Duchy of Warsaw Złoty

The Duchy of Warsaw Złoty was often struck on planchets recycled from melted Spanish reales, a frugal necessity during Napoleon's campaigns.

That reuse reflected the era's resourcefulness, as French administrators managed Poland's currency under occupation. The coins featured a crowned eagle on the obverse, symbolizing Polish statehood, and denominations from 1 to 18 złotych, though exact designs varied by year.

Mintage figures are murky; records from Warsaw's mint may have been destroyed in later conflicts. We know production peaked around 1810, but precise numbers elude us.

Some specimens show crude strikes, likely from worn dies. That's numismatics for you—imperfect, like the empires that minted them.