A Queen Anne 1703 Vigo 5 guinea coins will be auction at Gorringes in Tunbridge Wells on 6 December 2012. The coin found by an unidentified widow, a pensioner, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, who cleared out her late husband’s chest of drawers. The widow had no idea her husband had the gold piece stashed away among his clothes. When an expert, Leslie Gillham, of auctioneers Gorringes, see it and confirm that it is a lost coin minted from gold seized by the British from a Spanish treasure ship at the battle of Vigo in 1702. To celebrate the victory, the Royal Mint had about 20 Queen Anne Vigo five guinea coins made. From of the 20 coins, only 15 are known of and they are in private hands. The expert estimate the coin worth about £120,000.
The coin obverse show a left-facing effigy of the Queen Anne (1702–1714), with the legend ANNA DEI GRATIA. The word VIGO under the Queen's head, indicating that the gold was captured from Spanish galleons in the Battle of Vigo Bay in October 1702. The coin reverse show four crowned cruciform shields bearing the arms of England, Scotland, Ireland, and France, separated by sceptres and with a central rose, and the legend MAG BRI FR ET HIB REG and the coin date.
The series of Vigo coins were made out of 7.5lbs of gold seized from a Spanish galleon. After the British failed to capture Cadiz in October 1702, the fleet intercepted a Spanish treasure ships coming back from America in Vigo Bay. The British attacked Spanish fleet and captured the gold and silver on board. The treasure was received at the Royal Mint by the Master of the Mint, Sir Isaac Newton. It was decided that the treasure had to be coined as part of a propaganda opportunity. About 20 of the Queen Anne Vigo five guinea coins were struck and they would have been bought by seriously wealthy people at the time and kept as part of the family treasure.
The coin has a pre-sale estimate of between £80,000 to £120,000. It is in an extremely fine condition. It is very rare and is one of the most desirable gold coins around. The coin is to be sold at Gorringes in Tunbridge Wells on December 6.
Source: Dailymail
