Poland: New silver Proof coin released in honour of 600th anniversary of the city of Łódź

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The National Bank of Poland has released new silver Proof coins which mark an important anniversary for the City of Łódź as celebrations marking the 600th anniversary of the founding of the municipality are underway. It was on the 29th July 1423 in the 15th century, when King Ladislas Jagiello of Poland, from 1386 to 1434, authorised the foundation of a new city and granted Łódź, a former town municipal rights. The Polish name for the city, Łódź, directly translates to “boat” and is recorded on its coat of arms, which is one of the oldest Polish coats of arms, first appearing in 1303. The charter of incorporation based on the Magdeburg Law, also known as the German Law, was issued in Przedbórz, a smaller township within the greater town of Łódź. In this way, the ruler complied with the request of the Bishop of Włocławek, Jan Pella, the owner of the estate in which the village of Łodzia was located. In legal terms, Łódź was to be modelled on Łęczyca, the then capital of the Łęczyca Voivodeship. The court system of the town was determined by a royal charter, which meant the inhabitants were excluded from the jurisdiction of royal officials and from then on, they were responsible only to the mayor and the latter to the bishop who owned the city. In the charter, the monarch also established the foundations for the economic existence of Łódź. As such, greater autonomy with markets authorised every Wednesday and two celebratory fairs each year were allowed. The first took place the day after Corpus Christi, and the second on the 16th August, the day after the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Not without significance was that the townspeople were given areas of land amounting to 470 hectares that could be used for agricultural purposes. Sadly, the original document of municipal rights drawn up by King Ladislas Jagiello was lost, and despite the royal charter, it did little to contribute to the transformation of Łódź into a thriving urban centre as for intents and purposes. It remained a small agricultural town. During the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, Łódź was annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia before becoming part of the Napoleonic Duchy of Warsaw in 1807. It wasn’t until the 1820s and decisions made by the authorities of the Kingdom of Poland under Imperial Russian authority, which ultimately led to an influx of new settlers. An increase in population transformed the city into a centre of commerce, first in the textile industry, and then in other areas of trade and manufacturing. Today, with a population of more than 670,000, Łódź has been transformed into the fourth-largest city in Poland, home to many refurbished factories and beautiful historical houses. The city centre includes richly ornamented city palaces and villas, over 150 palaces from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries that were originally homes for the factory’s owners and meeting places for the industrial elite. The city’s main street of commerce was revitalised, providing space for shops, restaurants, and a multitude of festivals, which has contributed to Łódź becoming a prime destination for tourists visiting Poland.

The Proof coins are produced by the Mint of Poland at their facilities in Warsaw, on behalf of the National Bank, and are designed by Dominika Karpińska-Kopiec. Featured on the obverse is a portrait of King Ladislas Jagiello based on a drawing by Jan Matejko and an image of the official seal dated 1577 which depicts the coat of arms of Łódź. To the right of the king’s image is the commemorative inscription 600-LECIE NADANIA ŁODZI PRAW MIEJSKICH (“600th Anniversary of Granting Municipal Rights to Łódź”). The reverse of the coin shows in the foreground the southern façade of Ludwik Geyer’s factory, formerly known as the White Factory and is currently the seat of the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź. In the background, the silhouettes of the historic Church of the Holy Spirit and the Łódź Town Hall are depicted. Above the primary design and along the upper edge is the text RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA 2023, along with the denomination 10 ZŁ.

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Mintage Limit
10 złotych	.925 Silver	14.1 g	32 mm	Proof	10,000

Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a heavy gauge custom card case accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please click here.

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