Poland: Gdansk's community currency

[Figleaf]

It's hard to believe that the city of Gdańsk can overcome those "technical reasons, but the Warsaw Mint, that coughs out a new commemorative every month or so, cannot. Politics as usual? I do think our own Frizio would have made a much better design. Of course these are not coins at all, but they would be a nice illustration in a collection of real Polish coins.

Peter

Gdańsk Issues Coin to Commemorate 25th Anniversary of Wałęsa's Nobel
Gdańsk, 2008-10-24, ostatnia aktualizacja 2008-10-24 07:53

The issue of a commemorative coin bearing the image of Lech Wałęsa, the historical Solidarity leader, will begin in Gdańsk on 5 December. The coin will be issued in two denominations - 4 thalers (120,000 copies) and 7 thalers (20,000 copies). The former will be made of brass, the latter - of two-coloured metal. It should stay in circulation through March 2009.

'You will be able to use the coin to pay at local businesses', says Anna Zbierska, head of the promotion department at the Gdańsk city hall.

The thaler will be distributed via the foreign exchange office network (at a 1:1 exchange rate to the zloty). The coin can also be bought online. The city is further planning the issue of gold and silver thalers - for numismatics collectors. The first gold thaler will be presented to Lech Wałęsa himself. Gdańsk decided to issue the coin itself after the National Bank of Poland said it would not commemorate the 25th anniversary of Mr Wałęsa's Nobel Prize for 'technical reasons'.

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza

[Figleaf]

Mmmm. There is a Dutch trade token that coms in two varieties: short and long moustache. However, this is an English (sort of) language forum and moustache is French. Ask any Hercule Poirot (speaking of famous Belgians).

Peter

[BC Numismatics]

It's hard to believe that the city of Gdańsk can overcome those "technical reasons, but the Warsaw Mint, that coughs out a new commemorative every month or so, cannot. Politics as usual? I do think our own Frizio would have made a much better design. Of course these are not coins at all, but theymay be a nice illustration of a collection of real Polish coins.

Peter

Gdańsk Issues Coin to Commemorate 25th Anniversary of Wałęsa's Nobel
Gdańsk, 2008-10-24, ostatnia aktualizacja 2008-10-24 07:53

The issue of a commemorative coin bearing the image of Lech Wałęsa, the historical Solidarity leader, will begin in Gdańsk on 5 December. The coin will be issued in two denominations - 4 thalers (120,000 copies) and 7 thalers (20,000 copies). The former will be made of brass, the latter - of two-coloured metal. It should stay in circulation through March 2009.

'You will be able to use the coin to pay at local businesses', says Anna Zbierska, head of the promotion department at the Gdańsk city hall.

The thaler will be distributed via the foreign exchange office network (at a 1:1 exchange rate to the zloty). The coin can also be bought online. The city is further planning the issue of gold and silver thalers - for numismatics collectors. The first gold thaler will be presented to Lech Wałęsa himself. Gdańsk decided to issue the coin itself after the National Bank of Poland said it would not commemorate the 25th anniversary of Mr Wałęsa's Nobel Prize for 'technical reasons'.

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza

Peter,
  I can guess that this is Gdansk's first community currency.That Coat-of-Arms reminds me of the old Danzig coins.

Aidan.

[chrisild]

The design I find ho-hum, but that may be because it's not the actual piece yet. As for why the Polish mint does not plan to issue such a coin, well ... guess those are political reasons rather than technical issues. Saying that Walesa and the Polish president Kaczynski have minor differences would be the understatement of the year.

Aidan, the city had its own currency until 1939 (when Nazi Germany annexed it), and yes, the coat of arms, including the motto, is the very same one ...

Christian