1 zloty

In the late 1930s, faced with an increasingly complicated international situation, the Treasury decided to prepare for the outbreak of war. One of the measures taken was to build up a stockpile of financial resources in the form of paper money. On the one hand, banknotes that had been withdrawn from circulation (10-zloty banknotes from two issues in 1926 and 1929) or had not yet been introduced into the market (2-zloty banknotes issued on 26 February 1936) were used. Designs for tickets in the denominations of 1, 2 and 5 zlotys were prepared. The main decorative motif was to be the images of the rulers of Poland: Bolesław Chrobry, Stefan Batory and Jan III Sobieski. In view of the expected war, it was not a coincidence that the kings, who were favoured by the fortunes of war, were chosen. The intention to introduce state tickets into circulation was only partly realised. Until the outbreak of war, only tickets of the lowest denomination were printed, which were to replace the nickel one-zloty coin introduced into circulation on 6 March 1929. These tickets were issued in 12,430,000 copies. Unlike banknotes, they did not carry a legal clause stating that they were legal tender. Another difference was that they did not have a bullion backing.

The one-zloty tickets were designed by Leonard Sowiński, a graphic artist at the Polish Security Printing Works, where the tickets were printed; the printing plates were made by Marian Romuald Polak.

One-zloty tickets in majority were introduced on 26 August 1939 and remained in circulation also during the first months of the occupation. They were withdrawn from circulation – just like many other denominations – on 20 May 1940. Some of the tickets did not manage to enter circulation. They were evacuated to the East in September 1939, also in the form of uncut sheets. Several copies have survived to the present day. Many of them have various defects in the form of printing errors, lack of series and number markings, one-sided printing, etc. There are also whole or partial sheets of tickets.

The presented copy does not have the mentioned faults. Undoubtedly, it was circulated for some time, as evidenced by creases, minor rubbing and discolouration.

Leszek Poniewozik