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New collector banknote to commemorate the 1050th anniversary of the baptism of Poland
 (14-04-2016)

The 20 zloty banknote, made by the Polish Security Printing Works (PWPW) at the order of the National Bank of Poland, commemorates one of the most important events in our country's history - the baptism of Poland, which took place in 966 on the initiative of Duke Mieszko I. The main motif of the banknote is the stylized image of Duke Mieszko I and bohemian Princess Dobrawa taken from the "Gallery of Portrait of the Kings and Princes of Poland" by Jan Matejko.

Apart from the portrait of the royal couple, the banknote also features other important documents, places and symbols of Poland’s history. The offset background has an incorporated text in Latin, taken from the document Dagome iudex, putting the State under the protection of the Holy See. The cross placed on the arm of Mieszko I (the reliquary of the Holy Cross of Ostrów Lednicki) is made with a unique technique of raster in intaglio. In the top right corner there is an optically variable element in the form of a transparent hologram combining DIDTM Wave and DIDTM Virtual elements, used in the banknote for the first time in history. The hologram depicts a fragment of the bas-relief of the door of the cathedral in Gniezno - a deer surrounded by a plant motif. The same motif can be found in the multi-tonnage watermark, which is enriched with a filigree in the form of a banknote face value. The watermark is located in the exposed field, as in the series of the modernized Polish banknotes.

On the reverse side of the banknote there is an image of the cathedral of Gniezno with its plan, made as a recto-verso security feature. Exposed fragments of the Active wide window thread are also visible. This is an advanced design thread combining the state-of-the-art lens technology with a printed layout of very thin lines. A thread designed in this way creates a very distinct and difficult to counterfeit effect of print variability, and its exposed fragments are visible only on one side of the banknote. This type of thread was used in the banknote for the first time. The banknote also features a visually attractive Sparklive® security element - a roman column head made of optically variable metallic paint and elements visible only in UV light.

A very sophisticate graphic design of the 144 x 77 mm banknote was created by Krystian Michalczuk, graphic artist of the Polish Security Printing Works (PWPW).

The banknote released in 35 thousand  pieces was put into circulation on 12 April 2016.

PWPW (Polish Security Printing Works)

1 R. Sanguszki Street
00-222 Warsaw, Poland
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tel. (+48) 22 235 20 00
fax (+48) 22 235 24 50
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