1629 Silver Medal Betts-24, Matanzas

Coin Details

Auction Record

$12,000 AU55 08-23-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1629 silver medal, Betts-24, commemorates the Battle of Matanzas Bay, one of the most dramatic naval engagements in colonial history. On September 8, 1629, Dutch Admiral Piet Heyn captured the entire Spanish Silver Fleet in Matanzas Bay, Cuba, seizing approximately 11.5 million guilders worth of silver, gold, indigo, and cargo. This was the only time the entire Spanish treasure fleet was captured, and the windfall funded the Dutch West India Company for years. Admiral Heyn became a national hero but died in battle the following year. Colonial-era medals were produced at royal mints, private workshops, and jewelers' studios across Europe, with production quality ranging from masterfully engraved official issues to crudely cast provincial pieces. The silver medal celebrates this extraordinary victory that demonstrated Spain's colonial vulnerability and the rising power of the Dutch Republic.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Silver examples of this important naval victory medal are highly prized.

Cross References

Betts-24