General Government 1941 50 Fenigów

This 50 fenigów coin from 1941 was struck in zinc because the Germans had commandeered better metals for the war effort, turning everyday currency into a symbol of scarcity.

Production took place in occupied Poland under the General Government administration, with minting likely handled at facilities in Warsaw or nearby. The design features a simple wheat sheaf on the reverse, reflecting the regime's propaganda about agrarian stability amid chaos. Records are spotty; we know the coins circulated widely but exact figures for 1941 output vanished with the war's upheavals.

Zinc planchets were prone to corrosion, which meant these coins aged poorly in circulation. That said, they outlasted the occupation itself.

Not every numismatist will tell you, but handling one of these always reminds me of how coins can outlie their makers.