1380) Pope John Paul II (18.05.1920-02.04.2005), Poland: Commemorating his Birth Anniversary Centenary (1920-2020), with the issue of 500 Zlotych Gold Proof Coin and 10 Zlotych (x2) Silver Proof Coins: Date of Coins issue: 14.05.2020:
The National Bank of Poland (Narodowy Polska Bank) has issued on 14.05.2020, new Gold and silver Collector Coins, which commemorate the Centenary Anniversary of the birth of Saint John Paul II.
The Header/Banner showing the Reverses of all the three coins 500 Zlotych Gold, and 10 Zlotych Silver (x 2 Coins) against a background image of Pope Paul II with a gathering
A Banner/Header showing the Reverse of a 10 Zlotych Silver coin against a background of a photograph of Pope Paul II holding the pastoral staff
He is remembered as the first ever Polish Pontiff of the Holy See. John Paul II was the charismatic personality, who for many in his homeland, hastened the end of communist control of the country.
Karol Jozef Wojtyla was born on 18.05.1920 in Wadowice. Those were particularly hard times in Polish history, as his birth came shortly after Poland regained Independence in 1918. Poland faced the threat of losing the treasured independence once again as a result of the Bolsheviks' invasion.
In regard to the circumstances prevailing in his country, Pope Paul II remarked - "You know that I was born in May 1920, at the time when the Bolsheviks marched towards Warsaw. And that is why since my birth, I have owed a great debt to those who at that time took up the fight against the invader and won, paying with their lives."
His youth was marked by the outbreak of World War II in 09/1939, when the German forces invaded Poland and eventually occupied the country until the end of the Great War in 05/1945. In his memoirs, he wrote - "I was spared a lot of suffering in this huge and terrible theatre of the Second World War. This is because any day I could have been snatched from the street, from the quarry or from the factory and transported to the camps. Sometimes I even asked myself, so many of my peers were killed, why not me?. Today I know it was not a coincidence."
In 1946, Karol Wojtyla was ordained as a Catholic priest, and in 1958 he was appointed bishop.
In 1964, he became a Prince of the Church, Carol Cardinal Wojtyla.
On 06.08.1978, Pope Paul passed away and was succeeded by Albino Cardinal Luciano (1912-1978), who was elected head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City on 26.08.1978.
In what was extremely shocking was, that the man who became Pope Paul passed away just 33 days later on 28.09.1978.
On 16.10.1978, Karol Wojtyla was elected to the Holy See as Pope.
Pope John Paul II passed away on 02.04.2005.
On 01.05.2011, his successor Pope Benedict XVI beatified him and on 27.04.2014, Pope Francis, who succeeded Benedict XVI after his abdication and by an act of canonisation, included him among the saints of the Catholic Church.
The pontification of John Paul II was one of the longest and most prolific. In a crisis of values and moral confusion, he tirelessly taughtthat the shaken ethical, social and political order can only be restored by bringing together justice and forgiveness, which are pillars of true peace.
The pontification of John Paul II was one of the longest and most prolific. In a crisis of values and moral confusion, he tirelessly taughtthat the shaken ethical, social and political order can only be restored by bringing together justice and forgiveness, which are pillars of true peace.
When declaring the year 2020 as the "Year of Saint John Paul II", the Sejm (or the lower house of the Polish parliament of the Republic of Poland stated -
"His Holiness was and still is a guiding light for us to walk with confidence into the future. His deeds demonstrated extraordinary courage".
The Commemorative Coins:
The Obverses and Reverses of all the three coins shown together
Pope John Paul II is being honoured with three new coins to mark the Centennial of his birth - two Proof Silver 10 Zloty Coins and a Proof Gold 500 Zloty Coin. The coins have been minted by the Mint of Poland at its facilities in Warsaw.
The Obverse of one of the 10 Zlotych Silver coins depicts a façade of the Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wadowice and the sundial on the wall of the church, with the peripheral inscription - "CZAS UCIEKA WIECZNOSC CZEKA" (meaning "Time flies, eternity waits").
The Reverse of the 10 Zlotych Silver Coin depicts Saint John Paul II with a pastoral staff. The image of John Paul is based on an actual photograph from the records of the East West Sp. Agency.
The peripheral inscription reads - '100. ROCZNICA URODZIN SWIETEGO JANA PAWLA II" (meaning "100th Birth Anniversary of St. John Paul II").
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination: 10 Zlotych; Metal Composition: .999 Silver (Ag); Weight: 31.1 grams or 1 Oz; Diameter: 32.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 12.000 pieces; Year: 2020; Designer: Urszula Walerzak;
Presentation: The coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom heavy-gauge lined card case and is accompanied with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
The coin has been struck in High Relief technique.
On the Obverse of the second 10 Zlotych Silver Coin depicts a fragment of Jerzy Kossak's painting titled "Miracle on the Vistula". The peripheral inscription read - "RZECZPOS POLITA POLSKA 2020" (meaning "Polish Commonwealth" or "Republic of Poland" and the denomination of the coin - "10 Zl".
The Reverse of the 10 Zlotych Silver Coin depicts St. John Paul II standing alongside an image of the baptismal font in the Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wadowice. The peripheral inscription reads - 100. ROCZNICA URODZIN SWIETEGO JANA PAWLA II" (meaning "100th Birth Anniversary of St. John Paul II").
The specifications of the second Silver Coin are:
Denomination: 10 Zlotych; Metal Composition: .925 Silver (Ag); Weight: 14.1 grams; Diameter: 32.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 16,000 pieces; Year: 2020; Designer: Urszula Walerzak.
Presentation: The Coin is encapsulated and presented in a heavy gauge line card case and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
On the Obverse of the square-shaped 500 Zlotych Gold Coin is seen a fragment of Jerzy Kossak's painting "Miracle of the Vistula".
The peripheral inscriptions read - "RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA ( Repiblic of Poland") on the upper periphery and "BITWA WARSZAWSKA 1920" (Battle of Warsaw 1920" ) on the lower periphery.
The Miracle on the Vistula ("Cud nad Wisla" in Polish) - 1920:
The "Miracle on the Vistula" painting, a fragment of which is represented on the coin
The Battle of Warsaw (also known as the "Miracle of the Vistula was a series of battles that resulted in a decisive Polish victory in 1920, during the Polish-Soviet War.
Poland on the verge of total defeat repulsed and defeated the Red Army in an enormous defeat.
The Battle of Warsaw was fought from 12th to 25th August 1920 as Red Army forces approached the Polish capital of Warsaw and the nearby Modlin Fortress. On 16.08.1920, Polish forces commanded by Jozef Pilsudski counter-attacked from the South, disrupting the enemy's offensive forcing the Russian troops into a disorganised withdrawal Eastward and behind the Neman River.
Estimated Russian losses were about 10,000 killed, 500 missing, 30,000 wounded and 66,000 taken prisoner (Total losses & casualties: 110,000 to 126,000), compared with Polish losses of some 4,500 killed, 10,000 missing and 22,000 wounded (Total losses & casualties: 40,500).
The Miracle on the Vistula ("Cud nad Wisla" in Polish) - 1920:
The Battle of Warsaw (also known as the "Miracle of the Vistula was a series of battles that resulted in a decisive Polish victory in 1920, during the Polish-Soviet War.
Poland on the verge of total defeat repulsed and defeated the Red Army in an enormous defeat.
The Battle of Warsaw was fought from 12th to 25th August 1920 as Red Army forces approached the Polish capital of Warsaw and the nearby Modlin Fortress. On 16.08.1920, Polish forces commanded by Jozef Pilsudski counter-attacked from the South, disrupting the enemy's offensive forcing the Russian troops into a disorganised withdrawal Eastward and behind the Neman River.
Estimated Russian losses were about 10,000 killed, 500 missing, 30,000 wounded and 66,000 taken prisoner (Total losses & casualties: 110,000 to 126,000), compared with Polish losses of some 4,500 killed, 10,000 missing and 22,000 wounded (Total losses & casualties: 40,500).
On the Reverse of the square shaped 500 Zlotych Gold Coin is depicted Saint John Paul II praying at the baptismal font in the Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wadowice.
The specifications of the 500 Zlotych Gold Coin are -
Denomination: 500 Zlotych; Metal Composition: .999 Gold (Au); Weight: 62.2 grams or 2.0 Oz; Diameter/Size: 40 mm x 40 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 966 pieces; Year: 2020; Designer: Urszula Walerzak.
Presentation: The Gold Coin is encapsulated and presented in a heavy gauge line card case and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
7) Poland: Rectangular Ingot-shaped Gold Coins of 100 Zloty mark the return/repatriation of Polish Gold Reservesonto Polish soil from England: Coins issued by "Naradowy Banki Polski" (National Bank of Poland - NBP): Date of Coin issue: 18.12.2019
8) Pope John Paul II (18.05.1920 - 02.04.2005), Poland: Commemorating his Birth Anniversary Centenary (1920-2020) with the issue of 500 Zlotych Gold Proof Coin and 10 Zlotych (x2) Silver Proof Coins: Date of Coins issue: 14.05.2020
Denomination: 500 Zlotych; Metal Composition: .999 Gold (Au); Weight: 62.2 grams or 2.0 Oz; Diameter/Size: 40 mm x 40 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 966 pieces; Year: 2020; Designer: Urszula Walerzak.
Presentation: The Gold Coin is encapsulated and presented in a heavy gauge line card case and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
Links:
7) Poland: Rectangular Ingot-shaped Gold Coins of 100 Zloty mark the return/repatriation of Polish Gold Reservesonto Polish soil from England: Coins issued by "Naradowy Banki Polski" (National Bank of Poland - NBP): Date of Coin issue: 18.12.2019
8) Pope John Paul II (18.05.1920 - 02.04.2005), Poland: Commemorating his Birth Anniversary Centenary (1920-2020) with the issue of 500 Zlotych Gold Proof Coin and 10 Zlotych (x2) Silver Proof Coins: Date of Coins issue: 14.05.2020
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