Does anyone know the significance of the "0972"? Could it be the
month/year of printing?

I did some additional research (accidentally) and in a book: Czechoslovak Paper
Money, there is a paragraph about UV printing. Unless you want me to copy the
whole thing, suffice it to say that the UV numbers are like a "check-bit" on
the series Letter/Nr combination that is printed on the note. (Thre is a majic
formula that is hard to read in the fractured English of the translation.)

Also, one reason this UV number wouldn't be a date, is because the Europeans
would put the day/month vice month/day as we would. Probably more than you
cared to know. Regards,