100 zlotych 1948

Common. The eBay market data provided shows consistent selling prices in the $1-$20 range for Fair condition examples over the past 15 years, with an average for F-graded notes around $3-$7. This note type appears frequently in the secondary market, indicating a substantial original print run. The catalog value for this condition (Fair) is estimated at under $10, further confirming common status. While historically significant, the 100 Złotych 1948 was issued in quantities sufficient to make it readily available to collectors today.

This banknote was issued during Poland's economic reconstruction period immediately following World War II, with the July 1948 date marking a pivotal moment in the nation's monetary stabilization. The reverse design prominently features industrial factories, smokestacks, and a steam locomotive, reflecting the communist-era emphasis on industrial development and modernization that dominated Polish state imagery in the late 1940s. The imagery exemplifies the propagandistic focus on industrial capacity and workers' progress that characterized Poland's post-war recovery under Soviet influence.

The obverse features a male portrait in profile/three-quarter view positioned within an ornamental guilloche frame on the right side, representing a worker—consistent with socialist-realist iconography of the period. A Polish eagle (Águila) emblem is centered above the denomination as the national symbol. The design is framed with elaborate scrollwork, geometric patterns, and floral flourishes in all four corners, with the denomination displayed centrally. The reverse depicts an industrial landscape scene showcasing a factory complex with multiple tall smokestacks emitting smoke, a steam locomotive on railroad tracks, and industrial buildings, all rendered in fine line engraving. The entire design employs rose-pink and mauve coloring on a cream background, with ornamental corner frames containing diamond-shaped separator symbols.

OBVERSE: 'NARODOWY BANK POLSKI' (National Bank of Poland), 'STO ZŁOTYCH' (One Hundred Zlotych), '100 ◇ ZŁ ◇ 100' (denomination markers), 'WARSZAWA' (Warsaw), 'DNIA I LIPCA 1948 ROKU' (Date: 1st July 1948), 'PREZES' (President), 'NACZELNY DYREKTOR' (Chief Director), 'SKARBNIK' (Treasurer), 'CC 8006213' (serial number). REVERSE: 'STO ZŁOTYCH' (One Hundred Zlotych), '100' (denomination), 'BILETY NARODOWEGO BANKU POLSKIEGO SĄ PRAWNYM ŚRODKIEM PŁATNICZYM W POLSCE' (Banknotes of the National Bank of Poland are a legal means of payment in Poland).

This note was produced using intaglio (line engraving) printing, evidenced by the fine, detailed line work throughout the design, the intricate guilloche patterns surrounding the portrait and in corner medallions, and the complex interlocking border designs visible in the visual analysis. The precision of the engraving and the depth of detail in both the portrait and industrial landscape scene are characteristic of professional security printing from the 1940s era. The specific printer for this Polish note would have been a state-controlled facility under Narodowy Bank Polski's authority.

The catalog data indicates three serial number varieties exist for this Pick number (P-139CS1, P-139cts, P-139s), as noted in the PMG population report. The observed serial number 'CC 8006213' represents one of these varieties. The note is a regular issue from the standard July 1, 1948 release, with no overprints or special markings observed. No exceptional variants or rare signature combinations are evident in this Fair-graded example.