“The Slovak National Minority in Poland”

Collector coins “The Slovak Minority in Poland” will be available for sale from 12 June 2024.

The 10 złoty coin is made of 999 purity silver, has a diameter of 32.00 mm and weighs 14.14 g. Its mintage will be up to 10,000 pieces. The coins will be sold at all the Regional Branches of NBP and in the Kolekcjoner online shop at the price of PLN 220.

The reverse of the coin features the image of Ludvik Korkoš’s sculpture “Man and the Universe” against the background representing the tricolour flag of Slovakia. The obverse shows the view of Mount Babia Góra as seen from the village of Jabłonka, which is one of the centres of the Slovak minority in Poland, and the armband used by “Slovak” 535th platoon soldiers in the Warsaw Uprising (its image was modelled on the armband on loan at the Museum of Warsaw). The obverse also bears silhouettes of people symbolising the Slovak minority community.

The Slovak minority in Poland consists of two historically formed communities – members of the Slovak diaspora in Warsaw and part of the inhabitants of Upper Orava and Upper Spiš.  

The Warsaw community was formed as a result of migration before World War I. The then migrants were mainly Slovak merchants and entrepreneurs. This community was integrated into Polish society. Its members were loyal to the Polish state, but at the same time retained a Slovak national consciousness. They considered Poland as their second homeland. During World War II, many of them stood in solidarity with the Polish resistance movement.

In 1942, the underground Slovak National Committee was established in Poland and cooperated with the Polish Underground State. This was possible thanks to the cooperation of the Polish and Czechoslovakian governments in exile in London. Upon the agreement with the Polish Home Army command, the “Slovak” 535th platoon of the Home Army was formed. It also included representatives of other nationalities. Second lieutenant Miroslaw Iringh was the commander of the platoon, which took part in the battles of the Warsaw Uprising.

The regions of Upper Orava and Upper Spiš were incorporated into Poland in 1920 pursuant to the decision of the Conference of Ambassadors, which thus settled the border disputes between Poland and Czechoslovakia. Some of the inhabitants of these regions still claim Slovak nationality.

The most important artist from the Slovak minority community in Poland was the academic sculptor Ludvík Korkoš (1928-1992), whose work is depicted on the reverse of the coin. Korkoš came from the village of Czarna Góra in the Polish Spiš region. He graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague and was a professor at the Secondary School of Arts and Crafts in Bratislava from 1953 to 1981. He transformed the motifs, originally inspired by the folk traditions of the Slovaks residing in Poland, into abstract art. Korkoš identified himself with this community to the end of his life, although he spent his artistic life in Slovakia.

NBP collector coins and notes are sold in commercial packaging with an attached certificate.

The next issue of collector coins is scheduled for 25 June 2024. On this day, Narodowy Bank Polski will be putting into circulation silver collector coins “The 80th Anniversary of Home Army Operation »Ostra Brama«”, with a face value of 10 złoty.   

Contact data:

Contact for collectors: e-mail kolekcjoner@nbp.pl, tel. +48 22 185 17 05

Contact for the media: e-mail press@nbp.pl, tel. +48 22 185 2012

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About NBP

Narodowy Bank Polski holds the exclusive right to issue banknotes and coins in Poland. All currency issued by NBP – including collector banknotes and coins – is legal tender in Poland. Issuing collector items is an occasion to commemorate important historic figures and anniversaries, as well as to develop the interest of the public in Polish culture, science and tradition.

High-resolution images of the coins: https://nbp.pl/en/coins-and-banknotes/collector-coins/catalogue/