1989 AD., Poland, socialist People's Republic, 50th Anniversary of Polish Nation Defense during World War II commemorative, Warsaw mint, 500 ZÅ‚otych, KM Y 185.

Poland, socialist People's Republic of Poland, 50th Anniversary of Polish Nation Defense during World War II commemorative, engravers: Ewa Tyc-Karpińska (obverse) and Stanisława Wątróbska-Frindt (rev.), Warsaw mint, 1989 AD.,
500 Złotych (29,5 mm / 10,78 g), copper-nickel, 10,80 g theor. mint weight, mintage 10.135.000 , medal alignment ↑↑ (0°), reeded edge,
Obv.: POLSKA RZECZPOSPOLITA LUDOWA / 19 - 89 / mW / ZÅ‚ 500 ZÅ‚ , Polish coat of arms: eagle with spread wings (a white eagle, the national emblem of Poland), mint mark mW -monogram below r. claw, value below.
Rev.: 50 ROCZNICA WOJNY OBRONNEJ NARODU POLSKIEGO / 1939-1989 , ("50th anniversary of Defensive War of Polish nation, 1939-1989"), three Polish infantry soldiers advancing right on a battlefield, engraver´s WF -monogram at left edge just above ground.
KM Y 185 ; Parchimowicz 335 .

Year / Mint Mark / Mintage
1989 mW 10.135.000
1989 mW 5.000 Proof

On 1 September 1939, Germany and Slovakia (which was a German client state at the time) invaded Poland on the false pretext that Poland had launched attacks on German territory. On 3 September France and Britain, followed by the fully independent Dominions of the British Commonwealth, – Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa – declared war on Germany, but provided little support to Poland other than a small French attack into the Saarland. Britain and France also began a naval blockade of Germany on 3 September which aimed to damage the country's economy and war effort. Germany responded by ordering U-boat warfare against Allied merchant and war ships (Battle of the Atlantic).

On 17 September 1939, after signing a cease-fire with Japan, the Soviets also invaded Poland. The Polish army was defeated and Warsaw surrendered to the Germans on 27 September, with final pockets of resistance surrendering on 6 October. Poland's territory was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union, with Lithuania and Slovakia also receiving small shares. The Poles did not surrender; they established a Polish Underground State and an underground Home Army, and continued to fight alongside the Allies on all fronts in Europe and North Africa.

About 100,000 Polish military personnel were evacuated to Romania and the Baltic countries; many of these soldiers later fought against the Germans in other theatres of the war.