Duchy of Warsaw 5 Złotych

The Duchy of Warsaw's 5 Złotych gold coin was essentially a French import in disguise, struck to the same specifications as Napoleon's 20-franc piece, weighing 6.45 grams of .900 fine gold.

This made it a practical tool for Napoleon's economic schemes, aligning Polish currency with the franc to enforce the Continental System. Dies were likely prepared in Paris and shipped to Warsaw, though records don't specify the exact suppliers. The obverse typically showed Frederick Augustus I, the Duchy's ruler, while the reverse featured a crowned eagle—symbols that masked its foreign influence.

Mintage figures remain uncertain; fires and wars have erased many archives from that era. If you're hunting for one, expect wear from circulation during turbulent times.

Plenty of fakes circulate, as with anything Napoleonic.