A rare medal from Captain Cook’s second voyage of discovery has sold for over three times its estimate at £6,500 and will now form part of a museum collection overseas.
The renowned British explorer and naval officer set sail from Plymouth in July 1772 after being commissioned by the British government to locate a mysterious southern continent – Terra Australis – by circumnavigating the globe as far south as possible.
The medals were commissioned by botanist Sir Joseph Banks and paid for by the Admiralty. Banks had intended to join Cook’s second voyage but withdrew at the last minute, delaying departure and meaning that the date on the medals was incorrect.
Interest in the rare medal was fierce and bidding took place between private collectors of Captain Cook and maritime memorabilia and museums based in the UK, North America and Australia.
RWB Auctions’ auctioneer and founder Jon White sold the medal. He said:
“We are delighted that this very rare medal, with only 2,000 known to have been made, will be part of a museum collection and the team there are thrilled to have secured it.”
The brass medal was as part of an Auction of Coins and Tokens and shows the two ships commissioned for the voyage: HMS Resolution and HMS Adventure. The inscription reads ‘SAILED · FROM · ENGLAND MARCH · MDCCLXXII’ (1772).
Ships logs record that medals were distributed to locals in more than 30 locations that Cook and his crews visited across the Pacific, including Tahiti, Easter Island and New Zealand.
They were designed to prove to future explorers that Cook had been there first and to introduce native inhabitants to the then British monarch – King George III – whose portrait appears on the other side.
Other interesting items which sold well at the Coins & Tokens Sale this week (Dec 4) included:
*A rare Maltese silver coin, struck during the reign of Emmanuel de Rohan as Prince and 70th Grand Master of the Knights Hospitallers, selling for £1,200, significantly over the estimate £20 to £40.
*A Russian 1865 gold 5 Roubles coin in excellent condition, expected to sell for £700-900, which actually sold for £6,000 to an overseas buyer.
RWB Auctions opened almost a year ago and has already developed a strong reputation for selling rare medals and coins including a ‘trial’ 25p coin and a locally-found Celtic gold coin minted thousands of year ago just a few miles from their salerooms in Royal Wootton Bassett. For more information visit https://rwbauctions.com/
Article from Scott Media
