Polish money. What is the currency of Poland: euro or zloty? What is zloty?

Polish money is represented by paper bills and coins of various denominations. Despite the fact that Poland is a member of the European Union, the state did not change its currency to the euro, although in some places you can find price tags in euros. Foreigners can bring no more than 10 thousand euros per person into the country.

Historical reference

The modern Polish currency was introduced in 1924. Name of money: zloty and penny. The predecessor of the zloty was the Polish mark and kopa.

In the 11th century, one mark was equivalent to 210 grams of silver. In the 14th century, it was replaced by the Krakow hryvnia, which was equal to 198 g of silver. In the same century, the hryvnia was supplemented by the kopa, which was borrowed from the Czech Republic along with Prague groschen. The hryvnia was equal to 48 Polish groschen, and the copa - 60 groschen.

Zlotys appeared around the 15th century. At that time, this was the name given to foreign minted gold coins.

Immediately the zloty was equal to 12-14 silver groschen. Gradually, the amount of silver in groschens decreased; by the middle of the 15th century, the zloty was already equal to 30 groschens. The value of the latter continued to decline, but in 1496 the Polish Sejm approved the ratio of zloty to grosz – 1:30.

Today zlotys are paper bills in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200. Modern coins are pennies, in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50.

While princes and kings are depicted on paper banknotes, the coins have the Polish coat of arms on the obverse and the denomination on the reverse. Polish zlotys in denominations of 1, 2, 5 are also represented by coins.

What currency is better to take to Poland?

At the legislative level, the circulation of currencies other than the national one is prohibited in Poland. You can find price tags in euros, but you will only have to pay in zlotys. Only some places can accept euros, but this is rather an exception to the rule.

From the point of view of what kind of money to take to Poland, the choice is simple: definitely zlotys or euros and dollars.

It is profitable to carry the latter only if you already have them. There is no point in making a double exchange. It is better then to immediately exchange the national currency for zlotys in your country.

Exchange offices where other currencies are exchanged are quite rare. In addition, you will lose a lot on the course.

All currency exchange options in Poland

The country is economically stable, so there are no sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate, only minor fluctuations are observed. But on holidays, weekends and at night the zloty can cost 20% more.

Private exchange offices (cantors) also carry out foreign exchange operations in Poland. No documents are required. Buying national currency from private individuals is dangerous and illegal.

The euros are most readily exchanged because they are the EU currency. At the bank you can buy zlotys for any currency. Cantors are limited to only the most popular currency exchanges.

There are exchange offices in all places that are most often visited by tourists, as well as at train stations and shopping centers.

They work from 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning until 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening. Offices are closed on holidays and weekends. There are some that operate 24/7. They increase the rate at night and on non-working days.

When changing money, pay attention to what zlotys look like. Wrinkled or torn banknotes may not be accepted.

The course at the offices is usually more profitable. Just before exchanging, always check what rate is indicated on the board (purchases or sales), and whether there are restrictions on the amount. In some exchange offices, small amounts may be exchanged at a less favorable rate.

Remittance

If you urgently need a certain amount in Poland, your relatives or friends can transfer you euros or dollars. There are several options for how you can transfer money to Poland from another country. This can be an interbank transfer, using a specialized system that does not require a bank account, or through electronic payments.

The last two options are considered the simplest. The speed of money delivery is from several minutes to one day. If the transfer will be carried out using international systems (Western Union, MoneyGram and others), then detailed information on tariffs can be found on the official websites.

To transfer money using electronic payment systems, the recipient must have a wallet in this system. You can even make transfers from your mobile phone.

Methods of international money transfers and the use of electronic payment systems are described in more detail in the article ““.

It is worth considering that in all transfer options there are one-time or daily limits on the transfer amount. You can also clarify this information on the Internet resource.

Financial institutions in Poland

Now it is important that service at the bank is comfortable. There are two main convenience parameters:

1. Possibility of opening an account for a foreigner.
2. Availability of Internet banking.

Almost all Polish banks provide online banking services and work with foreigners. Only the conditions for opening accounts and cards differ.

It should be understood that in Polish financial institutions the concepts of account and card are separated.

For example, if you need to transfer money, you must indicate the account number. And the card is just a way to access the account. There may be several cards for one account or one for several accounts.

All Polish banks have offices in Warsaw. Their branches have also been opened in other cities of the country. The following financial institutions operate in Poland:

• ING Bank Sląski,
• Millennium,
• Pekao Bank
• PKO Bank,
• Bank Zachodni WBK,
• Alior Bank,
• Raiffeisen Polbank,
• Bank BGŻ BNP Paribas,
• Idea Bank,
• Credit Agricole Bank Polska,
• Bank Handlowy (Citi), etc.

Banks offer more attractive conditions within Poland, while rates abroad are not as favorable.

ATMs and cashless payments

To avoid carrying large amounts of cash, many tourists prefer to take credit or debit cards with them. This is very convenient, but first you need to find out from your bank whether your card is serviced abroad. It is also worth understanding that banking transactions in another country will entail additional expenses.

When paying by card in a store or hotel, a double currency conversion occurs. The bank rate is usually used and an additional conversion fee is charged. At ATMs there is also a double conversion, the commission is about 3%. Polish ATMs issue zlotys, very rarely euros. any currency equivalent to more than 10 thousand euros per person, he will have to fill out a declaration. You can carry any amount on a bank card. Such rules have been in force in Poland for a long time; in 2019, nothing has changed in this regard.

Summarize

Today in Poland zlotys and pennies are used. It will not be possible to pay in another currency.

A more favorable exchange rate is offered by offices that are located at every train station and in places where there are large concentrations of tourists.

At exchange offices you can convert common currencies: euros and dollars. Other banknotes can only be exchanged in banks.

When paying with a bank card, an additional fee may be charged; the currency is converted at the bank rate.

National currency of Poland- Polish zloty PLN. One Polish zloty consists of 100 grosz. You can pay in Poland only national currency.

Each banknote has a specific symbol to help people with low vision recognize its meaning. The banknotes depict former reigning kings of Poland.

Appearance of the currency of Poland

Money in Poland

Cash money in Poland exist in paper bills and coins. Plastic cards in use (preferably debit): Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro. Credit cards are accepted in many hotels and restaurants, car rental companies, etc. Traveler's checks are also accepted almost everywhere.

Answering the question, " what money to take to Poland?", we can say that the easiest currencies accepted for exchange are € and $. In some supermarkets (TESCO) at special cash desks, which are marked with a EURO icon, you can pay in this currency.

How much money to take to Poland?

Answering the question, " how much money to take to Poland?", we can say that prices in Poland remain quite low for travelers. Of course, if you are going to rent a car and rent a room in a luxury hotel, it will cost the same as in Western Europe.

Approximate prices in Poland:

• Liter of gasoline - 1.35 €
• Car rental per day (without driver) - 40 €
• Travel by public transport - 1 €
• Lunch in a cafe per person - 6 €
• Coca-Cola 1 l - 1 €
• Vodka 0.5 l - 5 €
• Cigarettes - 3 €

Currency exchange in Poland

You can exchange currency in Poland at specialized exchange offices (called Kantor or Kantor wymiany walut), which work 7 days a week in big cities. Exchange offices in banks are rare, and besides, the exchange rate there is less favorable.

remember, that Kantors may refuse to exchange if there are any inscriptions or seals on the bills (for example, handwritten numbers).

You can also exchange money at the post office, which is open until 18:00 on weekdays.

Transfer money to Poland

Transferring money to Poland can be done via bank transfer and express money transfers such as Western Union (www.westernunion.com).

Banks of Poland

Majority banks in Poland open from 08:30 to 13:00, central offices are open until 17:00, and also on Saturday, but only until 14:00.

Central Bank of Poland is the National Bank of Poland. Also in the country there are smaller national and international banks: Citibank, Bank Przemyslowo-Handlowy, Bank Slaski, ING Barings, Raiffeisen Bank, Millennium Bank, Nordea Bank, HSBC Bank.

The official Polish currency (monetary unit) is called the zloty. It is equivalent to 100 groschen. Banknotes in circulation in the country come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 zlotys. Coins in denominations of 1, 2 and 5 zlotys are widely used. There are also coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groschen. Residents of the country, especially students, due to the low cost of goods, often use coins for daily purchases.

What is zloty?

Since 1995, the Polish currency has been officially called the Polish new zloty. At and in exchange offices it is customary to use the abbreviation PLN. It was in 1995 that the last financial reform in the country was carried out. New banknotes and coins came into use. In accordance with the new legislation, it was decided to carry out exchange transactions at the following rate: 10 thousand old zlotys are equal to 1 new zloty.

After 20 years, many residents of the state still use prices in the old format in conversations. So, 10 million zlotys is only 1 thousand. American dollars and euros are exchanged for zlotys not only in banks and exchange offices, but also in hotels, bus stations, airports and

Poland has been a member of the European Union for almost 20 years, but this fact does not in any way affect the popularity of the national currency. The country is in no hurry to switch to the euro. Polish currency belongs to the category of easily convertible monetary units, and you can freely exchange it for another in almost all countries of the world. Tourists are advised to change euros or dollars not in banks, following European practice, but in special exchange offices. The Polish currency exchange rate there is more attractive. You can withdraw funds from Visa or Maestro cards at almost any ATM, but sometimes it is much more profitable to pay using cards. When paying for goods or services, conversion will be made at the rate of the tourist’s country.

The name of the Polish currency originated in the 14th-15th centuries. At that time, all foreign gold ducats were called zloty. The first zloty was equal to 60 groschen and was called “polkop”.

Peculiarities

The Polish currency was created with low vision in mind. For this purpose, each banknote has raised symbols that vary depending on the denomination. At 20 zlotys there is a circle, at 50 there is a rhombus, at 100 there is a “+” sign, at 200 there is a triangle. The country's government has repeatedly changed the format of money. If in the XIV-XV centuries, dinars, which replaced the national currency at that time, looked like thick coins, then after a few centuries, the coins became so thin that they even tended to break. In 1924, a new coinage system was approved. For the first time, the zloty was divided into 100 groschen. The cost of the country's currency was estimated at 0.1687 grams of gold.

Polish currency exchange rate today

Today the zloty is almost the most stable domestic Polish zloty, despite the onslaught of the dollar in 2008, successfully survived the crisis.

• 1 euro - 4,020 PLN.
• 1 dollar - 3,775 PLN.
• 1 PLN - 13.1603 rubles.

Currency pairs in which the zloty is present are not very common among small speculators and large players. Low volatility and relative obscurity of the monetary unit are the factors that determined the place of the Polish currency in the country. The state planned to switch to the euro in 2012, but the situation in the world changed all priorities. Only after the state complied with the requirements of the ECB did the zloty become a full participant in the EU financial system. The exchange rate is affected simultaneously by several factors: the general state of affairs in the EU and the sovereign rating of Poland.

The monetary unit of Poland has a very symbolic name, reflecting the essence of the time when the zloty was born. The name of the unit represented the gold minted coins that came to Poland from foreign countries. In the 14th century, Poland followed suit and began issuing a national unit in the form of gold ducats.

At first, the zloty reflected the essence of the material from which it was made. The name of the unit spread throughout the country and was preserved even at the moment when zlotys began to be exchanged for silver pennies.

Over time, the quality of the pennies dropped significantly, and the actual silver content dwindled. Therefore, restrictions were introduced, after which 1 zloty was equal to 30 groszy. At the end of the 15th century, “zloty” was the name of the national currency, where shape and metal no longer mattered.

The origins of the zloty

The first minting of zlotys in the form of silver coins was carried out in 1564; the monetary unit became more widespread during the reign of John II Casimir (1663). At that time, one zloty was equal to 12 groschen. Moreover, out of a 6.7 gram coin, the silver part was only 3 grams.

The silver coin received its name from the name of its author – “tymf”. However, the tymph did not provide adequate stability and fell out of circulation in 1776.

At the same time, a monetary reform was carried out, thanks to which the state of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth switched to a new unit of circulation - the Cologne foot. The silver content was more than 200 g.

For convenience, it was divided into 10 thalers, which in turn were divided into 8 zlotys. A more developed national currency system led to the creation of a mint located in Warsaw.

The next stage in the historical course of the zloty is its minting in the Kingdom of Poland, which was part of the Russian Empire. The following coins were in circulation:

1. copper coins in denominations of 1 and 3 groschen;
2. coins with a face value of 5.10 zlotys cast from a billon;
3. silver coins;
4. gold coins in denominations of 25 and 50 zlotys.

The Polish zloty underwent significant changes when the Kościuszko Uprising was organized. In 1794, the first paper money was issued for an amount exceeding 6 million zlotys.

The silver standard flourished in Poland and the economy was in a dynamic state. Therefore, in 1815, zlotys became the official monetary unit, which had a fixed exchange rate to the ruble.

Free Krakow and its national currency

From 1815 to 1846, Krakow bore the title of a free city, but after 1846 it was influenced by Austria and incorporated into it. This was accompanied by the release of new coins, both silver and gold. The new currency did not live up to expectations and quickly went out of circulation.

In the first years after the end of the First World War, Poland's economy had unfavorable prospects. In addition to national coins, monetary units of neighboring states were in circulation, which undermined the Polish economy.

In order to regulate the situation, zlotys were replaced by the Polish mark. The next stage in the development of the monetary unit was the Polish-Russian war for the right to own the territories of Ukraine. This led to a sharp increase in costs for which the national economy was not prepared.

After the armistice, Poland suffered a wave of inflation. The Polish mark rapidly increased, its ratio became equal to 100 groszy, although previously this value was within 30 groszy.

Beginning in 1924, the zloty was reintroduced into circulation, with the main monetary unit pegged to the dollar. However, this did not help reduce the rate of inflation, so in addition to zlotys, securities were also issued, which were also in circulation.

Series of coins and banknotes:

Reform period

Pilsudski's reforms had a huge impact on the development of the zloty, thanks to which the Bank of Poland was under close state control, and the external debt taken from America allowed the situation to stabilize for some time.

Beginning in 1925, the zloty began to depreciate again, but by the end of 1926 it had become a relatively stable currency. Until 1933, there was a heyday for the zloty, which was freely exchanged for foreign currency and gold. The only factor hindering the development of the country was the somewhat overvalued currency exchange rate.

The following commemorative coins were issued at this time:

• 5 zloty coin, issued in 1930;
• 10 zloty coin, issued in 1933;
• silver coins in denominations of 2, 5, 10 zlotys, issued in 1932.

Modern history details

In 1944 These include socialist banknotes that did not catch on and were quickly replaced by post-war coins. In 1974, Poland issues a series of new coins, which began to quickly depreciate, the country is again engulfed by a wave of inflation.

exchange rate against the ruble, dollar, where you can change

Before traveling to any country, it is prudent to provide for the moment without which existence abroad is impossible. Each state has its own currency, and for the most part, all monetary manipulations are possible only with money issued by the country you are traveling to.

What is the currency of Poland? Where can I exchange money? Where should you not do this? Which Polish money exchange rate in relation to the ruble and the dollar? We will try to reveal all this in the article.

What currency is used in Poland?

WITH XV century, a new payment unit was introduced in Poland - the zloty, or gold ducat. There were various changes in the appearance of the coins, their value in relation to the penny, and different meanings varied. At first, the ratio was 1:30. That is, 1 zloty was equal to 30 groszy, which in turn was half a kopeck.

In 1924, it was decided to equate the zloty to 100 groszy. This designation is still in effect today.

Thus, Polish money– these are zlotys. In order to be solvent in the Polish state, you need to exchange your country's money for zlotys.

Interesting moments in the formation of the Polish currency

IN XIX century, Warsaw was conquered by the Emperor of the Russian State Alexander I. They were taken into circulation and money in Poland. Issues about the ratio of zlotys to rubles were resolved. As a result, zlotys began to be minted with the image of the Russian coat of arms and the profile of Alexander I.

During the uprising in Poland, the rebels, influencing the government, issued their own currency: the zloty chervonets. This monetary equivalent began to exist in 1931. But the rebel motets were in full circulation for only six months. After the suppression of the uprising, a decree was issued on the confiscation and recoining of all zloty chervonets. True, the withdrawal from circulation dragged on for almost 9 years.

Today, Poland plans to switch to the euro in the coming years. After joining the European Union, the Polish state set this transition as its main goal, but the economic state of the country has not allowed this to be done since 2004.

Where can you change money in Poland?

Unlike Russia, in Poland money is exchanged not in banks, but in separately located exchange offices called “Kantor”. You can find them at train stations and in central places of cities.

It is also important that the exchange rate is set by the offices themselves. It is not fixed and may depend on the days of the week and the city. So, for example, in Warsaw the exchange rate is not reduced on weekdays, but on weekends it is set lower than usual. In Wroclaw at train stations, the exchange rate is stable and does not depend on time or days of the week.

Before making an exchange, it is better to compare prices at the nearest currency exchange offices.

What currency is best to take with you to Poland?

Carrying rubles with you is definitely not profitable. The exchange rate for them is low. It is more practical to go to Poland with dollars or euros. The exchange rate for them is stable and high. By exchanging currency in your country for the dollar, you can win significantly more than exchanging rubles for zlotys in Poland.

By having an understanding of the money used in Poland, you can avoid many mistakes that ruin your holiday. Forewarned is forearmed.