a multi-tonal shadow image (shadow watermark) showing leaves from the ornament on the building where Copernicus lived.
The banknote was printed by Polska Wytwornia Papierow Wartosciowych (PWPW), the Polish Security Printing Works, on the Guardian™ polymer substrate. This banknote is the first Polish banknote and the world's second issued banknote that contains a Cinema™ feature that produces such impressive, visual 3D and motion effects. (The world's first issued banknote incorporating a Cinema™ feature was the Lebanese 100,000-pound banknote issued in 2020.)
Copernicus has appeared of several Polish banknotes in years past, the most recent issue was the 1000-złoty note from 1975-1982. This banknote is Poland's second polymer banknote, the first having been the 20-złoty "Centenary of formation of the Polish Legions" commemorative issue of 2014 portraying Józef Klemens Piłsudski. Beginning with a commemorative banknote (in folder) honoring Pope John Paul II in 2006, this issue is the 15th in the series.
