This trial strike belongs to the design competition process that preceded the 1964 circulation issue — the Warsaw Mint produced pattern and probe pieces in multiple compositions to allow state authorities to evaluate striking quality and surface appearance before committing to a production alloy. Copper-nickel was ultimately selected for the circulation type, making this particular probe somewhat unusual in that it matches the final production composition rather than representing a rejected alternative.
The Fischer and ParM catalog cross-references place it firmly within the documented Polish probe series, though surviving examples rarely surface in trade.
This trial strike belongs to the design competition process that preceded the 1964 circulation issue — the Warsaw Mint produced pattern and probe pieces in multiple compositions to allow state authorities to evaluate striking quality and surface appearance before committing to a production alloy. Copper-nickel was ultimately selected for the circulation type, making this particular probe somewhat unusual in that it matches the final production composition rather than representing a rejected alternative.
The Fischer and ParM catalog cross-references place it firmly within the documented Polish probe series, though surviving examples rarely surface in trade.