Narodowy Bank Polski–Commemorative Banknote/1000th Anniversary of the Coronation of Boleslaus the Brave

The banknote 1000th Anniversary of the Coronation of Boleslaus the Brave with a face value of 20 złotych, issued by Narodowy Bank Polski on the 5^th of November 2025, commemorates the particularly important for the Polish nation, historic anniversary of the coronation of the first king of Poland – Boleslaus the Brave. The coronation of Boleslaus the Brave coping his excellent reign infused the historical memory of the emerging Polish community with the belief that they were on a par with the leading nations of Christian Europe. Over the centuries, the memory of this event strengthened the morale of the Polish community, and during the partitions period it kept alive the ideas of independence and empowerment in the subsequent generations of Poles.

The coronation of Boleslaus the Brave in 1025 was one of the most momentous events in a string of other similar ones that the ruler’s reign abounded in. It was the duke’s activity that led to the foundation of the Archbishopric of Gniezno in 1000, which was then equivalent to the emancipation and strengthening of the power of the state, besides the mere religious significance of the event.

This was possible thanks to the Polish ruler’s support for the mission to pagan Prussians led by the bishop of Prague Wojciech Sławnikowic, later to become the patron saint of Poland, Saint Adalbert, and then buying the martyr’s body back in exchange for an amount of gold – as legend has it – equal to its weight. Of great importance to the whole affair was the close alliance or even friendship between the Polish ruler and Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, which opened the way to the subsequent coronation of Boleslaus the Brave.

The design of the banknote, which is horizontal for the front and vertical for the back side combines historical iconography with the most modern security features. The images of Boleslaus the Brave used in the current issue of collector note originate from the 17th and 19th century. Having arisen from the creative imagination of artists, they bear evidence to the interest in the figure of the first Polish king.

The front side of the banknote depicts an image of Boleslaus the Brave according to the print by Rudolf Fryderyk Friedlein from ca. 1857, which was inspired by the portrait of the King by Marcello Bacciarelli.

The back side of the banknote, composed in a vertical arrangement, features, among others, the images of three panels of the Gniezno Doors and the observe and reverse of Princes Polonie, a coin from the reign of Boleslaus the Brave, on which the Latin name of the country appeared for the first time, as well as the tip of the Lance of Saint Maurice. Scenes from the Gniezno Doors and the coin’s obverse can be seen in ultraviolet light.

The main security feature located next to the portrait of Boleslaus the Brave on the front side of the banknote is a decorative gold and silver security holographic stripe with a window cut into the paper.

Security stripe presents a fragment of the bordure of the Gniezno Doors and the banknote’s denomination with a combination of effects such as dynamic movement, depth, relief, flip or RollingBar and is produced using the highest-level micromirrors technology. The most spectacular front-to-back effect causes that the fragment of the security stripe seen in the crown-shaped window in direct light in gold turns into blue in transmitted light.

The back side of the banknote, composed in a vertical arrangement, features, among others, the images of three panels of the Gniezno Doors and the observe and reverse of Princes Polonie, a coin from the reign of Boleslaus the Brave, on which the Latin name of the country appeared for the first time, as well as the tip of the Lance of Saint Maurice. Scenes from the Gniezno Doors and the coin’s obverse can be seen in ultraviolet light.

The banknote paper bears a multitone watermark depicting the image of a fragment of the bordure of the Gniezno Doors and the electrotype – the notation of the coronation year of Boleslaus the Brave „1025”.

The banknote also features common security elements such as a multicolour image that is visible under ultraviolet light, multitonal intaglio, a see-through register, microtexts and a blind embossing element for the visually impaired.

The banknote 1000th Anniversary of the Coronation of Boleslaus the Brave with a face value of 20 złotych, issued by Narodowy Bank Polski on the 5^th of November 2025, commemorates the particularly important for the Polish nation, historic anniversary of the coronation of the first king of Poland – Boleslaus the Brave.

The front side of the banknote depicts an image of Boleslaus the Brave according to the print by Rudolf Fryderyk Friedlein from ca. 1857, which was inspired by the portrait of the King by Marcello Bacciarelli.

The back side of the banknote, composed in a vertical arrangement, features, among others, the images of three panels of the Gniezno Doors and the observe and reverse of Princes Polonie, a coin from the reign of Boleslaus the Brave, on which the Latin name of the country appeared for the first time, as well as the tip of the Lance of Saint Maurice.