1 cent 1960
Market Prices
About This Note
This is a Polish 1 cent Foreign Exchange Note (Bon Towarowy) issued by Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A. on January 1, 1960, cataloged as Pick P-FX1. The note features an attractive cream and teal color scheme with purple denomination cartouche and ornamental borders typical of mid-century commodity bonds. While the visual analysis indicates some age-related spotting and foxing inconsistent with a true UNC grade, the note remains reasonably well-preserved with intact security features and clear printing.
Common. The catalog value for UNC examples is listed at $7.50 (2008 data from RealBanknotes.com), indicating active collector market circulation and relatively plentiful supply. Foreign Exchange Notes from this period were produced in large quantities to support Poland's controlled export economy. No evidence of limited print runs, recalled issues, or extraordinary rarity exists for Pick P-FX1. The note's modest pricing and apparent availability in multiple grades on the secondary market confirm its status as a common issue.
This commodity bond represents Poland's post-World War II economic recovery period under communist rule, when the Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A. issued these special-purpose notes to facilitate internal export trade. The formal issue date of January 1, 1960, and the explicit authorization text indicating redemption only at designated state-controlled points reflect the centrally-planned economy of the Polish People's Republic. These Foreign Exchange Notes were part of a controlled currency system designed to channel commodity exports and manage foreign exchange during the Cold War era.
The front displays a formal bond certificate layout with a cream/beige base field framed by teal/blue geometric borders and decorative corner ornaments featuring circular repeating patterns. The denomination is prominently featured in a purple/maroon ornamental oval cartouche at center, showing both dollar and Polish cent denominations. The design employs no portraits or named landmarks, relying instead on abstract decorative elements—corner medallions, geometric border patterns, and the central ornamental cartouche—all characteristic of security printing practices for commodity documents. The back features a fine repeating geometric pattern in light gray and teal across the entire surface, with a central circular watermark area containing the Fekao printer's logo, serving as both identifier and security feature. The printer Fekao (likely a Polish or Eastern European security printer) is credited on both sides.
FRONT SIDE: 'BON TOWAROWY' (Commodity Bond) - the primary title; Serial number 'Al 0352973'; Denomination in dual format '$0,01$' (dollars) and 'JEDNEGO CENTA' (One Cent); 'Upoważniający do pobrania towarów eksportu wewnętrznego wartości' (Authorizing the collection of goods for internal export of value); 'BON TOWAROWY MOŻE BYĆ ZREALIZOWANY JEDYNIE W ORODZIE POBRANIA TOWARÓW EKSPORTU WEWNĘTRZNEGO W JEDNYM Z PUNKTÓW SPRZEDAZY BANKU POLSKA KASA OPIEKI S.A.' (The commodity bond may only be redeemed solely at the goods collection center for internal export in one of the sales points of Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.); 'WARSZAWA, DNIA 1 STYCZNIA 1960 R.' (Warsaw, January 1, 1960); Issuer name 'Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A'; Printer mark 'Fekao'. BACK SIDE: Printer mark 'Fekao' located centrally within circular watermark security feature.
This note was produced using multiple-color letterpress and lithographic printing techniques, evidenced by the sharp registration of the teal borders, purple cartouche, and red serial numbers on the front, combined with the fine repeating geometric pattern covering the back. The ornamental corner designs and decorative cartouche show the hallmarks of intaglio-influenced security printing with careful attention to fine-line work as an anti-counterfeiting measure. The printer, identified as Fekao, utilized color separation and precision registration typical of mid-20th century European security printing for official government financial instruments.
The observed serial number is 'Al 0352973' with an alphabetic prefix ('Al'). Serial number prefix variations may exist for this Pick number, though the visual analysis of a single example limits definitive variety identification. The specific date of issue—January 1, 1960—appears consistent across the series. No visible overprints, signatures, or other noted modifications are present on this example. PMG population reports indicate only one cataloged variant (P-FX15 for the 1 Dollar denomination), suggesting Pick P-FX1 likely represents a single standard variety, though complete census data would be needed to confirm all varieties within the 1 cent denomination.
