Duchy of Warsaw 1807 5 Groszy

What sets the 1807 5 Groszy apart is that it was struck in Warsaw using copper planchets likely recycled from older Polish coins, a pragmatic move during Napoleon's resource-strapped campaigns.

This coin, part of the Duchy of Warsaw's short-lived currency, features a simple design: a crowned eagle on the obverse and the denomination on the reverse. At around 25 millimeters across, it's unpretentious for daily use. We don't know the exact mintage, as records from that era vanished in later conflicts.

The edge is plain, which made it easy to stack but also prone to clipping by enterprising souls. I've handled dozens over the years; they're more workaday than legendary. As for myths about Napoleonic luck? Let's just say, if these coins brought fortune, I'd have retired sooner.