Note of the Month: Poland 50 Zlotych

Posted on 5/20/2025

Here is a banknote celebrating the first pope from Poland and one of the most influential religious figures of the past century.



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Country: Poland

Catalog Number: 178a

Date: 2006

Denomination: 50 Zlotych

Varieties: The PMG Population Report also lists Pick# 178s for Specimens.

What makes it special? With this note, Poland celebrated the life of Pope John Paul II, who served as pontiff from 1978 until his death in 2005. The back of the note shows the pontiff with Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, a fellow Polish native and one of his strongest advocates at the 1978 papal conclave in which he was elected.

Did you know? John Paul II's papacy was the third-longest on record, behind only Peter in the 1st century and Pius IX in the 19th century. It followed the shortest papacy since the Middle Ages, the 34-day reign of John Paul I.

Total graded by PMG: As of mid-May 2025, the PMG Population Report includes 597 examples of Pick# 178a and seven Specimens.

PMG median grade: PMG 67 Gem Uncirculated EPQ

PMG highest graded: A dozen examples of Pick# 178a earned PMG's highest grade: 70★ Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

Sales highlights: An example in the media grade realized $50 through Heritage Auctions in April 2014.

PMG Registry: This note is part of several Poland categories in the PMG Registry, including the most popular, Poland, 1916-Date, P1-Date, Type Set, Issued Notes, where the first-place set, mozg69's Polskie Banknoty: 1916 - Date, Issued Notes, has a Pick #178a graded PMG 67 Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

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Note of the Month: Poland 50 Zlotych

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