1 marka 1919

Common. Early Polish currency from 1919 was issued in substantial quantities to facilitate the new nation's monetary transition. The 1 marka denomination, while no longer in circulation, remains readily available to collectors and typically trades at modest premiums. The AU condition grade and Series BP designation do not indicate any particular scarcity within the broader issue. These notes circulated widely until replacement by subsequent Polish currency reforms, and many examples survived due to their brief official use period and early removal from circulation.

Issued on August 23, 1919, mere weeks after Poland regained independence following World War I, this note represents the young Polish state's first attempts at establishing monetary authority through the Polska Krajowa Kasa Pożyczkowa (Polish National Loan Bank). The prominent text declaring that the Polish Parliament (Sejm) would determine the official exchange rate reflects the transitional nature of Poland's early currency, with these temporary marks issued pending the establishment of permanent currency denominations. The dual Polish eagles and official government proclamation on the front exemplify the nationalist symbolism and legitimacy-building necessary for a newly sovereign state.

The note features a symmetrical design dominated by the Polish eagle (Orzeł Biały), depicted as a two-headed heraldic eagle positioned on both left and right sides of the obverse. The reverse displays a larger, more formal rendition of the Polish eagle with spread wings, centered within an ornamental shield and surrounded by elaborate decorative baroque-style scrollwork and floral patterns. The denomination '1' appears in decorative circular frames at all four corners of the note. The color palette of red, pink, and cream provides sharp contrast and visual hierarchy. No individual portraits appear on this note; instead, the focus is entirely on state symbols and official documentation, reflecting the temporary nature of this emergency currency and the importance of national symbolism in establishing the credibility of Poland's new government.

FRONT SIDE: 'Polska Krajowa' (Polish National) appears at top center. Central inscription reads 'Jedna Marka Polska' (One Polish Mark). The main official text translates: 'The Polish State hereby directs the exchange of this note for future currency, the Polish currency at the rate which the Polish Parliament shall determine. Warsaw, August 23, 1919. Direction of the Polish National Loan Bank.' Additional inscriptions include 'Kasa Pożyczkowa' (Loan Bank) and 'Skarbnik Główny' (Chief Treasurer). BACK SIDE: The counterfeiting warning reads: 'Whoever damages or falsifies notes of the Polish National Loan Bank or puts into circulation or attempts to put into circulation counterfeit or falsified notes is subject to a severe imprisonment sentence.' Serial designation: 'Seria BP' (Series BP) with serial number 977995.

Intaglio (engraved) printing, evidenced by the fine line work, precise detail in the ornamental borders, the crisp legibility of the complex inscriptions, and the dimensional quality visible in the dual-color red and cream printing. The intricate baroque ornamental patterns and security features such as the scalloped borders and repeated denomination markers are characteristic of high-security engraved banknote production typical of early 20th-century central bank currency. The specific printer for this Pick-23 issue has not been definitively recorded in standard references, though it would have been produced under direction of the Polish National Loan Bank's operations.

This specific note is identified as Series BP, serial number 977995. Known varieties of Pick-23 exist primarily in series designations (Series AP, BP, etc.) reflecting different production batches. The August 23, 1919 date is constant across the entire issue. No significant printing variations, overprints, or error varieties have been documented for this Pick number that would distinguish this particular example as a notable variant within the type.