1677 Silver Medal Betts-52

Coin Details

Auction Record

$576 MS62 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This medal, Betts-94, is a silver piece commemorating events at Vigo Bay around 1702. The Battle of Vigo Bay (October 23, 1702) was one of the most dramatic naval engagements of the War of Spanish Succession, when an Anglo-Dutch fleet attacked and destroyed a Franco-Spanish treasure fleet sheltering in Vigo Bay, Galicia. The Spanish treasure fleet, carrying silver from the Americas, had been unable to unload at Cadiz due to the presence of English warships and retreated to Vigo Bay. The attackers broke through a defensive boom and captured or destroyed all the Franco-Spanish vessels, seizing a significant quantity of treasure. The tradition of striking commemorative medals for New World events began with Spanish and Portuguese pieces in the sixteenth century, expanded through Dutch and French production in the seventeenth, and reached its peak with British issues during the colonial wars. This silver medal documents this spectacular naval victory.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Vigo Bay naval battle medals in silver are highly sought.

Cross References

Betts-94