Catalog
100 000 Zlotys
| Issuer | Narodowy Bank Polski (National Bank of Poland) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
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| Value | 100 000 Zlotys (100 000 Złotych) (100 000 PLZ) |
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| Obverse description | Intaglio portrait of Stanisław Moniuszko, the 19th-century Polish composer, in three-quarter view to the left, positioned at right, with his name inscribed vertically along the right margin. The centre carries a guilloche shield vignette bearing the Polish eagle and two signature panels flanking it, dated WARSZAWA 16 LISTOPADA 1993 r., above the denomination STO TYSIĘCY ZŁOTYCH in bold letterpress. Fine guilloche underprint in blue and pink covers the entire field, with a floral sprig vignette at lower left and the numeral 100000 in red at bottom left. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The left portion of the reverse is occupied by an intaglio architectural vignette of the Grand Theatre (Teatr Wielki) in Warsaw, rendered in violet with its neoclassical colonnade and pediment clearly delineated. The bank name NARODOWY BANK POLSKI appears in large letters across the top, with the numeral 100000 at upper right accompanied by a decorative floral sprig. To the right of centre, a large stylised NBP monogram in pale guilloche underprint dominates the field, alongside the legal tender text in a vertical block. |
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By 1993, Polish banknote denominations had spiraled to levels that made everyday transactions absurd — this 100,000 złoty note was a direct product of the hyperinflationary episode that followed the communist-era price controls collapsing after 1989. The peak inflation rate hit roughly 600% in 1990 alone. Notes of this denomination became routine rather than remarkable.
The redenomination came in 1995, when 10,000 old złotych were exchanged for 1 new złoty, rendering the entire high-denomination series obsolete almost immediately after printing.