2679) Nicolaus Copernicus (19.02.1473 - 24.05.1543), Astronomer, Economist and Polymath, Poland: "Great Polish Economists Banknote Commemorative/Collector Banknote Series": A 20 Zloty (PLN) Banknote issued by the "Narodowy Bank Polski" ("National Bank of Poland"): Date of Banknote issue: 09.02.2023:
Narodowy Bank Polski is issuing on 09.02.2023, a Commemorative/Collector Polymer 20-Zloty (PLN) Banknote celebrating the 550th anniversary of the birth of astronomer and economist Nicolaus Copernicus.
This is the second Collector Polymer banknote issued by the NBP.
About Nicholaus Copernicus:
Nicolaus Copernicus (19.02.1473 – 24.05.1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center.
Copernicus developed his model independently of Aristarchus of Samos, an ancient Greek astronomer who had formulated such a model some eighteen centuries earlier.
The publication of Copernicus's model in his book "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" ("On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres"), just before his passing away in 1543, was a major event in the history of science, triggering the Copernican Revolution and making a pioneering contribution to the Scientific Revolution.
Copernicus was born and died in Royal Prussia, a region that had been part of the Kingdom of Poland since 1466.
A polyglot and polymath, he obtained a doctorate in canon law and was a mathematician, an eminent astronomer, creator of the heliocentric theory, physician, economist - author of one version of the law governing the circulation of money (inferior money always displaces superior), faithful subject of Polish kings - defender of Olsztyn against the Teutonic Knights, Classics scholar, translator, governor, diplomat et al. He was, additionally, a painter and a Warmian Cathedral chapter canon of the church.
Although he is known to the world primarily as the astronomer who proposed the then-radical idea that the earth and the other planets revolved around the sun, this Banknote is part of its “Great Polish Economists” Series.
In 1517 he derived a quantity theory of money - a key concept in economics - and in 1519 he formulated an economic principle that later came to be called "Gresham's law".
The year 2023 marks the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus:
On the Front of the 20 zl (20 Zloty) predominantly blue Banknote on the right is a large bust/portrait of Copernicus.
The portrait is the same as on the communist era 1,000-zloty note issued from 1975 to 1996.
The solar system is featured in a see-through window.
On the front side of the banknote, on the right, a portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus, on the left side the number visible depending on the angle of view: "20" and along the neckline with microprint the inscription - "NICOLAUSCOPERNICUS".
Centrally, at the top, the image of the eagle established for the emblem of the Republic of Poland and also the inscription: "Narodowy Banka Polski" (or "National/Bank/Polish"), below which is the inscription: "WARSAW/APRIL 7, 2022", below the inscriptions - "PRESIDENT" and signature and - "MAIN/TREASURER" and signature.
In the background, is a fragment of an illustration from the Atlas "Harmonia Macrocosmica" by Andreas Cellarius, depicting the "Copernican Solar System", created from microletters in the form of inscriptions: "NBP, 20, NICHOLAS, KOPERNIK".
To the left of the inscriptions is a fragment of the quadrant scale.
In the central part, the inscription - "TWENTY/GOLD", under it the numbering marking, on the right a transparent oval element depicting a drawing of the Solar System; Background number: "20".
This face of the Banknote depicts the most popular (so-called "Torun") portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus, as well as stylized images of the quadrant and a fragment of the heliocentric system.
.jpg)
The Back of the 20 zl (20 Zloty) predominantly blue Banknote features four medieval Polish coins.
The images of historical coins include -
- the Obverse and Reverse of the Danzig sixpence, the Obverse of the Elbląg sixpence, the Obverse of the Prussian shekel (Toruń), as well as an image of a fragment of the heliocentric system.
The explanation for the appearance of the coins is simple.
Sometime before April 1526, Copernicus wrote "Monete cudende ratio" ("Essay on the Coinage of Money"), a finalisation of a paper he first wrote in 1517.
Leszek Zygner of Nicolaus Copernicus University offers a description of this important work, which postulated that the debasement of money is one of the main reasons for the fall of a state.
Copernicus, Zygner says, was the first to explain that the value of money decreased because of the mixing of copper into gold and silver during the minting process. He also presented a detailed analysis of the debasement process in relation to the coinage of Prussia, the controlling power at the time.
He presented six points:
- There should be only one mint for the entire country.
- The old coinage should be withdrawn immediately when putting new currency into circulation.
- Twenty 20-groshen coins should be made of one pound of pure silver, creating equality between Prussian and Polish coinage.
- Coins should not be issued in large quantities.
- All types of new coins should be put into circulation at the same time.
The value of a coin to Copernicus was established by its metal content.
Its face value should be equal to the value of the metal it was made of.
He said that when debased money was introduced while the old better money remained in circulation, the bad would drive the good out of circulation. This has become familiar today as Gresham’s, or Copernicus-Gresham’s Law.
On the left, is a fragment of the Obverse of the Gdańsk six, along its lower part in microprint the inscription - "MONETECUDENDERATIO".
On its right, is a fragment of the Reverse of the Gdańsk Six, above the Obverse of the Elbląg Sixth – created partly from microprints in the form of inscriptions - "NBP, 20, NICHOLAS, KOPERNIK".
In their background, is a fragment of the Obverse of the Elbląg Sixth.
Centrally is the reverse of the Gdańsk Sixth Infant – created from microprints in the form of inscriptions - "NBP, 20, NICHOLAS, KOPERNIK".
Also visible in the background is the Castle of the Warmian Chapter in Olsztyn. The fragment of the image of the heliocentric system was taken from the manuscript of Nicolaus Copernicus' treatise - "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres", located in the Jagiellonian Library.
The Specifications of this Banknote are:
Denomination: 20 ZŁ (20 Zloty); Country: Poland; Size: 150.00 mm x 77.00 mm; Colour: Predominantly Blue; No. of pieces printed: 100,000; Date of issue: 09.02.2023 (Available from 13.02.2023)
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
9) St. Mary's Basilica, Krakow, Poland: 700th Anniversary of its consecartion: 50 Zlotych Silver Proof Collector Coin and a 5 Zlotych Bimetallic Corculation Coin issued by the National Bank of Poland, minted by the Mint of Poland: Date of Coins issue: 22.05.2020
Links to other posts on Ukrainian Coins/Banknotes on this Blog:
7) "Sovka roskoshnaja" ("Staurophora celsia") Moth, Ukraine: Sterling Silver Proof (10 Hryvnia) and Cupro-nickel (2 Hrvynia) coins issued under its "Native Flora and Fauna Coin Series" by the National Bank of Ukraine
8) 1075 years since Princess Olga (890-969 AD), Ukraine: A Silver Proof Coin brought out by the National Bank of Ukraine,minted by the Ukrainian Mint: Year of issue: 2020
1) A 100 Rouble Banknote issued by Russia to commemorate the XXII Winter Olympics - (07-23 February 2014) held at Sochi, Russia
2) Commemorative Coins issued when the 1980 22nd Summer Olympics were held in Moscow (19.07.1980 to 03.08.1980)
3) 2018 "Federation Internationale de Football Association" (FIFA) World Cup being held in Russia between 14.06.2018 &15.07.2018: Some Coins and stamps issued by Russia, Australia, Hungary, Spain & France to commemorate the Tournament/Championship
4) "Ancient Postal Routes - the Kholmogory post road (Arkhangelsk - Vologda - Yaroclavi - Moscow), Russia: Europa 2020 theme: A stamp brought out by "Pochta Rossii"(Russian Post) featuring this important post road: Date of Stamp issue: 15.01.2020
Links to some other posts on Kazakhstan coins on this Blog:
1) Astana, Kazakhstan: 20th Anniversary celebration of the Capital City of Kazakhstan (06.05.1998-06.05.2018): Silver 5000 Tenge Kilo Coin, 500 Tenge Silver Coin and 100 Tenge Cupro-Nickel Coin issued by the National Bank of Kazakhstan on 20.06.2018
Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"A VERY informative and interesting post. Thanks."
Thank you so much for visiting this post, Khanna sahab.
DeleteRajan Trikha has commented:
ReplyDelete"Very interesting post👍"
Thank you so much, Trikha sahab.
Delete