25 zlotys, 1794—Series C—watermark [COAT OF ARMS]

A 25-złoty tax stamp from the Kościuszko Uprising, 1794, Series C (the serial number cannot be identified).

This is a rare variant, occurring at a ratio of 1:8 compared to the other pieces on a single sheet of handmade paper intended for printing this denomination —featuring a watermark in the form of the so-called coat of arms with a postilion’s trumpet motif in the center, i.e., the upper part of the main watermark, from one of the Dutch manufacturers of handmade paper. Additionally, and very rarely seen, the signal horn (postilion’s trumpet) itself is intact, not cut off at the bottom, which is exceptionally rare.

Most likely due to prolonged exposure to daylight, the banknote has partially lost the legibility of the handwritten serial numbers, the commissioners’ signatures, and the decorative border printed on the margins of the banknote. The dry seal is well-preserved and legible.

References: Miłczak A3