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20 000 Zlotys Pope John Paul II, Trial Strike
| Issuer | National Bank of Poland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1991 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 2.10 g |
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| Obverse description | Central field bears the crowned Polish eagle displayed, with wings spread and head turned to the right, rendered in high relief against a mirror-like proof field. The circular legend RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA arcs along the upper periphery, while the denomination ZŁ 20000 ZŁ is inscribed along the lower rim. The date 1991 appears in the lower field flanking the eagle's talons, and the mint mark MW is present beneath the eagle. A beaded border surrounds the entire design. |
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a three-quarter portrait of Pope John Paul II in the left field, depicted in papal vestments including a mitre and richly embroidered cope adorned with a cross pectoral, his gaze inclined downward in a contemplative pose. To the right, a detailed sculptural scene depicts a group of figures rendered in the style of a Gothic altarpiece, evoking a reference to the Veit Stoss altar of Krakow. The legend JAN PAWEŁ II arcs along the left periphery, while the word PRÓBA appears in the upper right field, indicating the trial strike status of the issue. |
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| Additional information |
This is a pattern piece issued in connection with the 1991 papal visit to Poland — John Paul II's fourth trip to his homeland and the first since the fall of communism. The National Bank produced trial strikes in multiple compositions to evaluate design viability before committing to the circulating issue. Nickel proofs of this denomination are among the scarcer variants in that test sequence, with the Fischer and Parchimowicz references diverging slightly on census estimates for surviving examples.