Authentic Princess Louisa Silver Shipwreck Coin Mounted in 14K - 2 Reales - Item #8879
The Princess Louisa was a three masted ship built in 1733, and was designed for the service of the East India Company, the immensely powerful company which had a monopoly of England's trade with Asia. She was one of the largest ships in the British Fleet and even with two decks below she was still very graceful and fast. Many of the ships built for the East India Company were named for royalty and the Princess Louisa was named in honor of the youngest daughter of King George II, an eight-year-old girl who was to become the Queen of Denmark in 1743, the same year that the ship met its tragic fate.
In March 1743 the ship set out for her 4th voyage to the far east in hopes of trading the 20 chests of silver Spanish coins she carried for exotic silks and spices. On April 18th, she struck a reef off the Isle of May in the Cape Verde Island chain and sank. The wreck claimed the lives of captain John Pinson and his crew of over 100, despite the rescue efforts of the nearby ship "Winchester".
Her treasure lie on the ocean floor for over 250 years, the numerous efforts to salvage the shipwreck over the years were unsuccessful until an expedition of 1999. This coin was salvaged from that expedition.
- Denomination: 2 Reales
- Reign: Philip V
- Mint: Potosi
- Date: 1730
- Assayer: M
- Coin comes with a Certificate of Authenticity
- Pendant measures 1 5/8"
- Item #8879
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