u/Redaktor-Naczelny

One of my favorites ever. 15-year-old King Peter II of Yugoslavia - he became the King when his father was assassinated, he was eleven then. When Peter was almost 18, Yugoslavia was invaded by Germany and he had to escape to the UK. He never went back while the Kingdom was dissolved in 1945. The coin is quite common and inexpensive as it is made of nickel, easy to find in high grades as it was demonetized after four years, but I like it anyway. If you insist on silver, you have 20 and 50 dinara to choose from.

After the conquest of France, the South became the Etat Francais, French State, controlled by Germany though, for a while, not occupied. The "state" wanted coins to prove their existence and a cupronickel 5 francs with the head of state Marshall Petain was ordered. German authorities stepped in, claiming that nickel was necessary for war efforts and banknotes had to suffice. The coins that had already been struck were kept in storage. In 1944 the French were told to put them on a barge and ship them to refinery. They never got there as the river barge was bombed by the Allies and the coins ended in the river Sambre. It is estimated that 50 thousands were rescued. You can see the corrosion on Marshall Petain's collar.

365 anni fa

Fairly rare 5 francs of the French State commonly known as Vichy. Never circulated and major part of the mintage was lost when the river barge that carried the coins was bombed by the Allies.

5 francs from Vichy with the head of state Marshall Petain. Never circulated, Germans stopped the production as they needed nickel and then on the way to the melting pot majority of the mintage ended up in the river Sambre when the barge was bombed by the Allies. Perhaps not a Holy Grail - considering the circumstances certainly not - but fairly rare as only 50 thousands were rescued from the wreck.

Leopold II Grand Duke of Tuscany - young and handsome at the age of 30. Half francescone or five paoli or two fiorini - too many denominations for a coin the size of half dollar. The Duke tried to introduce decimal system of one hundred quattrini to one fiorino (as florin, the traditional gold coin of Florence, also known as ducat) but his people would not have it so coins in old denominations were quietly brought back while quarter and half fiorino were discontinued. The Duke was deposed in 1848 but managed to get his throne back in 1849. His reign ended with the Risorgimento and an attempt to put his son on the throne failed, Tuscany joined Italy with Florence as its capital while fiorino was replaced by Italian lira. The Duke escaped to Rome only to die there just before the city was also taken by United Italy.

Polish protestant glass-makers who arrived at Jamestown, Virginia in 1608 started American industry. 400 years later Poland celebrated the anniversary with a coin made of silver and glass.

Americans pretend that they don't remember it but American industry started with Polish protestant glass-makers who arrived at Jamestown and set up their business there. 400 years later Poland celebrated anniversary with a coin made of silver and glass.