The Polish złoty (symbol: zł; code: PLN) is the official currency and legal tender of Poland. It is subdivided into 100 grosz (gr). The widely recognised English form of the currency name is the Polish zloty. It is the most traded currency in Central and Eastern Europe and ranks 22nd in the foreign exchange market.
The word złoty is a masculine form of the Polish adjective ‘golden’, which closely relates with its name to the guilder whereas the grosz subunit was based on the groschen, cognate to the English word groat. It was officially introduced to replace its predecessor, the Polish marka, on 28 February 1919 and began circulation in 1924. The only body permitted to manufacture or mint złoty coins is Mennica Polska, founded in Warsaw on 10 February 1766.
As a result of inflation in the early 1990s, the currency underwent redenomination. Thus, on 1 January 1995, 10,000 old złoty (PLZ) became one new złoty (PLN). Since then, the currency has been relatively stable, with an exchange rate fluctuating between 3 and 4 złoty for a United States dollar. Though Poland is a member of the European Union, which obligates member states to eventually adopt the euro, nearly 60% of Poles oppose replacing the złoty.
PLN symbol
The official currency symbol is zł, composed of lowercase z and ł which are the two first letters of “złoty”. It has no representation in the Unicode Standard as a single sign, but previously it had representation in Polish typewriters. Now it can be typed electronically using Polish-language keyboards as Z, AltGr+L. The symbol of the “grosz” subunit is represented by lowercase gr.
PLN Banknotes with Characters and Patterns
10 PLN: the founder of Poland, the Grand Duke of the Piast dynasty of Poland Meshko I (about 935-992.5.25), the silver coin of Denar during the period of Meshko I.
20 PLN: the second grand duke of the Piast dynasty in Poland, the first king of the Kingdom of Poland Boleslaw I (927-1025), the silver coin of Denar in the period of Boleslaw I.
50 PLN: Polish king Kazimierz III the great (1310-1370), Polish coat of arms, scepter and cross sphere from the time of Kazimierz III.
100 PLN: King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Vasdirav II Jagiewo (1352 or 1362-1434.6.1), white eagle emblem of the period of Vasdirav II, coat of arms of the Teutonic Knights and double swords .
200 PLN: Sigismund I, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1467.1.1-1548.8.1), letter S with crossed eagles, Sigismund Chapel at Wawel Castle in Krakow, capital of Lesser Poland Province .
500 PLN: King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Jan III Sobieski (1629.8.17-1696.6.17), Wilanow Palace in Warsaw, capital of Masovia, coat of arms of Jan III.