Collection Of Rare Shipwreck Coins To Be Auctioned In Market Harborough
Written by HFM News on 30th January 2023
One of the largest collections of shipwreck coins could sell for thousands of pounds when it goes under the hammer in Market Harborough tomorrow.
The sale at Gildings Auctioneers will feature over 50 coins ranging from 1686 to 1806, grouped in the wrecks they were recovered from.
Pic: Gildings
Twenty-two of the coins, which are expected to realise between £1,000 – £1,500 and date from 1663 to 1699, originate from the 90-gun ship HMS Association, which served with distinction at the capture of Gibraltar in August 1704.
However, along with other vessels in the fleet, Association was wrecked on the Isles of Scilly’s notorious Western Rocks during her return voyage from the Mediterranean on October 22nd, 1707.
Sinking in just three or four minutes with a loss of over 800 men, contributing to the total loss that night of nearly 2000 under the command of Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Cloudesley Shovell, it was the greatest maritime disaster of the time.
The coins were acquired by the vendor in 1975 at W H Lane’s auctioneers of Penzance in their ‘Sale of Sunken Treasure and will go under the hammer in a Jewellery, Coins and Watches sale
