November Uprising Coin

The most intriguing fact about the November Uprising coin is that it was struck in Warsaw using silver pilfered from melted Russian rubles, a desperate improvisation by rebels short on resources.

This 1831 issue emerged from the chaos of Poland's fight for independence, with the provisional government rushing production amid gunfire and uncertainty. Workers at the mint adapted existing dies, turning out coins that bore the Polish eagle but lacked the finesse of official currency. Designs varied; some featured dates squeezed in by hand, reflecting the haste.

We don't know the exact mintage, as records from that period vanished in later conflicts. What survives shows wear from circulation in barricaded streets.

If you're hunting one, expect patina that tells its own story—much like the uprising itself.