Swobody! Fabryk! i Ziemi! Help my exchange my zloty!

January 24, 2006 7:26 PM

I have a not-insignificant amount of Polish zlotych. Help me figure out if and how I can exchange it...

My zlotych appears to have been issued in 1988. My local currency exchange told me that the zloty was recently reissued by Poland, and that it might not be possible for me to get this exchanged. Is there someone knowledgeable in regards to Polish currency that could give me some advice and let me know whether this is worth anything or if I've just got some fancy paper?

This is what is looks like.

posted by deafmute to work & money (7 comments total)

The transition from old to new zlotych took place in 1995/6 (10,000 old = 1 new) so it's a fair bet that the time for cashing in the old notes has long passed. You're in 'souvenir value' territory, I think.
posted by holgate at 7:46 PM on January 24, 2006

I'm pretty sure you have fancy paper.

As a result of hyperinflation in the early 1990s, the decimal point on the currency was moved by four places. Thus, on January 1, 1995, 10,000 old złotych (PLZ) became one new złoty (PLN).

The same thing happened in Romania recently, and there was a limited grace period during which the old notes will be accepted, after which they will be worthless, as far as I know. Can one still do anything will old deutschmarks or francs?

Anyways at 10,000(old zloty):$3.50 US, you'd have to have an awful lot of it to bother looking any further.
posted by loquax at 7:47 PM on January 24, 2006

Ahhh I didn't take into account the fact that old zlotych would be wayy less valuable than the new stuff. Thanks for the help.
posted by deafmute at 7:52 PM on January 24, 2006

BTW, the plural is zloty, unless you are speaking Polish. THings get a little complicated for there on in.

You could exchange your money at a Polish bank, but you may have less than you think. In 1995, the currency was devalued , I think 10,000 to 1, but I could be wrong. Currently there are 3 zloty to the dollar. So divide your zloty by 30,000.

Your money is probably worth more as an historical curiosity. I'd hold on to it for a few years till real nostalgia kicks in. It looks like it's in great shape.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 7:58 PM on January 24, 2006

Yes, whoops, I got that exchange rate all wrong, sorry.
posted by loquax at 8:08 PM on January 24, 2006

Thanks for the help again everyone, and thank you for the grammar correction, gesamtkunstwerk (I mean it!).
posted by deafmute at 12:14 AM on January 25, 2006

Lots of them on eBay. There's a guy in Germany selling a 100-piece stack of 100 Zloty notes for $11 US. (eBay item 8374356554)
posted by daveleck at 8:48 AM on January 25, 2006