GREAT BRITAIN, British Coins, England, Anne: Gold 5-Guineas, 1703, VIGO., Obv provenance mark below draped bust facing left, ANNA.DEI. GRATIA., toothed border both sides, Rev inverted die axis, crowned cruciform shields, sceptres in angles, rose at centre, semi-frosted inner rings to small crowns, small stop to above right of English crown, date either side, with J type 1, .MAG BR.FRA ET.HIB REG., edge inscribed in raised letters .+DECVS. ET. TVTAMEN. ANNO. REGNI. SECVNDO., 41.59g (Schneider 523; MCE 197; S 3561). Some porosity to the obverse fields, dig on lower cheek and one on neck, reverse lightly toned retaining brilliance with no porosity, the rim a little nicked in places, otherwise almost very fine, the reverse good very fine, extremely rare, the most desirable of all the currency 5-Guineas. The highly desirable VIGO 5-Guineas was coined from gold captured by Admiral Sir George Rooke from a Franco-Spanish bullion fleet sheltering at Vigo Bay on 12 October 1702. A remarkable action. A Royal Warrant was issued to strike the captured bullion into coin and insert the word VIGO under the bust in permanent remembrance of the battle. Many different commemorative medals were struck as souvenirs. Under the personal supervision of the Master of the Mint, Sir Isaac Newton, just under 4,500lb of silver was transported in great pageantry to the Tower Mint to coin a great quantity of Crowns, Halfcrowns, Shillings and Sixpences. However a mere 7lb and 8oz of gold was captured and used to coin a short run of 5-Guineas, Guineas and ½-Guineas, an example of each we are privileged to offer at this auction. For further reference on the battle of Vigo Bay and it’s consequences see “The Destruction of the Spanish Silver Fleet at Vigo in 1702” by H Kamen, Spink Numismatic Circular, June 1968. This is the third Vigo Five Guinea to be offered for auction sale in as many years and is one of only five examples to have been offered for sale publicly in the last 40 years. Estimate: US$80,000-100,000
