(1702) Silver Medal Betts-97, Vigo Bay

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,116 MS62 02-16-2017 Heritage Auctions

Description

This medal, Betts-97, documents Vigo Bay in yet another variety, reflecting the European-wide fascination with this naval engagement. English, Dutch, French, and Spanish mints all produced medals related to the battle, each presenting the event from their national perspective. The capture and destruction of the treasure fleet at Vigo Bay had consequences far beyond the immediate military impact, affecting financial markets, colonial trade, and the strategic balance of naval power in the Atlantic. Collectors have pursued Betts medals since the nineteenth century, when numismatists first recognized these pieces as a coherent body of historical documentation worthy of systematic study and cataloging. Medals of Vigo Bay are among the most collected of all early eighteenth-century naval commemoratives due to their connection to the famous "VIGO" coinage and the dramatic circumstances of the battle.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Another variety from the extensive Vigo Bay medal series.

Cross References

Betts-97