I just sniped three Polish pattern pieces...

JohnZ

I lent my Krause to a friend, so I can't give you KM numbers, but here's the description using catalog numbers from Polish numismatics.

Each of the coins has the word "Proba" (trial) in it's devices. The Polish mint makes a significant number of trial strikes for collectors. In this sense, the pieces are not nearly as rare as US patterns, but they are nevertheless difficult to collect because of the interest that collectors have in keeping them.

P 136: 20 Zlotych, Copper-Nickel, 1973, 13,200 minted



P 098: 10 zlotych, Copper-nickel, 1965, 30,120 minted



P 090, 10 zlotych, Copper-nickel, 1964, 30,000 minted

trozau

sweet!

hoardmonster

Very nice!

JamminJ

Nice stuff!

I like the second coin with the woman that has everything: sword, nice bust and a big fin!
I notice all of these coins are communist era, does Poland still make patterns available to collectors?

-JamminJ

JohnZ

I like the second coin with the woman that has everything: sword, nice bust and a big fin!

Nike as a Mermaid.

I notice all of these coins are communist era, does Poland still make patterns available to collectors?

Yes, and an abundance of commems as well.

1jester

What do you mean, Nike as a mermaid?? IT isn't Nike but rather the patron mermaid of Warsaw, the defender of Warsaw. I forgot her name, however, as I just woke up.

Did I mention that they are awesome pieces?! Excellent job. Did you get them on ebay?

cosmicdebris

Cool patterns

rhound1977

theboz11

Ditto:D

1jester

By the way, I do like the middle one a lot.

However, the first one is really impressive for a couple reasons. First of all, this design was later chosen for normal circulation strikes by the millions, and it was one of the workhorses of Polish Communist coinage. As such, they are rarely seen in better than F/VF condition. I've never seen one better than VF and this pattern shows the 'beauty' of the Communist art-deco (?) design. What strikes me as interesting with the obverse design is the representation of the bountiful fruits of Communism--food (represented by wheat fields) and housing for the masses (represented by the new high rise apartment building in the background). In reality, the housing situation left a lot to be desired (as one can only expect and imagine, not having lived in those times), and these housing "blocs" are atrociously ugly, and when viewed from high up, they look like massive gray tombstones lined up in a massive graveyard. Also, the abundance of food was also fiction, even though Poland was a big breadbasket of the Soviet Bloc, there was real hunger in most cities as most citizens didn't have enough to eat. Most of the grain grown in Poland was exported or otherwise controlled by those "more than equal".

Nice patterns, John.

JohnZ

What do you mean, Nike as a mermaid?? IT isn't Nike but rather the patron mermaid of Warsaw, the defender of Warsaw. I forgot her name, however, as I just woke up.

I guess I should have put a smiley after that one.

I just made it up! Nike appears on some Polish issues with a sword.

Kind of has a nice ring to it though, don't yoou think?

XpipedreamR

I like the second coin the best. It's really neat!

1jester

John, no offense taken with the creatively named Mermaid Nike!

Askari

Very nice patterns, all three!! I'm surprised the mermaid is for Warsaw; I'd think it would be more like Gdansk.