NBP | mint | www.metalmarket.eu
NBP
History of creation
The origins of the National Bank of Poland date back to January 1924, when the Sejm, in an effort to counteract hyperinflation, enacted currency reform. Just three months later, the Polish mark was replaced by the zloty, which was the predecessor of the current monetary unit. This task was carried out by the Bank of Poland, which over the years evolved into the National Bank of Poland as we know it today.
The institution's charter was established on January 20, 1924, and it was granted the exclusive right to issue banknotes at that time. Bank of Poland functioned as a private joint-stock company, which was supposed to guarantee its independence of operation. The bank's shares were taken up by 176,000. shareholders. Interestingly, the Treasury held only 1% of the shares. The official launch of the Polish Bank took place on April 28, 1924. It was managed by a five-member committee chaired by Stanislaw Karpinski - later president of the. Its beginnings were full of challenges, as Poland was then struggling with very high inflation and numerous crises. The zloty exchange rate managed to stabilize only in 1927. This condition persisted until the end of the interwar period.
In 1945, the National Bank of Poland officially began operations, which relied heavily on the experience and knowledge of the employees of the Bank of Poland. Although the NBP adopted the principles of operation enshrined in the status of the Bank of Poland, it soon became necessary to change them as a consequence of the introduction of a centrally planned economy.
Significant changes did not occur until the late 1980s. It was a time of many reforms that restored the function of the zloty as the national money, and the NBP was entrusted with the responsibility for maintaining its value. In 1997, the Monetary Policy Council was established, as well as the Banking Supervision Commission and the General Inspectorate of Banking Supervision - all to properly take care of the national currency and the stability of the financial system.
Curiosity
The National Bank of Poland is trying to tell the story of our country with the help of coins and banknotes. Commemorate important people, places and events. It also carries out this mission by organizing the most diverse numismatic exhibitions, which allow visitors to learn about the rarest and most valuable coins that have been issued over the years. An excellent example is the permanent numismatic exhibition presenting the history of Polish banknotes and coins, which can be admired free of charge on weekdays at the NBP Headquarters building in Warsaw, at 11/21 Swietokrzyska St. It is also not uncommon to see various temporary exhibitions at the headquarters of the National Bank of Poland.
Production volume
The NBP is not a mint, but an entity that outsources the production of both circulation and collector coins to other entities. Last year alone, less than 40 million 5-zloty coins, less than 41 million 2-zloty coins and more than 32 million 1-zloty coins were minted on behalf of the National Bank of Poland. Nearly 700 million coins of 50, 20,10, 5, 2 and 1 penny denominations were also minted.
Extremely rich is also the collection of collector and commemorative coins, the production of which is commissioned by the NBP to commemorate important figures and historical events. Coins are minted from gold or silver, and are often supplemented with other materials associated with Poland - such as amber or striped flint. The issuance plan for 2022 calls for the production of as many as 23 commemorative coins in an edition generally ranging from several hundred to several thousand copies. Exceptions to the rule are the coins Discover Poland - Benedictine Monastery on Holy Cross (1 million pieces), Discover Poland - Moszna Castle (1 million pieces) or Protecting the Polish Eastern Border (80 thousand. pieces).
Most popular products
Judging by the historical and estimated volumes of issues, the Discover Poland collection, which is designed to bring closer not only important places for Poland, but also events, is of great interest among collectors. Coins minted as part of the series are the size of standard circulation coins with a denomination of 5 zloty. Each year, two new coins hit the market.
Interesting coins can also be found in the collection Great Polish Economists, which debuted in 2017 and now includes more than a dozen interesting pieces. All of them were made of high-grade silver, using the mirror-stamp method in an edition of 10,000 to 15,000 pieces. The NBP also offers no shortage of coins dedicated to cultural monuments, great actresses, the history of Polish popular music and even Polish soccer clubs.
