A banknote commemorating the birth of Frederic Chopin 200 years ago is today being auctioned on the internet.

The banknote is issued by the National Bank of Poland, and is the first to be put under the hammer by the Bank’s “Kolekcjoner” auction website. 100,000 of the printed 120,000 banknotes have been put on sale.

The auction is expected to last until 1pm on the 12 February. The “Kolekcjoner” auction site allows bidders to buy up to five banknotes at a time, with numismatic companies offered up to 3,000 of the notes at a time.

The asking price for the coveted Chopin banknote is 25 zlotys (around 6 euros), even though their nominal value is 20 zlotys. There is a cap of 50 zlotys that may be paid for a single banknote.

Chopin’s very own banknote contains an artistic impression of the Masovian countryside which was close to the composer, as well as a few bars of the Etude in F-minor, op.10 no. 9.

The National Bank of Poland has already issued a number of banknotes commemorating famous Poles, including Pope John Paul II, and the 200th anniversary of the birth of poet Juliusz Slowacki.

Readers interested in the auction may go to kolekcjoner.nbp.pl to take part. (jb)

Images courtesy: National Bank of Poland