1087796 | POLAND. Zamosc. 1813-(b) AR 2 Zloty. PCGS AU55. Edge: Plain. 29mm. 7.50gm. Three-line legend / Denomination and date within wreath. KM 6; Brause-Mansfeld 33, 5 variant; Kopicki 8450b; Bitkin 5; Engel/Fabre/Perret/Wattier 4.18.4.1.

Minted during the siege by Russian troops.


Please use this link to verify the PCGS certification number 54913776




Following the French army's retreat from Russia, Lithuania, and Warsaw in 1812, the small fortress of Zamość attempted to resist the approaching Russian troops. Initially, there were still sufficient food supplies within the city. However, once the Russians had encircled Zamość, the inhabitants were forced to slaughter their livestock—including even their horses. When these reserves, too, had been exhausted, the commanding officer, General Hauke, found himself compelled to mint high-purity silver coins using the citizens' collected jewelry and the church silver. With these 2-zloty coins, the besieged garrison was able to purchase food from the Russian besiegers. It turned out that these siege coins actually contained a higher silver content than the standard coinage of the Duchy of Warsaw. Enterprising merchants bought the silver siege coins from the Russian soldiers and had them melted down. As a result, the coins are rare today.