Pieces of eight from West Cornwall shipwreck sold at auction
- On 26/02/2013
- In Auction News
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From Falmouth Packet
Coins recovered from a West Cornwall shipwreck that still inspire visions of pirates and buried treasure have sold at auction.
The 17th Century Cob and piece of eight were recovered from the wreck of HMS Association, lost at sea in 1707.
Sold by Hanson's Auctioneers in Derbyshire the coins were found after the ship, which launched from Portsmouth Dockyard in 1697 and fought at capture of Gibraltar, was dredged up 300 years later in 1967.
One was a 17th century ‘COB,’ a Spanish currency.
Unusually shaped, this coin details the history of Spain, as this currency was cut crudely into shapes of an accurate weight, in preparation for its melting down and using in jewellery.
Also uncovered from the wreck was an example of the infamous pieces of eight. As the world’s first global currency these were used across the vast Spanish Empire.
UK auction wreck treasure hunter
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