2688) "January Uprising", Poland: 160th Anniversary milestone (1863 - 2023): National Bank of Poland has issued 200 PLN (Gold) and 20 PLN (Silver) Proof Coins which mark the Freedom Fight against Russian occupation: Date/Year of Coin issue: 16.01.2023:
The Header/Banner showcases the Obverses and Reverses of the Gold and Silver Coins against a background representation of Polish Freedom Fighters/Soldiers. The inscriptions are - "Equality - Freedom - Independence".
The January Uprising was a Freedom Fight principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at the restoration of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
It began on 22.01.1863 and continued until the last freedom fighters were captured by the Russian forces in 1864.
It was the longest-lasting freedom fight in partitioned Poland.
The conflict engaged all levels of society and had profound repercussions on contemporary international relations and ultimately provoked a social and ideological paradigm shift in national events that went on to have a decisive influence on the subsequent development of Polish society.
A confluence of factors rendered the uprising inevitable in early 1863:
The Polish nobility and urban bourgeois circles longed for the semi-autonomous status they had enjoyed in Congress Poland before the previous insurgency, a generation earlier in 1830, and youth encouraged by the success of the Italian independence movement urgently desired the same outcome.
Russia had been weakened by its Crimean adventure and had introduced a more liberal attitude in its internal politics which encouraged Poland's underground National Government to plan an organised strike against their Russian occupiers no earlier than the spring of 1863.
They had not reckoned with Aleksander Wielopolski, the pro-Russian arch conservative head of the civil administration in the Russian partition, who had wind of the plans.
Wielopolski was aware that Poland's fervent desire for independence was coming to a head, something that he wanted to avoid at all costs.
In an attempt to derail the Polish National Movement, he brought forward to January the conscription of young Polish activists into the Imperial Russian Army for 20-year service.
Events unfolded when the announcement of compulsory conscription to the Imperial Russian army was made, a response from the Russian occupiers that was supposed to break up the so-called Polish conspiracy movement.
That decision is what triggered the January Uprising of 1863, the very outcome that Wielopolski had wanted to avoid.
On the night of the 22/23.01.1863, an armed uprising against the occupiers began, and the Manifesto calling to arms was proclaimed by the Provisional National Government of the one-time Polish Commonwealth.
The uprising by young Polish conscripts was soon joined by high-ranking Polish-Lithuanian officers and members of the political class.
The freedom fighterss, as yet ill-organised, were severely outnumbered and lacking sufficient foreign support and forced into hazardous guerrilla tactics. Reprisals were swift and ruthless. Public executions and deportations to Siberia eventually persuaded many Poles to abandon armed struggle.
In addition, Tsar Alexander II hit the landed gentry hard and, as a result, the whole economy, with a sudden decision in 1864 for finally abolishing serfdom in Poland.
The ensuing breakup of estates and destitution of many peasants convinced educated Poles to turn instead to the idea of "organic work", economic and cultural self-improvement.
The Commemorative Coins:
The National Bank of Poland has released Gold and Silver commemorative coins which mark the 160th Anniversary of what is known as the "January Uprising", a date which is remembered as one of the most important in nineteenth-century Poland.
The gold and silver Proof coins have been minted by the Mint of Poland at their facilities in Warsaw, on behalf of the National Bank of Poland ("Banka Narodowy Polski")
On the Reverse of the 20 Zlotych Silver Coin is featured a fragment of a drawing by Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski titled Insurgent Patrol in 1863, depicting a group of Polish Freedom Fighters.
To the left is a recreated seal of the Polish National Government with a crowned tripartite Coat of Arms featuring the white eagle, the chase, and Michael the Archangel, which is applied with digital colour print.
Encircling the Coat of Arms is the inscription - "RZĄD NARODOWY RÓWNOŚĆ WOLNOŚĆ NIEPODLEGŁOŚĆ" (“Polish National Government Equality Freedom Independence”).
On the Obverse of the 20 Zlotych Silver Coin is consisting of a stylised banner and a panoplium (Armament of a warrior) - weapons of a scythe, sabre, and rifle from the era of the January Uprising.
Apart from the weapons is seen a composition consisting of banners and a tripartite coat of arms modelled on the seal of the National Government, depicting the image of an eagle in a crown, Pogoń and the figure of Archangel Michael, below the panoplium year - 1863.
To the right is Poland’s Crowned Eagle insignia, and just below it is the denomination "20 ZŁ."
On the upper periphery, around the primary design is the text "RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA 2023".
On the Reverse of the 200 Zlotych Gold Coin in the central part of is featured a display depicting banners and the January Uprising tripartite Coat of Arms composed of the crowned white eagle symbolising Poland, the chase symbolising Lithuania, and Michael the Archangel referencing the former Kingdom of Ruthenia.
The image recreates a fragment of a banner from the times of the January Uprising.
The banner recreated is part of the collection of the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw.
Above the crest is the text "160. ROCZNICA" (“160th Anniversary”) and placed below the crest, "POWSTANIA STYCZNIOWEGO" (“January Uprising”).
On the Obverse of the 200 Zlotych Gold Coin is featured Poland’s National Symbol - the crowned eagle, in the centre.
On the upper periphery is the text "RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA 2023", and on the lower periphery is the denomination "200 ZŁ".
The specifications of the two variants are -
i) Silver 20 Zlotych Coin Variant:
Country: Republic of Poland; Date/Year of Coin issue: 16.01.2023; Denomination: 20 Zlotych; Coin Theme: "January Uprising (1863) - 160th Anniversary"); Metal Composition: .925 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 28.20 grams; Diameter/Size: 38.60 mm; Coin Quality: Proof with applied colour (PAC); Mint: Mint of Poland at their facilities in Warsaw; On behalf of: National Bank of Poland; Mintage: 10,000 pieces; Designer: Pawel Pietras.
ii) Gold 200 Zlotych Coin Variant:
Country: Republic of Poland; Date/Year of Coin issue: 16.01.2023; Denomination: 200 Zlotych; Coin Theme: "January Uprising (1863) - 160th Anniversary"); Metal Composition: .900 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 15.50 grams; Diameter/Size: 27.00 mm; Coin Quality: Proof (P); Mint: Mint of Poland at their facilities in Warsaw; On behalf of: National Bank of Poland; Mintage: 1,200 pieces; Designer: Pawel Pietras.
- Both the Gold and Silver Proof-quality coins are encapsulated and presented in a heavy-gauge-lined card case, accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
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
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