Duchy of Poland (963-1025), Kingdom of Poland (1025-1138, 1320-1795, 1815-1863, 1917-1918), Republic of Poland (1918-1939, 1945-1947, 1989-present), Generalgovernment of Poland (1939-1945), Provisional Government of Poland (1944-1945), Polish People's Republic (1947-1989)
Country in Eastern Europe (963-1138, 1320-1569, 1917-1939, 1944-present), Part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569-1795), Russian Satellite State (1815-1863), Military Administration of Nazi Germany (1939-1945)
Location: Eastern Europe
Capital City: Gniezno (963-1039), Kraków (1039-1079, 1320-1596, 1939-1945), Płock (1079-1138), Warsaw (1596-1795, 1917-1939, 1948-present), Lublin (1944-1945), Łódź (1945-1948)
Government type: Monarchy (963-1138, 1320-1399, 1815-1863), Elective Monarchy (1399-1569), Part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569-1795), Provisional Government (1917-1918, 1944-1945), Republic (1918-1939, 1945-1947, 1989-present), Communist Republic (1947-1989)
Main languages: Polish
Main religions: Catholic Christianity
Chronology
963: Mieszko I becomes first Duke of Poland
1025: Bolesław I elevated to King
1038-1047: Pagan rebellion led by Miecław destabilizes Poland and takes over Masovia
1138: After Bolesław III's death, Poland is split into Greater Poland, Lesser Poland, Kuyavia, Łęczyca, Masovia, and Silesia
1320: Greater and Lesser Poland united and kingdom restored by Władysław I. The other principalities except Silesia are reincorporated by 1351.
1370-1382: In personal union with Hungary
1386-1440: In personal union with Lithuania
1440-1444: In personal union with Hungary
1444-1569: In personal union with Lithuania
1569: United with Lithuania as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
1795: Third Partition of Poland splits what remains between Russia, Prussia, and Austria
1815: Kingdom of Poland created by Congress of Vienna in personal union with Russia, but effectivley a Russian satellite
1832-1863: Poland's autonomy increasingly reduced before full annexation to Russia
1917: Kingdom of Poland created from German-occupied areas of Russian Poland
1918: Polish Republic established
1918-1919: Polish-Ukrainian War
1919-1920: Polish-Lithuanian War
1939: Poland invaded and partitioned by Nazi Germany and the USSR. Germany creates an occupation administration
1944: Provisional government reestablishes Polish independence as the Soviets push Germany back
1947: Communist Republic established
1989: End of communist rule
Currency
Denier (992-1306)
Grosz (1306-1528)
1 Grosz = 2 Polgrosz = 4 Ternars = 12 Denars
First Złoty (1528-1569)
1 Złoty = 5 Szóstak = 10 Trojak = 30 Grosz = 90 Szeląg = 180 Trzeciak = 540 Denars
Second Złoty (1815-1841)
1 Złoty = 30 Grosz
Marek (1917-1924)
1 Marek = 100 Fenig
Third Złoty (1934-1949)
1 Złoty = 100 Grosz
Fourth Złoty (1949-1994)
1 Złoty = 100 Grosz
Fifth Złoty (1994-present)
1 Złoty = 100 Grosz
Coins from Poland in the collection
Congress Kingdom (1815-1863)
•3 Grosz, 1826 (King Nikolai I (1825-1855), copper, C#108)
First Republic (1918-1939)
•2 Grosz, 1923 (brass, Warsaw mint, Y#9)
•10 Grosz, 1923 (nickel, Huguenin Frères (Le Locle, Switzerland), Y#11)
•20 Grosz, 1923 (nickel, Huguenin Frères (Le Locle, Switzerland), Utrecht, and Vienna mints, Y#12)
•1 Złoty, 1929 (nickel, Warsaw mint, Y#14)
•10 Złoty, 1935 (silver (.750), Y#23)
German Occupation (1939-1945)
•5 Grosz, 1939 (zinc, Y#35)
Second Republic (1944-1947)
•1 Grosz, 1949 (aluminum, Budapest and Warsaw mints, Y#39)
•10 Grosz, 1949 (aluminum, Warsaw mint, Y#42a)
Communist Republic (1947-1989)
•5 Grosz, 1960 (aluminum, Warsaw mint, Y#A46)
•10 Grosz, 1972 (aluminum, Warsaw mint, Y#AA47)
•1 Złoty, 1976 (aluminum, Kremnica and Warsaw mints, Y#49.1)
•1 Złoty, 1988 (aluminum, Warsaw mint, Y#49.2)
•2 Złoty, 1958 (aluminum, Warsaw mint, Y#46)
•2 Złoty, 1979 (brass, Warsaw mint, Y#80.1)
•2 Złoty, 1980 (brass, Warsaw mint, Y#80.1)
•5 Złoty, 1960 (aluminum, Warsaw mint, Y#47)
•5 Złoty, 1977 (brass, Leningrad mint, Y#81.1)
•5 Złoty, 1987 (brass, Warsaw mint, Y#81.2)
•10 Złoty, 1969 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#51.a)
•10 Złoty, 1987 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#152.1)
•20 Złoty, 1974 (cupronickel, Kremnica mint, Y#67)
•20 Złoty, 1976 (cupronickel, Kremnica mint, Y#69)
•50 Złoty, 1981 (cupronickel, Kremnica mint, Y#122) Commemorative: Polish WWII Leaders (Władysław Sikorski)
Fourth Republic (1989-present)
•5 Złoty, 1990 (aluminum, Warsaw mint, Y#81.3)
•100 Złoty, 1990 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#214)
•10,000 Złoty, 1990 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#195) Commemorative: Polish Freedom (10th Anniversary of Solidarność)
•1 Grosz, 1998 (manganese brass, Warsaw mint, Y#276)
•1 Grosz, 2023 (brass-plated steel, Warsaw mint, Y#923)
•2 Grosz, 2023 (brass-plated steel, Warsaw mint, Y#924)
•5 Grosz, 1999 (manganese brass, Warsaw mint, Y#278)
•10 Grosz, 2006 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#279)
•10 Grosz, 2023 (cupronickel-plated steel, Warsaw mint, Y#971c)
•20 Grosz, 1991 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#280)
•20 Grosz, 1992 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#280)
•20 Grosz, 2000 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#280)
•20 Grosz, 2023 (cupronickel-plated steel, Warsaw mint, Y#972c)
•50 Grosz, 1992 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#281)
•50 Grosz, 2017 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#973)
•1 Złoty, 1992 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#282)
•1 Złoty, 1994 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#282)
•1 Złoty, 1995 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#282)
•1 Złoty, 2017 (cupronickel, Warsaw mint, Y#974)
•2 Złoty, 2011 (nordic gold, Warsaw mint, Y#772) Commemorative: Beatification of Pope John Paul II
•2 Złoty, 2018 (cupronickel center in aluminum bronze ring, Warsaw mint, Y#283)
•5 Złoty, 2016 (aluminum bronze center in cupronickel ring, Warsaw mint, Y#284)
Banknotes from Poland in the collection
First Republic (1918-1939)
•1 Marek, 1919 (P#23)
•10 Marek, 1919 (P#25)
•50 Złoty, 1929 (P#71)
German Occupation (1939-1945)
•1 Złoty, 1941 (P#99)
Communist Republic (1947-1989)
•100 Złoty, 1986 (P#143)
•100 Złoty, 1988 (P#143)
•1,000 Złoty, 1982 (P#146)
•10,000 Złoty, 1988 (P#151)
Fourth Republic (1989-present)
•10 Złoty, 1994 (P#173)