Netherlands 5 Cent 1941-1945

The 1941-1945 Dutch 5 cent coin was struck in brass as a direct result of the German occupation's material restrictions, recycling whatever base metals were at hand.

That shift meant scrapping the pre-war nickel alloy for something cheaper and more abundant, like brass from old shells or industrial scraps. Production happened at the Utrecht mint under watchful eyes, with designs kept simple to speed things along. Variations in weight and finish are common, reflecting the chaos of wartime supply lines.

Exact mintage figures? They're murky; records from those years got lost in the postwar shuffle. As for myths about hidden Nazi symbols, I've seen enough to know it's just wishful thinking from overeager collectors. If you squint, the tulip on the reverse might look like something else, but that's probably just the brass talking.