Money exchange issues always disturb visitors. What does the local currency look like? What is the most profitable course? How not to get a fake?
The state payment unit of the People's Republic of Poland approved the Polish zloty. The coinage and issue are assigned to the National Bank of the country. The currency in Poland consists of one hundred pennies and is recognized as the only legal means of payment in the country.
History of becoming
Initially, Poland did not have its own monetary unit. In everyday life there were coins minted outside the country. This created serious problems. Each coin in commodity exchange had to be evaluated. This significantly lengthened the calculation process. The first currency in Poland appeared after the approval of the Sejm in 1496. Zloty then equaled thirty pennies. The name itself, translated from the national language, means gold.
The modern currency in Poland appeared in 1924, after the approval of the new monetary system. Under the communist regime, the zloty became a purely domestic currency with low conversion and a high level of fluctuations. By 1995, he had devalued to such an extent that salaries were in the millions. That is why in 1995 a denomination was made at the rate of a thousand to one. New zloty can be found in banknotes in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200. Coins of 1, 2 and 5 zloty are also minted.
Until 2006, banknotes were decorated with portraits of kings. A new series is dedicated to famous figures, for example, Pope John Paul II. Although the country has been a member of the European Union since 2004, it is in no hurry to enter the eurozone and abandon its own currency.
Exchange points
Since the zloty is not the main world currency, it is very difficult to exchange such money anywhere outside the country. In Poland itself, currency exchange between private individuals is prohibited and prosecuted, but tourists have a wide network of banking institutions and private exchange offices at their disposal. You can easily find the "exchanger" by the signboard "Cantor exchange of currencies." You can find them in tourist areas, train stations, at customs and border points. At the entrance you can change the currency to zloty at the border point with the inscription, for example, "Currency rates Poland Bialystok."
Be careful, many private traders charge an additional commission for the exchange, or the zloty exchange rate is too low. At any exchange office in the country, the currency of Poland is available. The course to the ruble, as well as to the hryvnia, is very disadvantageous. Therefore, it is recommended to exchange US dollars or euros.
Exchange offices function from eight to sixteen. Since banks do not work on weekends, the rate in private "exchangers" over the weekend falls due to the lack of an alternative. The difference sometimes reaches twenty percent. It is worth noting that when exchanging coins of any country of any denomination, you will be offered an exchange rate 30 percent lower. Also, do not forget to ask for a discount when exchanging amounts of more than 500 euros.
Eurozone
In some supermarkets and shops where there is a corresponding plate, you can freely pay the euro on a par with the zloty. However, this is a voluntary will of the buyer, and no one can force you to pay in euros. A similar system is a desire to show the state’s intentions to join the eurozone. In this case, the state currency in Poland will be replaced by the euro, which will simplify mutual settlements with partners from neighboring countries. But for this, Poland must stabilize its monetary unit to the required indicators.
Banking system
The banking system is well developed in Poland, which allows controlling and maintaining the local currency at a good level. Thanks to a wide system of ATMs, you can cash out money and make an exchange at any time and at a good rate.