The Criminal Service Bureau of the Police Headquarters is actively joining the “Safe Money” public awareness campaign, which aims to familiarize Poles with the new security features. At the same time, BSK KGP police officers remind the public that banknotes from the previous issue remain in circulation. Banknotes of lower denominations with modified security features have been appearing in our wallets since April 2014.

The graphic design of the PLN 200 banknote has not changed; however, the use of new, more technologically advanced security features means that the differences between banknotes from the modernized and previous issues are clearly visible. Among other features, the new banknote has a windowed security thread with an optically variable effect. The thread’s fragments smoothly change color from gold to green, while the checkerboard pattern on it moves in both directions.

The front of the banknote also features a decorative graphic element that smoothly changes color from gold to green (the so-called royal symbol), while the reverse has a gold, iridescent ornament. As with the lower denominations, the watermark has been enhanced: when viewed against the light, in addition to the ruler’s image, the denomination marking is also visible. The recto-verso feature has also been changed—now, the elements printed on both sides of the banknote form an image of a crown in an oval only when viewed against the light. The left part of the banknote, where the watermark is located, is unprinted, making it appear somewhat lighter and making the watermark easier to see.

Additional accessibility features have also been introduced for blind and visually impaired people. The first consists of 10 diagonal bars placed along the shorter edges of the banknote. The same technology has also been used in the new series of euro banknotes. The second feature is a modified geometric pattern in the lower-left corner—a triangle in the case of the PLN 200 banknote—made up of small circles that are very easy to feel by touch.

The level of currency counterfeiting in Poland remains low—there are approximately 6–7 counterfeits per million banknotes in circulation. However, technological advances made in recent years made it necessary to modernize the security features of banknotes in general circulation. This enables NBP to increase the security of cash transactions in the years ahead.

“The introduction of modernized banknotes into circulation is proceeding smoothly and is not causing any problems. I would like to remind you that these banknotes are introduced into circulation to replace currency withdrawn because of damage or wear. The modernized banknotes of the four lower denominations, whose issue NBP began in April 2014, currently account for around 40 percent of all banknotes in circulation. Research shows that Poles are satisfied with the modernized banknotes,” said Prof. Marek Belka, President of Narodowy Bank Polski.

At the end of January 2016, the share of modernized banknotes in cash circulation was: 54 percent for PLN 10, 59 percent for PLN 20, 30 percent for PLN 50, and 32 percent for PLN 100. In the coming years, banknotes from the previous issue will be encountered in circulation increasingly rarely. It is worth remembering, however, that they remain legal tender indefinitely.

“In recent years, we have observed an increase in the value of cash in circulation. Over the past two years alone, it amounted to around 30 percent, or PLN 37 billion. We saw particularly dynamic growth in the case of PLN 200 banknotes. Their number increased during this period by 55 million, or nearly 40 percent, and in 2015 alone by 33 million, or 20 percent. This indicates increased demand for high denominations among participants in cash circulation,” says Marek Oleś, director of the Cash and Issue Department.

The PLN 500 banknote

NBP is already working on the PLN 500 banknote. The new banknote will feature an image of King Jan III Sobieski, preserving the chronological continuity of the “Polish Rulers” series. NBP does not plan to introduce PLN 500 banknotes into circulation before 2017.

The “Polish Rulers” banknote series designed by Andrzej Heidrich, which we currently use, was introduced into circulation in 1995. The banknotes in the series feature portraits of Polish rulers from the Piast and Jagiellonian dynasties: Mieszko I, Bolesław Chrobry, Casimir III the Great, Władysław Jagiełło and Sigismund I the Old. All Polish banknotes are produced by Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych.

Police cooperation

The Criminal Service Bureau of KGP, which also serves as the National Central Office for combating money counterfeiting (NCO_Poland), actively participates in all initiatives and activities related to the protection against, prevention and combating of this type of crime. As part of its cooperation with Narodowy Bank Polski, the Criminal Service Bureau of KGP is actively joining NBP’s “Safe Money” public awareness campaign, whose aim is to familiarize as many Poles as possible with the modernized security features of the PLN 200 banknote.

The Criminal Service Bureau of KGP encourages everyone to learn about the security features used in the modernized banknotes, while reminding the public that banknotes from the previous issue remain in circulation; they will, however, be gradually withdrawn because of damage or wear.

Detailed information about the modernized banknotes and images of them are available on the NBP website. The officers encourage people to take an online course on the security features of Polish banknotes and to download the NBP Safe app, which helps identify counterfeit banknotes.

NBP/BSK KGP/ms/ii