TROYAK EXECUTIVE TEAM is informing all members, colleagues, collectors, and Polonia at large, that Club meetings taking place at John Paul II Polish Cultural Centre, 4300 Cawthra Rd. (just south of Hwy. 403), Mississauga, Ontario. The new members are always welcome. www.polishculturalcentre.ca
ADRES SPOTKAÑ KLUBOWYCH ! Zarząd Główny Klubu “Troyak” informuje wszystkich członków kolekcjonerów, sympatyków oraz całą Polonię, że spotkania klubowe odbywają się w Polskim Centrum Kultury im. Jana Pawła II, przy 4300 Cawthra Rd. (na południe od autostrady 403), Mississauga, Ontario. Zapraszamy nowych członków do prężnego. Klubu “Troyak”. www.polishculturalcentre.ca
“TROYAK” CLUB NEXT MEETINGS …
NASTĘPNE SPOTKANIA KLUBU “TROYAK” …
Sunday 23rd February 2025 @ 4:30 p.m.
Sunday – 2nd March 2025 @ 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Mississauga Coin & Stamp Show
30th March 2025 @ 4:30 p.m.
27th April 2025
25th May 2025
29th June 2025
July & August 2025 – Summer break … Letnie wakacje …
TROYAK CLUB @ Roncesvalles Polish Festival 2025
Saturday, September 13th, 2025 &
Sunday, September 14th, 2025
https://polishfestival.ca www.kazimierz.org
St. Casimir’s Church
Parish Hall … 156 Roncesvalles Ave. Toronto, Ontario
Stamp Exhibit … Pope John Paul II on World Stamps
and Displays of Coins, Stamps, Collectibles
by Troyak Club Members.
Roncesvalles Polish Festival
www.troyakclub.com
28th September 2025
26th October 2025
30th November 2025
December 2025 … Happy Holidays!
Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy
Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity
www.poczta-polska.pl
06.12.2024 … Na znaczku umieszczono grafikę tożsamą z tą, towarzyszącą 33. Finałowi WOŚP oraz hasło „zdrowie i bezpieczeństwo”. W grafice koperty FDC znajduje się również hasło 33. Finału – „GRAMY DLA ONKOLOGII I HEMATOLOGII DZIECIĘCEJ”. W grafice datownika – tradycyjne „serduszko” WOŚP. Projekt zrealizowany w ścisłej współpracy z Fundacją WOŚP. “33. Finał WOŚP to kolejny krok w walce o zdrowie dzieci w Polsce. Już 26 stycznia 2025 roku zagramy dla 18 oddziałów dziecięcych, 17 hospicjów, 5 ośrodków neurochirurgii onkologicznej, 6 ośrodków chirurgii onkologicznej oraz 4 zakładów patomorfologii. Dzięki zebranym środkom możliwe będzie zakupienie najnowszego sprzętu diagnostycznego, który pomoże lekarzom w walce z nowotworami i innymi ciężkimi chorobami hematologicznymi u dzieci.
Ze środków zebranych podczas 33. Finału WOŚP, Fundacja planuje zakupić urządzenia dla: *** Chirurgii onkologicznej, m.in. zestawy laparoskopowe, roboty do chirurgii onkologicznej, cystoskopy, aspiratory ultradźwiękowe i mobilne aparaty RTG cyfrowe. *** Neurochirurgii, m.in. egzoskopy neurochirurgiczne, koagulacja dwubiegunowa.*** Diagnostyki onkologicznej, m.in. urządzenia do mapowania magnetycznego mózgu, rezonanse magnetyczne MRI, aparaty USG. *** Patomorfologii, m.in. aparaty do śródoperacyjnej tomografii, procesory tkankowe, skanery do preparatów histopatologicznych. *** Hospicjów, m.in. koncentratory tlenu, materace przeciwodleżynowe.” /ze strony WOŚP/ Nominał znaczka: 4,90 zł … Autor projektu: Jerzy Owsiak, Katarzyna Sasin; Ilość znaczków w emisji: 1; Ilość znaczków w arkuszu: 6; Format znaczka: 45 x 45 mm; Papier: Fluorescencyjny; Technika druku: Offset; Nakład: 144 000 szt.; Format koperty FDC: 162×113 mm.
06.12.2024 … Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity … The stamp features a graphic identical to the one accompanying the 33rd WOSP (GOCC) Finale, as well as the slogan “health and safety.” The graphic of the FDC envelope also features the slogan of the 33rd Finale – “WE PLAY FOR CHILDREN’S ONCOLOGY AND HEMATOLOGY”. In the graphic of the date stamp – the traditional “heart” of WOŚP (GOCC). Project carried out in close cooperation with the WOŚP Foundation. Denomination: 4,90 PLN; Designer: Jerzy Owsiak, Katarzyna Sasin; Number of stamps in issue: 1; Number of stamps in sheet: 6; Stamp size: 45 x 45 mm; Paper: Fluorescent: Printing techniques: Offset; Print run: 144 000 pcs; FDC size: 162×113 mm.
Szopki bożonarodzeniowe
Christmas Cribs / Christmas Nativity Scenes
www.poczta-polska.pl
10.12.2024 … Poczta Polska wyemituje w grudniu 2024 r. trzy znaczki pocztowe emisji “Szopki bożonarodzeniowe” przygotowane we współpracy z Muzeum Krakowa, prezentujące szopki autorstwa: Dariusza Czyża, Wiesława Barczewskiego oraz Marzeny Dłużniewskiej (kolejność z górnego paska arkusza). W grafice koperty FDC znajduje się szopka autorstwa Jakuba Zawadzińskiego.
Nominał znaczka: 4,90 zł; Autor projektu: Joanna Fleszar – Haspert; Ilość znaczków w emisji: 3; Ilość znaczków w arkuszu: 6; Format znaczka: 31 x 52 mm; Papier: Fluorescencyjny; Technika druku: Offset; Nakład: 120 000 szt.; Format koperty FDC: 162×113 mm.
Christmas Cribs … 10.12.2024 … The Polish Post will issue three postage stamps of the “Christmas Cribs”, “Nativity Scenes”, issue in December 2024, prepared in cooperation with the Cracow Museum, presenting cribs by: Dariusz Czyż, Wiesław Barczewski and Marzena Dłużniewska (order from the top bar of the sheet). The FDC envelope graphic features a Christmas crib by Jakub Zawadziński. Denomination: 4,90 PLN; Designer: Joanna Fleszar – Haspert; Number of stamps in issue: 3; Number of stamps in sheet: 6; Paper: Fluorescent; Stamp size: 31 x 52 mm; Printing techniques: Offset; Print run: 120 000 pcs; FDC size: 162×113 mm.
Polska Prezydencja w Radzie UE 2025
Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2025
www.poczta-polska.pl
12.12.2024 … Na znaczku przedstawiono oficjalny logotyp Polskiej Prezydencji w Radzie UE. W grafice koperty FDC – zarys państw tworzących obecnie Unię Europejską oraz logo prezydencji. W grafice datownika – 12 pięcioramiennych gwiazd, nawiązujących do flagi Unii Europejskiej – symbolizujących jedność, solidarność i równowagę między państwami członkowskimi, umieszczonych w okręgu podkreślającym równorzędność wszystkich krajów w UE. Autorem logo jest Pan Jerzy Janiszewski – twórca jednego z najbardziej rozpoznawalnych znaków graficznych na świecie – symbolu Solidarności, a także symbolu pierwszej polskiej prezydencji w Radzie UE, która miała miejsce w roku 2011. Artysta wkomponowując polską flagę w akronim EU odzwierciedlił synergię i partnerstwo łączące Polskę i Unię Europejską. Nominał znaczka: 10,00 zł; Autor projektu: Poczta Polska S.A.; Ilość znaczków w emisji: 1; Ilość znaczków w arkuszu: 6; Format znaczka: 43 x 31,25 mm; Papier: Fluorescencyjny; Technika druku: Offset; Nakład: 120 000 szt.; Format koperty FDC: 162×113 mm.
12.12. 2025 … Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2025 … The stamp presents the official logo of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council. In the graphic of the FDC envelope – an outline of the countries currently forming the European Union and the logo of the Presidency. In the graphic of the postmark – 12 five-pointed stars, referring to the flag of the European Union – symbolizing unity, solidarity and balance among member states, placed in a circle emphasizing the equality of all countries in the EU. The author of the logo is Mr. Jerzy Janiszewski – creator of one of the most recognizable graphic signs in the world – the symbol of Solidarity, as well as the symbol of the first Polish presidency of the EU Council, which took place in 2011. By incorporating the Polish flag into the acronym EU, the artist reflected the synergy and partnership linking Poland and the European Union.
Denomination: 10,00 PLN; Designer: Poczta Polska S.A.; Number of stamps in issue: 1; Number of stamps in sheet: 6; Stamp size: 43 x 31,25 mm; Paper: Fluorescent; Print run: 120 000 pcs; Printing techniques: Offset; FDC size: 162×113 mm.
Szopki bożonarodzeniowe – nowodruk – 2024
Christmas cribs – official reprint – 2024
www.poczta-polska.pl
20-12-2024 … Komplet nowodruków perforowanych i nieperforo-wanych emisji “Szopki bożonarodzeniowe”. Znaczek numer 5427 przedstawia szopkę – eksponat będący własnością Muzeum Krakowa, ktorego autorem jest Wiesław Barczewski. Wydawnictwo nie ma ważności obiegowej i nie może być użyte do opłacania przesyłek pocztowych. Nowodruki sprzedawane są w komplecie (cięty i perforowany) o tym samym numerze oraz wydawane są losowo. Autor projektu: Joanna Fleszar – Haspert; Nakład: 6 000 szt.; Papier: Fluorescencyjny; Technika druku: Offset.
20-12-2024 … Set of official reprints perforated and unperforated issue “Christmas cribs” … Stamp number 5427 shows a nativity scene – an exhibit owned by the Museum of Krakow, whose author is Wieslaw Barczewski. The issue has no circulation validity and cannot be used to pay for postage. Reprints are sold as a set (perforated and unperforated) with the same number, and are issued randomly. Designer: Joanna Fleszar – Haspert; Paper: Fluorescent; Printing techniques: Offset; Print run: 6 000 pcs.
Wyklęci przez komunistów żołnierze niezłomi
– Henryk Flame „Bartek”
www.nbp.pl
Narodowy Bank Polski ma wyłączne prawo emitowania znaków pieniężnych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, w tym monet i banknotów kolekcjonerskich. Wszystkie monety i banknoty emitowane przez NBP są prawnym środkiem płatniczym w Polsce. Emisja wartości kolekcjonerskich stanowi okazję do upamiętniania ważnych historycznych rocznic i postaci oraz do rozwijania zainteresowań polską kulturą, nauką i tradycją. Na każdej polskiej monecie znajdują się: nominał, napis „Rzeczpospolita Polska”, rok emisji, wizerunek orła ustalony dla godła Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. 14 listopada 2024 roku Narodowy Bank Polski wprowadził do obiegu srebrną monetę o nominale 10 zł „Wyklęci przez komunistów żołnierze niezłomni” – „Henryk Flame »Bartek«”.
Nominał: 10 zł … Metal: Ag 925/1000; Stempel: lustrzany, tampondruk; Średnica: 32,00 mm; Masa: 14,14 g; Brzeg (bok): gładki; Nakład: do 10 000 szt.; Projektantka: Dobrochna Surajewska; Emitent: NBP; Na zlecenie NBP monety wyprodukowała Mennica Polska S A.
Na awersie srebrnej monety przedstawiono rozerwane kraty więzienne. Na rewersie monety znajdują się wizerunki: Henryka Flamego ps. „Bartek”, Krzyża Komandorskiego Orderu Odrodzenia Polski, wstęgi o barwach Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z symbolem Polski Walczącej, napis: „Zachowali się jak trzeba” oraz daty urodzin i śmierci „Bartka”: 1918–1947.
Henryk Flame urodził się 15 stycznia 1918 r. we Frysztacie na Zaolziu. W Szkole Przemysłowej w Bielsku uzyskał zawód ślusarza mechanika samolotów. W 1936 r. wstąpił na ochotnika do wojska i rozpoczął naukę w Szkole Podoficerów Lotnictwa dla Małoletnich w Bydgoszczy. Ukończył ją w 1939 r. w stopniu kaprala pilota, następnie dostał przydział do 123 Eskadry Myśliwskiej 2 Pułku Lotniczego. W wojnie obronnej jako pilot 123 Eskadry Myśliwskiej przydzielonej do Brygady Pościgowej bronił nieba nad Warszawą. 1 września 1939 r., w pierwszej bitwie powietrznej II wojny światowej, w okolicach Zakroczymia samolot kpr. Flamego został ostrzelany podczas próby osłony swojego dowódcy. Pilot był zmuszony do lądowania. Po 17 września został zestrzelony przez Rosjan w okolicach Stanisławowa, ale uratował się i udało mu się przekroczyć granicę z Węgrami. Tam był internowany, jednak znów szczęście mu dopisało i uciekł z obozu. Zadenuncjowany przez węgierskiego gospodarza trafił do niemieckiego obozu jenieckiego. Po zwolnieniu wrócił do domu rodzinnego w Czechowicach, gdzie założył Harcerską Armię Krajową, która zajmowała się wywiadem i sabotażem.
W związku z powołaniem do armii niemieckiej jesienią 1943 r. oraz w obliczu zagrażającej dekonspiracji i aresztowania Flame wraz z podkomendnymi uciekł do lasu, gdzie zorganizował samodzielny oddział partyzancki operujący na Podbeskidziu. W październiku 1944 r. został zaprzysiężony jako żołnierz Narodowych Sił Zbrojnych. W lutym 1945 r., po zajęciu Czechowic przez Sowietów, ujawnił się na polecenie dowództwa NSZ i został komendantem miejscowego komisariatu MO, który obsadził swoimi ludźmi. W kwietniu 1945 r. Flame uciekł ze swoimi ludźmi w pobliskie lasy i zaczął odtwarzać oddziały partyzanckie VII Okręgu Śląsko-Cieszyńskiego NSZ. Od tej pory posługiwał się pseudonimem „Bartek”. Od maja 1945 r. do lutego 1947 r. stał na czele największego zgrupowania niepodległościowego na Śląsku Cieszyńskim, liczącego ponad 300 dobrze uzbrojonych i umundurowanych żołnierzy. Oddział przeprowadził przeciwko komunistom ok. 340 akcji zbrojnych.
Najsłynniejsza miała miejsce 3 maja 1946 r. Zgrupowanie zajęło miejscowość Wisłę i zorganizowało tam dwugodzinną defiladę w 155. rocznicę uchwalenia pierwszej nowoczesnej europejskiej konstytucji – Konstytucji 3 maja. Większość żołnierzy Henryka Flamego wskutek komunistycznej prowokacji „Lawina” została przewieziona przez funkcjonariuszy UB na Opolszczyznę i tam zamordowana. Dowódca po ogłoszeniu przez komunistów amnestii, nie widząc możliwości dalszego oporu, ujawnił się 11 marca 1947 r. w Cieszynie. Potem starał się ustalić, co się stało z jego podwładnymi, a gdy dowiedział się o ich losie, szukał miejsca komunistycznej zbrodni. Ujawnienie się „Bartka” było dla komunistów ogromnym sukcesem, przyćmiewanym jednak przez fakt, że Flame skorzystał z amnestii i w związku z tym był chroniony. Według nich powinien ponieść karę, przygotowano więc kolejną prowokację. Do skrytobójczego mordu Flamego doszło 1 grudnia 1947 r. w Zabrzegu pod Czechowicami. Zamachowcem był miejscowy milicjant Rudolf Dadak, który nigdy nie został osądzony za swoją zbrodnię. Informacja: Tadeusz Płużański.
The Enduring Soldiers Accursed by the Communists
– Henryk Flame “Bartek”
www.nbp.pl
Narodowy Bank Polski holds the exclusive right to issue the currency of the Republic of Poland, including collector coins and banknotes. All coins and banknotes issued by NBP are legal tender in Poland. Issuing collector items is an occasion to commemorate important historic figures and anniversaries as well as to develop the interest of the public in Polish culture, science and tradition. All Polish collector coins feature: face value, inscription: Rzeczpospolita Polska, year of issue, image of the Eagle established as the state emblem of the Republic of Poland. On 14 November 2024, Narodowy Bank Polski issued into circulation a silver coin of the series “The Enduring Soldiers Accursed by the Communists” – “Henryk Flame ‘Bartek’”, with a face value of 10 złoty.
Face value: 10 zł … Metal: Ag 925/1000; Finish: proof, pad printing; Diameter: 32.00 mm; Weight: 14.14 g; Edge (side): plain; Mintage: up to 10,000 pcs; Designer: Dobrochna Surajewska; Issuer: Narodowy Bank Polski; The coins, commissioned by Narodowy Bank Polski, were struck by Mennica Polska S A.
The obverse of the silver coin features prison bars torn apart. The reverse of the coin carries the images of: Henryk Flame, “Bartek”, the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, a white-and-red flag with the symbol of Fighting Poland, and the inscriptions: “Zachowali się jak trzeba” (“They acted as they should”) and “1918–1947” (Bartek’s dates of birth and death).
Henryk Flame was born on 15 January 1918 in Fryštát in Zaolzie. At the Bielsko Industrial School, he obtained the profession of aircraft mechanic locksmith. In 1936, he volunteered for the army and enrolled at the Aviation NCO School for Minors in Bydgoszcz. He graduated in 1939 with the rank of corporal pilot, and was then assigned to the 123rd Fighter Squadron of the 2nd Air Force Regiment. In the defence war, as a pilot of the 123rd Fighter Squadron assigned to the Pursuit Brigade, he defended the skies over Warsaw. On 1 September 1939, in the first air battle of the Second World War, in the vicinity of Zakroczym, Cpl. Flame’s plane was shot at while trying to shield his commanding officer. The pilot was forced to land. After 17 September, he was shot down by the Russians near Stanisławów, but survived and managed to cross the border into Hungary. There he was interned, but again he was fortunate enough to escape from the camp. Denounced by a Hungarian farmer, he was sent to a German prisoner of war camp. After his release, he returned to his family home in Czechowice, where he founded the Scouting Home Army, which was active in intelligence work and sabotage. Having been called up to the German army in the autumn of 1943, and facing the risk of his cover being exposed and subsequent arrest, Flame escaped into the forest, together with his subordinates, where he organised an independent partisan unit operating in the Podbeskidzie region.
In October 1944, he was sworn in as a soldier of the National Armed Forces (NSZ). In February 1945, after Czechowice was seized by the Soviets, he revealed himself at the behest of the NSZ command and became the head of the local police station, which he staffed with his own men. In April 1945, Flame escaped with his men into the nearby forests and began to reconstitute partisan units of the NSZ 7th Silesian-Cieszyn District. From then on, he used the pseudonym “Bartek”. From May 1945 to February 1947, he headed the largest unit of anti-communist resistance fighters in the Cieszyn Silesia region, consisting of more than 300 well-armed and uniformed soldiers. The unit carried out about 340 armed raids against the communists. The most famous one took place on 3 May 1946. The unit occupied the town of Wisła, where they organised a two-hour parade on the 155th anniversary of the adoption of the first modern European constitution − the Constitution of 3 May 1791.
As a result of a communist provocation, most of Henryk Flame’s soldiers were transported by secret police officers to the O p o l e region and murdered there. Their commander, after the communists announced an amnesty, seeing no possibility of further resistance, revealed himself on 11 March 1947 in Cieszyn. He then tried to establish what had happened to his subordinates, and when he learned of their fate, he searched for the site of the communist crime. The act of “Bartek” revealing himself was a huge success for the communists, overshadowed, however, by the fact that Flame had benefited from the amnesty and was therefore granted immunity. According to them, he should bear the punishment, so another provocation was prepared. The assassination of Henryk Flame was carried out on 1 December 1947 in Zabrzeg near Czechowice. The assassin was a local policeman, Rudolf Dadak, who was never tried for his crime. Info: Tadeusz Płużański.
Wyklęci przez komunistów żołnierze niezłomni
– ks. Władysław Gurgacz „Sem”
www.nbp.pl
Narodowy Bank Polski ma wyłączne prawo emitowania znaków pieniężnych Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, w tym monet i banknotów kolekcjonerskich. Wszystkie monety i banknoty emitowane przez NBP są prawnym środkiem płatniczym w Polsce. Emisja wartości kolekcjonerskich stanowi okazję do upamiętniania ważnych historycznych rocznic i postaci oraz do rozwijania zainteresowań polską kulturą, nauką i tradycją. Na każdej polskiej monecie znajdują się: nominał, napis „Rzeczpospolita Polska”, rok emisji, wizerunek orła ustalony dla godła Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. 14 listopada 2024 roku Narodowy Bank Polski wprowadził do obiegu srebrną monetę o nominale 10 zł „Wyklęci przez komunistów żołnierze niezłomni” – „Ks. Władysław Gurgacz »Sem«”.
Nominał : 10 zł … Metal: Ag 925/1000; Stempel: lustrzany, tampondruk; Średnica: 32,00 mm; Masa: 14,14 g; Brzeg (bok): gładki ; Nakład: do 10 000 szt.; Projektantka: Dobrochna Surajewska; Emitent: NBP; Na zlecenie NBP monety wyprodukowała Mennica Polska S A.
Na awersie srebrnej monety przedstawiono rozerwane kraty więzienne. Na rewersie monety znajdują się wizerunki: ks. Władysława Gurgacza ps. „Sem”, Krzyża Komandorskiego Orderu Odrodzenia Polski, wstęgi o barwach Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z symbolem Polski Walczącej, napis: „Zachowali się jak trzeba” oraz daty urodzin i śmierci „Sema”: 1914–1949.
Władysław Gurgacz urodził się 2 kwietnia 1914 r. w Jabłonicy Polskiej, wsi niedaleko Krosna. Był synem Marii i Jana Gurgaczów. Ukończył szkołę powszechną w Jabłonicy oraz gimnazjum w Korczynie. W wieku 17 lat wstąpił do nowicjatu księży jezuitów w Starej Wsi. W 1937 r. rozpoczął studia filozoficzne w Krakowie. 7 kwietnia 1939 r. złożył na Jasnej Górze Akt całkowitej ofiary za Ojczyznę w potrzebie. W sierpniu 1942 r. na Jasnej Górze przyjął święcenia kapłańskie. Po zakończeniu II wojny światowej objął probostwo w Gorlicach, a następnie w Krynicy. Publicznie przestrzegał przed rządami sowieckich okupantów, którzy chcieli zniszczyć jedność i wiarę katolicką Polaków. Kazania ks. Gurgacza znalazły się pod lupą komunistycznych służb. Spodziewając się aresztowania, kapłan uciekł z Krynicy i przyłączył się do oddziału „Żandarmerii” Polskiej Podziemnej Armii Niepodległościowców, który stacjonował w lasach Beskidu Sądeckiego. Partyzanci nazywali go „Ojcem”, zaś ksiądz przybrał pseudonim „Sem” (skrót od łacińskiego Servus Mariae – Sługa Maryi). Nauczał swoich towarzyszy, aby postępowali zgodnie z chrześcijańską etyką. „Żandarmeria” była tropiona przez oddziały Urzędu Bezpieczeństwa.
Wiosną 1949 r. rozdzieliła się na mniejsze grupy. Ta, w której znalazł się jezuita, pozbawiona środków na dalszą działalność, przeprowadziła akcję rekwizycyjną. 2 lipca 1949 r. partyzanci napadli na państwowy bank w Krakowie. Finalnie aresztowano wszystkich członków grupy. Ks. Gurgacz nie brał udziału w akcji, ale oddał się w ręce bezpieki. Jak tłumaczył swoją decyzję: „Nie uciekłem […], ponieważ nie chciałem pozostawić członków organizacji i tak samo jak i oni chciałem ponieść odpowiedzialność”. Wszyscy osadzeni zostali poddani ciężkiemu śledztwu w więzieniu przy ul. Montelupich w Krakowie. 13 sierpnia 1949 r. w ostatnich słowach ks. Gurgacz mówił przed Wojskowym Sądem Rejonowym: „[…] ci młodzi ludzie, których tutaj sądzicie, to nie bandyci, jak ich oszczerczo nazywacie, ale obrońcy Ojczyzny! Nie żałuję tego, co czyniłem.
Moje czyny były zgodne z tym, o czym myślą miliony Polaków, tych Polaków, o których obecnym losie zadecydowały bagnety NKWD. Na śmierć pójdę chętnie. Cóż to jest zresztą śmierć?… Wierzę, że każda kropla krwi niewinnie przelanej zrodzi tysiące przeciwników i obróci się wam na zgubę”. Władysława Gurgacza kłamliwie przedstawiono jako „herszta bandy”, a akt oskarżenia był również atakiem na polski Kościół. 14 września 1949 r. księdza oraz dwóch żołnierzy „Żandarmerii”, których kapelan do końca wspierał, zamordowano na podwórzu krakowskiego więzienia strzałem w tył głowy. Ciało Władysława Gurgacza zostało potajemnie zakopane na cmentarzu Rakowickim w Krakowie. Szczątki kapłana odnaleźli w październiku 2018 r. pracownicy Instytutu Pamięci Narodowej. Informacja: Tadeusz Płużański.
The Enduring Soldiers Accursed by the Communists
– Rev. Władysław Gurgacz “Sem”
www.nbp.pl
Narodowy Bank Polski holds the exclusive right to issue the currency of the Republic of Poland, including collector coins and banknotes. All coins and banknotes issued by NBP are legal tender in Poland. Issuing collector items is an occasion to commemorate important historic figures and anniversaries as well as to develop the interest of the public in Polish culture, science and tradition. All Polish collector coins feature: face value, inscription: Rzeczpospolita Polska, year of issue, image of the Eagle established as the state emblem of the Republic of Poland. On 14 November 2024, Narodowy Bank Polski issued into circulation a silver coin of the series “The Enduring Soldiers Accursed by the Communists” – “Rev. Władysław Gurgacz ‘Sem’”, with a face value of 10 złoty.
Face value: 10 zł … Metal: Ag 925/1000; Finish: proof, pad printing; Diameter: 32.00 mm; Weight: 14.14 g; Edge (side): plain; Mintage: up to 10,000 pcs; Designer: Dobrochna Surajewska; Issuer: Narodowy Bank Polski; The coins, commissioned by Narodowy Bank Polski, were struck by Mennica Polska S A.
The obverse of the silver coin features prison bars torn apart. The reverse of the coin carries the images of Rev. Władysław Gurgacz “Sem”, the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, a whiteand-red flag with the symbol of Fighting Poland, and the inscriptions: “Zachowali się jak trzeba” (“They acted as they should”), and “1914-1949” (Sem’s dates of birth and death).
Władysław Gurgacz was born to Maria and Jan Gurgacz in Jabłonica Polska, a village near Krosno, on 2 April 1914. He finished the primary school in Jabłonica and the secondary school in Korczyna. At 17, he entered the Jesuit novitiate in Stara Wieś. In 1937, he undertook studies in philosophy in Cracow. On 7 April 1939, he made the act of complete sacrifice for the homeland in need at the Jasna Góra monastery. In August 1942, he was ordained as a priest at Jasna Góra. When World War II ended, he became a parish priest in Gorlice, and then in Krynica. He publicly cautioned against the rule of the Soviet occupiers, who sought to shatter the unity and Catholic faith of the Polish people. Rev. Gurgacz’s sermons came under scrutiny by the communist services. Expecting to be arrested, the priest fled Krynica and joined the “Gendarmerie” unit of the Polish Underground Independence Army, which was stationed in the forests of the Beskid Sądecki mountain range.
The partisans would call him “Father”, but the priest himself adopted the nickname “Sem”, which was an abbreviation for the Latin Servus Mariae – a Servant of Mary. He instructed his companions to act in accordance with Christian ethics. The “Gendarmerie” was tracked down by units of the communist Department of Security. In the spring of 1949, it split into smaller groups. The one in which the Jesuit found himself, having no funds to continue its activities, conducted a confiscation operation. On 2 July 1949, the partisans raided a state bank in Cracow. Eventually, all members of the group were put under arrest. Rev. Gurgacz was not himself involved in the operation, but he surrendered to the security service. He explained his decision as follows: “I did not run away […], because I did not want to abandon the members of the organisation and, just like them, I wanted to bear responsibility.” All the inmates were subjected to a harsh investigation in the prison located at Montelupich Street in Cracow.
On 13 August 1949, with his last words, Rev. Gurgacz addressed the Military District Court: “[…] these young people, who are now standing trial before this court, are not bandits, as you slanderously call them, but defenders of their homeland! I do not regret what I did. I acted in line with what millions of Poles think, those Poles whose current fate was decided by the bayonets of the NKVD. I will go to my death gladly. What is death, anyway?… I believe that every drop of innocently shed blood will produce thousands of your opponents and lead to your undoing”. Władysław Gurgacz was falsely portrayed as a “ringleader” and his indictment was also an attack on the Polish Church. On 14 September 1949, the priest and two soldiers of the “Gendarmerie”, whom the chaplain had comforted to the very end, were murdered in the courtyard of the Cracow prison. They were shot in the back of the head. The body of Władysław Gurgacz was secretly buried in the Rakowicki Cemetery in Cracow. His remains were identified in October 2018 by the staff of the Institute of National Remembrance. Info: Tadeusz Płużański.
Farmerettes and /Soldiers of the Soil:
Booklet of 10 Permanent™ stamps
www.canadapost.ca
Just in time for Remembrance Day, honour Canadian home front heroes with this stamp issue commemorating the Soldiers of the Soil and farmerettes, who provided much needed farm labour in Canada during times of war.
About the issue … Farm labour shortages due in part to men leaving for military service in the First and Second World Wars led to national and provincial initiatives to maintain both the domestic food supply and Canada’s commitment and ability to produce food for Britain and the Allied troops overseas. Teenage boys and young women recruited to work on farms through national and provincial initiatives is an example of how civilian members of society stepped in to help with the war effort at home. This stamp issue salutes the young women and men whose labour through two world wars helped keep plates – and stomachs – full, both on the front and at home.
Soldiers of the Soil … In early 1918, the Canada Food Board created the national Soldiers of the Soil (SOS) initiative, to recruit boys 15 to 19 years of age to work on farms for the remainder of the war. The program’s acronym aptly spelled out the Morse code call for help. More than 22,000 boys enrolled in the program. They planted, tended and harvested vegetables and fruit, helped with haying and cared for livestock. In return they received monthly wages, as well as room and board. The boys had the option of buying a military-like work uniform consisting of khaki pants and a shirt with brass S.O.S. buttons, along with a straw harvester hat. At the completion of their term, they were awarded a bronze lapel badge of honour – similar to a service medal – inscribed with S.O.S. The badge was presented upon their “honorable discharge,” often at a community ceremony that acknowledged their valuable wartime contribution.
Soldiers of the Soil: Official First Day Cover … Just in time for Remembrance Day, honour Canadian home front heroes with this Official First Day Cover honouring the contributions of the Soldiers of the Soil, who provided much needed farm labour in Canada during the First World War. The front cover features an image of Soldier of the Soil G.S. “Gerry” Andrews ploughing a wheat field in Purves, Manitoba, 1918. (Estate of G.S. Andrews, courtesy of the Andrews family.) The Official First Day Cover is cancelled on October 28, 2024, in La Rivière, Manitoba, the closest post office to the Purves location where the photo was shot. Cancellation Site: La Rivière, MB, Stamp Designer: Ivan Novotny, Ivan Novotny Design Inc.; Issue Date: October 28, 2024: Quantity Produced 5,000.
Farmerettes … During the First World War, the Ontario provincial government created the Farm Service Corps, made up of girls 16 years of age and older, to provide farm labour. The Corps ran from 1917 to 1918, and the workers were known as farmerettes. During the Second World War, a similar initiative, called the Ontario Farm Service Force (OFSF), was put in place from 1941 to 1952. More than 20,000 girls signed up to join the OFSF’s Farmerette Brigade. (The OFSF motto was “We Lend a Hand.”) Living in camps and working up to 10 hours a day, the girls planted, tended and harvested fruit and vegetables in farms and orchards, and also worked in canneries. High-school students in good standing who worked a minimum number of weeks could be exempted from year-end exams.
Farmerettes: Official First Day Cover … Just in time for Remembrance Day, honour Canadian home front heroes with this Official First Day Cover commemorating the contributions of the farmerettes, who provided much needed farm labour in Canada during wartime. The front cover features an image of farmerettes harvesting cabbage in Ontario’s Niagara region, circa 1941-42. (Photo album of Barbara Murray, George Metcalf Archival Collection, Canadian War Museum, CWM 20160542-003_67a.) The Official First Day Cover is cancelled on October 28, 2024, in St. Catharines, Ontario, which was the centre of much of the farmerettes posting in southern Ontario. The cancel is inspired by the fruit farmerettes would have been tasked to pick. Cancellation Site: St. Catharines, ON; Stamp Designer: Ivan Novotny, Ivan Novotny Design Inc.; Issue Date: October 28, 2024; Quantity Produced: 5,000.
About the design … The two stamps feature archival photos of participants in the national Soldiers of the Soil initiative and the Farmerette Brigade of the Ontario Farm Service Force, respectively, at work in the fields. The farmerettes photo, entitled “Taking a break from hoeing celery,” features four Farmerette Brigade participants in Thedford, Ontario, in 1945.The Soldiers of the Soil photo features program participants harvesting flax in Willowdale, Ontario, circa 1917. Stamp Designer: Ivan Novotny, Ivan Novotny Design Inc.; Quantity Produced: 150,000 booklets (1.5 million stamps); Issue Date: October 28 2024.
Farmerettes and Soldiers of the Soil: Pane of 6 Permanent™ stamps … The pane background features a photo showing farmerettes in the entrance of their army tent accommodations in St. Catharines, Ontario, 1941. (Photo album of Barbara Murray, a Farmerette, George Metcalf Archival Collection, Canadian War Museum, CWM 20160542-003_10a.). Quantity Produced: 15,000.
2025 … Pure Silver Fractional Set
www.mint.ca www.canadapost.ca
Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Canada’s flag. NEW paint technology highlights our flag celebration for 2025. Its red-and-white design is a study in simple sophistication; its maple leaf, a world-renowned symbol that expresses Canadian identity and pride. Canada’s maple leaf flag turns 60 in 2025, and that milestone anniversary is commemorated in this fractional set. The five 99.99% pure silver coins all share the same finely engraved maple leaf on their reverse, where the double dates (“1965-2025”) commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the National Flag of Canada, while the obverse turns back time by featuring Arnold Machin’s effigy of Queen Elizabeth II from 1965. And on the set’s 1 oz. piece? A touch of modern innovation in the form of a micro-text privy mark and brand new paint technology, enamel-like paint, which mimics the look of colour enamel while allowing the engraving to shine through.
Set Face Value: $5, $4, $3, $2, $1 … Composition: 99.99% pure silver with enamel-like paint and a micro text privy mark on the 1 oz. coin; Mintage: 3,500; Edge: Serrated; Finish: Reverse Proof; Artist: Marie-Élaine Cusson (reverse), Arnold Machin (obverse); Packaging: Black clamshell with black beauty box.
1 dollar … Composition: 99.99% pure silver, with enamel-like paint and a micro text privy mark on the 1 oz. coin; Weight: 1.63 g; Diameter: 16 mm; Edge: Serrated.
2 dollars … Composition: 99.99% pure silver; Weight: 3.23 g; Diameter: 20 mm; Edge: Serrated.
3 dollars … Composition: 99.99% pure silver; Weight: 7.96 g; Diameter: 27 mm; Edge: Serrated.
4 dollars … Composition: 99.99% pure silver; Weight: 15.87 g; Diameter: 34 mm; Edge: Serrated.
5 dollars … Composition: 99.99% pure silver; Weight: 31.39 g; Diameter: 38 mm; Edge: Serrated.
DID YOU KNOW? … ***This coin features a sugar maple leaf, while the leaf on the National Flag of Canada is described as a stylized 11-point maple leaf. The original flag design featured a leaf with 13 points but the symbol proved to be harder to recognize from a distance or in windy conditions, so two of the leaf’s points were omitted.
The five coins in this set share the same reverse design by Canadian artist Marie-Élaine Cusson. Each one features a sugar maple (Acer saccharum) leaf flanked by the silver purity (“9999”) and double dates (“1965-2025”) commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the National Flag of Canada. On the 1 oz. coin, the leaf is enhanced with enamel-like paint technology that adds an eye-catching red hue, while the “60” anniversary privy mark consists of micro-text engraving (“CANADA”) that forms a partial maple leaf. Each obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin, as seen on coins issued in 1965.
Marie-Élaine Cusson, Artist … “The Maple leaf is such a strong, iconic symbol of Canada. The delicate details in the leaf add richness to this strong and patriotic representation, and are meant to awe the collector as they admire their coin.”
Cecily Mok, 3D Artist – Engraver … “This new technology (enamel-like paint) allows us to showcase all the details and subtlety of the sculpted art, and bring it to life with colour.”
2025 Pure Gold Fractional Set
www.mint.ca
The 2025 pure gold fractional set continues the tradition of featuring an inspiring portrait of a Canadian maple leaf on each coin’s reverse, which also alludes to a special celebration in 2025: the 60th Anniversary of the National Flag of Canada. On all four coins, the milestone is commemorated by the double dates, the flag-inspired privy mark, and on the obverse, the historical effigy from 1965—the year Canada’s red-and-white maple leaf flag made its big debut. The set exclusive 1 oz. coin is the stand-out piece: its engraved maple leaf has been enhanced with translucent red enamel that gives it a symbolic colour boost and pays tribute to Canada’s national flag.
Composition: 99.99% pure gold, with translucent red enamel on the 1 oz. coin; Mintage: 400; Finish: Reverse Proof; Packaging: Maple leaf-shaped wood (maple) case with black beauty box; Artist: Joel Kimmel (reverse), Arnold Machin (obverse).
50 dollars … Composition: 99.99% pure gold; Weight: 31.16 g; Diameter: 30 mm; Edge: Serrated.
10 dollars … Composition: 99.99% pure gold; Weight: 7.8 g; Diameter: 20 mm; Edge: Serrated.
5 dollars … Composition: 99.99% pure gold; Weight: 3.14 g; Diameter: 16 mm; Edge: Serrated.
1 dollar … Composition: 99.99% pure gold; Weight: 1.58 g; Diameter: 14.1 mm; Edge: Serrated.
DID YOU KNOW? … ***Canada’s red-and-white maple leaf flag was first raised on Parliament Hill at the stroke of noon on February 15, 1965. That date—February 15—was officially proclaimed National Flag of Canada Day in 1996.
All four coins in this set share the same reverse design by Joel Kimmel. Each one features a sugar maple leaf (Acer saccharum) flanked by the dates “1965” and “2025” commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the National Flag of Canada, along with a special privy mark in the shape of the flag’s 11-point maple leaf; on the 1 oz. coin, the large engraved maple leaf is enhanced with translucent red enamel. The celebration continues on each obverse, which features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin, as seen on Canadian coins issued in 1965.
Joel Kimmel, Artist … “Working on this design required me to illustrate a maple leaf that closely resembles the shape of the stylized maple leaf on the Canadian flag. I paid close attention to drawing the details of the sugar maple leaf, getting lost in the details of the veins and lobes. It can be quite a technical approach but I enjoy it quite a lot. I wanted the maple leaf to be symmetrical but not so much so that it was too perfect, which gives the leaf its character.”
Melanie Luis, Product Manager … “This fractional set is yet again beautifully crafted in fine gold with so many highlights! The intricately engraved maple leaf design on the reverse is highlighted with translucent red enamel on the largest denomination in this set.”
Steven Stewart, 3D Artist—Engraver … “This project is one where the engraving needs to take into consideration the technology. My work is only half of the equation, which means that I have to anticipate the addition of the coloured feature, so that the final result marries well and forms a cohesive coin.”
2025 … Fine Silver Coin – The Sundial
www.mint.ca
Make time to admire this functional sundial—a Mint first! More than just an eye-catching garden adornment, the sundial is humanity’s oldest known timekeeping device—one that functions just as well today as it did in ancient times. An elaborate and functional showcase of craftsmanship, this limited collectible adds a working sundial to your coin collection. Its embellishment is a rhodium-plated brass gnomon that, when placed in view of the sun and in the direction of true north, casts an angled shadow onto the elaborately engraved 99.99% pure silver base to indicate local solar time. A functional sundial coin—a Mint first!
Face Value: $20 … Composition: 99.99% pure silver, cast embellishment: rhodium-plated brass gnomon; Mintage: 5,000; Weight: 31.39 g; Diameter: 38 mm; Edge: Serrated; Finish: Proof; Artist: Anna Bucciarelli (reverse), Steven Rosati (obverse); Packaging: Black clamshell with black beauty box.
DID YOU KNOW? … ***One of the oldest sundials in Canada is located across the street from our Ottawa facility, at the corner of Bruyère Street and Sussex Drive, where a matching pair of vertical sundials built in 1851 served as Ottawa’s first public timepieces.
A functional sundial for mid-northern latitudes, your coin’s time-keeping reverse was designed by Canadian artist Anna Bucciarelli. Serving as the base, the reverse is ornamented with acanthus leaves and edged with Roman numerals indicating the hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. At the bottom, a stylized sunflower—a heliotropic flower and a beloved symbol of the sun—supports the gnomon, which harnesses the power of sunlight and casts the measured shadow that helps determine the time of day. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.
Anna Bucciarelli, Artist … This has been, hands down, my favourite design challenge yet! There’s a lot of circular symmetry to be found here: some of the organic details are emanating from the sunflower representation of the sun, which supports the ornate gnomon, while others convey a more spiral-like movement that echoes the passage of time.
Melanie Luis, Product Manager … This was definitely a fun project to work on! The fact that it’s a functioning sundial should make it very appealing to collectors looking for something unique.
David M. F. Chapman, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada … A sundial is capable of marking the passage of time within a few minutes if designed with precision, taking into account the observer’s geographic location and the time of year. The sundial collectible project was an artistic, technical, and fabrication challenge—I congratulate the Royal Canadian Mint for creating this beautiful piece that demonstrates the essential function of a sundial in the Canadian context. Telling time by the movement of the Sun reveals the connection between the earth and the sky as first perceived by early humanity, our ancestors. It was my pleasure to advise on this unique project.
Louis-Remi Labelle, 3D Artist – Engraver … The artist was very generous with her artwork and included variations of shading that helped me interpret the volumes and heights I needed to create. I could clearly discern which elements were raised and which ones were lower, and that’s important because ultimately, I had to build in enough height to ensure the details would survive the process—sculpting is one thing, but when creating the tooling, there’s always a bit of a loss factor. This design is a very intricate one, with lots of elements that required either stronger or lighter frostings, or a combination of both, to strike the right balance in terms of visual contrast – for example, the foliage in the centre is one type of frosting, and the background is another, so you can truly differentiate between the layers. And whenever an embellishment is involved, a lot of discussions take place between the engraver and the product engineer – we’re always working in tandem to ensure the different parts of the design fit properly so that they’ll come together beautifully and seamlessly, as seen here.
2025 … Tribute: W Mint Mark –
Bluenose – 1 oz. Fine Silver Coin
www.mint.ca
Bluenose sails onto our fifth Tribute: W Mint Mark coin. Out of Canada’s six classic circulation coin designs, Emanuel Hahn’s concept for the 10-cent piece easily stands out: it’s the only one that doesn’t feature an animal (not even a heraldic one). Instead, its stirring portrait of Bluenose, the legendary racing and fishing schooner from Nova Scotia, speaks to the magnitude of the fishing industry and Canada’s rich maritime heritage. Hahn’s beloved depiction of Bluenose is re-created here in 99.99% pure silver, with a tailored specimen finish that brings renewed appreciation for a Canadian icon whose spirit still sails on. Fifth coin in our “minted in Winnipeg” series.
Face Value: 10-cents … Composition: 99.99% pure silver; Mintage: 7,500; Weight: 31.39 g; Diameter: 38 mm; Edge: Serrated; Finish: Tailored Specimen; Artist: Emanuel Hahn (reverse), Steven Rosati (obverse); Packaging: Black clamshell with black beauty box.
DID YOU KNOW? … ***Similar to how Emanuel Hahn’s caribou design was originally intended for a different denomination than the one it’s associated with today, the “fishing schooner under sail” concept was initially considered for the 25 cents before being chosen for the 10-cent coin.
A numismatic tribute to Canada’s 10-cent circulation piece, this all-silver coin’s reverse features Emanuel Hahn’s depiction of the iconic Bluenose fishing schooner under sail, along with the “W” (Winnipeg) mint mark denoting where this coin was struck. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.
Struck in Winnipeg: The Bluenose dime … Canada’s smallest circulation coin – smaller even than the now-retired cent or penny – hasn’t featured many alternate designs since Bluenose first appeared on its reverse in 1937. But all of Canada’s 10-cent circulation coins have been struck at our Winnipeg facility since 1976, including 1992’s double-dated 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation 10-cent coin, 2001’s Year of the Volunteer, 2017’s 150th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation, and the first-ever coloured 10-cent circulation coin in 2021.
‘Bluenose’ is an official mark adopted and used by the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage pursuant to the Trademarks Act (Canada). It is used by the Royal Canadian Mint with the Department’s permission.
