{"id":33288,"date":"2026-04-02T09:24:57","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T09:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/activity\/research-departments\/gabinet-numizmatyczny\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T11:32:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T11:32:25","slug":"numismatic-department","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/activity\/research-departments\/numismatic-department\/","title":{"rendered":"Numismatic Department"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dzial7_6b2f25d9a7ae9a629a42fd596b54ced7_original-1024x478.jpg\" alt=\"Zbli\u017cenie na wypuk\u0142y wizerunek ludzkiej twarzy w profilu na zu\u017cytej, ciemnoszarej metalowej monecie lub medalionie; widoczne nakrycie g\u0142owy z dekoracyjnymi kropkami, otaczaj\u0105cy pier\u015bcie\u0144, rysy i p\u0119kni\u0119cia oraz patyna i zadrapania powierzchni.\" class=\"wp-image-8313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dzial7_6b2f25d9a7ae9a629a42fd596b54ced7_original-1024x478.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dzial7_6b2f25d9a7ae9a629a42fd596b54ced7_original-300x140.jpg 300w, https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dzial7_6b2f25d9a7ae9a629a42fd596b54ced7_original-768x358.jpg 768w, https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dzial7_6b2f25d9a7ae9a629a42fd596b54ced7_original.jpg 1065w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Numismatic Cabinet was founded in 1883. The collection, modest at first, grew mainly thanks to the generosity of private donors, such as MNK Matejko, Leonard Lepszy, Henryk Bukowski, Henryk G\u0105siorowski, Karol Plage, and Maria and Ludwik \u017byty\u0144ski. The donation of Emeryk MNK Czapski\u2019s collection in 1903 brought about a radical change in the Cabinet\u2019s standing, as its collection now included the most representative collection of Polish coins, medals and banknotes, featuring a number of unique items, such as Boles\u0142aw Chrobry\u2019s denarius GNEZDVN CIVITAS and W\u0142adys\u0142aw \u0141okietek\u2019s ducat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Further donations soon followed, including sets of coins from hoards (Dzier\u017cnica II, Pe\u0142czyska). Among the most important donors were Wiktor Wittyga, Julia and Piotr Umi\u0144ski, Bronis\u0142awa Starze\u0144ska, Henryk Ma\u0144kowski, Franciszek Biesiadecki, the Krak\u00f3w City Council, W\u0142adys\u0142aw Bartynowski, Adam Wola\u0144ski and Stanis\u0142aw Mineyka. Items were also acquired through purchases and the exchange of duplicates. After the Second World War, the Cabinet was enriched by further donations, including those from Karol Halama \u2013 ancient coins; Jadwiga and Andrzej Kleczkowski (from Zygmunt Zakrzewski) \u2013 Piast coins \u2013 and, in recent years, donations from Lech Kokoci\u0144ski \u2013 including ancient and counterfeit coins \u2013 as well as from William Stancomb, Jacek Budyn, Tadeusz Zawadzki, Miros\u0142aw Kruszy\u0144ski and Jan J. Ko\u0142ecki. The collection continues to be expanded through purchases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, the Cabinet\u2019s collection comprises approximately 112,000 items. It consists of, amongst others:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>ancient coins (approx. 9,000),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Polish and foreign coins (approx. 62,000),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>medals (approx. 8,160),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>religious medallions (2,687 items),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>banknotes (approx. 18,600),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>miscellaneous items (approx. 6,450 objects)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>deposits (approx. 4,400).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The sub-collection of <strong>ancient coins<\/strong> comprises Greek coins from the Archaic to the Hellenistic periods, Celtic coins, including the famous Krak\u00f3w-type stater, Roman Republican and Imperial coins, and Byzantine coins. The most numerous are the coins of the Roman Empire. An interesting group is formed by Celtic and so-called Germanic coins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within the collection of <strong>Polish coins<\/strong>, the set of denarii from the early Piasts, the Hebrew bracteates of Mieszko III, the groszy of Casimir the Great, the first Polish gold coins and thalers, as well as the Gda\u0144sk and Toru\u0144 donatives (16th\u201317th centuries) are particularly valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the numismatic items historically associated with Poland, mention should be made of Teutonic coins from the Baltic fiefdoms, Saxon-Polish coins, and private and substitute coins. A significant group consists of Oriental coins ranging from medieval to modern, including Arabic, Turkish, Tatar, Indian, Chinese, Korean and Japanese coins. World circulation coins also form an important collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The collection of <strong>paper money and securities<\/strong> contains Polish and foreign banknotes from almost all over the world, covering the period from the late 18th century to the present day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The collection includes, amongst other things, a complete set of Ko\u015bciuszko banknotes from 1794, complete with their spine fastenings, currency of the Duchy of Warsaw with a unique illustrated design, valuable items from the Kingdom of Poland in the zloty currency, including a hand-drawn design by Jan Minheymar, and banknotes denominated in silver roubles. The collection also contains securities from the 19th and 20th centuries, substitute currency ranging from 19th-century dominial bonds to other substitute bonds from the first quarter of the 20th century, including issues by the Polish Legions, and bonds originating from Krak\u00f3w, Lviv and other places of issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The collection of <strong>medals<\/strong> (16th\u201321st centuries) comprises primarily Polish medals (royal and private) as well as foreign ones, including works by the most distinguished artists in this field: Samuel Ammon, Sebastian Dadler, Jan H\u00f6hn the Elder and Jan H\u00f6hn the Younger. Also worthy of note is the rich collection of medals associated with the Saxon electors on the Polish throne (Augustus II and Augustus III), Stanis\u0142aw August Poniatowski, and 19th- and 20th-century medals, among which are works by such artists as David d\u2019Angers, W\u0142adys\u0142aw Oleszczy\u0144ski, Carl Radnitzky, Anton Scharff, Jan Raszka, Jan Wysocki and J\u00f3zef Gos\u0142awski. The sub-section also includes a collection of religious medallions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u2018varia\u2019 sub-collection consists primarily of a collection of <strong>counterfeit coins<\/strong>, which is the only collection of its kind and size in Polish museums. It comprises approximately 3,800 coins, as well as 19th-century counterfeiting dies made by J\u00f3zef Majnert, an employee of the Warsaw Mint, who counterfeited rare Polish coins between 1836 and 1851. The collection includes both modern collector\u2019s forgeries and those from the period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The numismatic collections and library are made available for research purposes in accordance with the National Museum in Krak\u00f3w\u2019s access policy, subject to prior agreement and arrangement of a date with the Cabinet\u2019s staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Access to the collection is available between 9.00 am and 3.00 pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Team<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mateusz Wo\u017aniak<\/strong> \u2013 Head of the Numismatic Department, medieval coins (contact: <a href=\"mailto:mwozniak@mnk.pl\">mwozniak@mnk.pl<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr Anna Bochnak \u2013 modern coins, miscellaneous (contact: <a href=\"mailto:abochnak@mnk.pl\">abochnak@mnk.pl<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr Jaros\u0142aw Bodzek \u2013 ancient coins (contact: <a href=\"mailto:jbodzek@mnk.pl)\">jbodzek@mnk.pl<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dorota Malarczyk \u2013 Oriental coins and world circulation coins (contact: <a href=\"mailto:dmalarczyk@mnk.pl\">dmalarczyk@mnk.pl<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr Agnieszka Smo\u0142ucha-S\u0142adkowska \u2013 medals (contact: <a href=\"mailto:asladkowska@mnk.pl\">asladkowska@mnk.pl<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr Barbara Zaj\u0105c \u2013 paper money (contact: <a href=\"mailto:bzajac@mnk.pl\">bzajac@mnk.pl<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Numismatic Cabinet was founded in 1883. The collection, modest at first, grew mainly thanks to the generosity of private donors, such as MNK Matejko, Leonard Lepszy, Henryk Bukowski, Henryk G\u0105siorowski, Karol Plage, and Maria and Ludwik \u017byty\u0144ski. The donation of Emeryk MNK Czapski\u2019s collection in 1903 brought about a radical change in the Cabinet\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":24032,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-33288","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33288"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33288\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33289,"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33288\/revisions\/33289"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.mnk.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}