People queue up to buy collector banknotes with Lech Kaczyński

NBP collector banknotes with a face value of 20 zloty, as well as 500-zloty coins, commemorating Poland's late president Lech Kaczyński, issued in recognition of his merit to the homeland, have been put on the market.

The central bank said in a statement that up to 80,000 notes, and up to 1,500 coins, would be issued. The former would be available at a price of 100 zlotys, while the latter - for 9,500 zlotys.

The banknotes and coins can be purchased at NBP branches or at the NBP Kolekcjoner internet store.

The front of the banknote features a portrait of Prof. Lech Kaczyński, President of the Republic of Poland, an image of the Order of the White Eagle, and an image of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. 

The back of the banknote features an image of the building of the Warsaw Rising Museum, a crowd of strikers in the Gdańsk Shipyard in the 1980s, the inscription SOLIDARNOŚĆ (Solidarity), and a view of the Polish War Cemetery in Katyń.

Long queues formed in front of NBP branches in many cities across Poland, including Warsaw and Opole.

In the Opole branch of the central bank, all gold coins with Lech Kaczyński's likeness were sold out in the first few minutes. The demand was so high that the first buyers formed a queue already on Monday evening.

The director of the branch said hundreds lined up to buy the 20-zloty banknotes.

The items are also in high demand on popular e-commerce sites, such as Allegro and OLX. The prices, however, are much higher than at the NBP and oscillate between 170 and 280 zlotys.