George II 1745 LIMA Half-Guinea, intermediate head

George II (1727-60), gold Half-Guinea, 1745, LIMA. below intermediate laureate head left, legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIUS. II. DEI.GRATIA., rev. crowned quartered shield of arms, nine hearts to Hanoverian Arms, seven strings to Irish harp, date at top, .M.B.F. ET.H.REX.F.D.B. ET.L.D.S.R.I.A.T. ET.E., edge, curve grained, weight 4.16g (Schneider 602; Bull EGC 647 R2; MCE 354; S.3684). Lightly toned, perhaps once cleaned, some nicks and hairline scratches, otherwise about very fine and a very rare issue.

The Lima gold coinage struck in 1746 was seemingly all struck from gold sourced from a Royal Family funded consortium of ships under the command of James Talbot and John Morecock, who captured French treasure ships carrying gold in the North Atlantic in mid-1745. Another French ship that escaped them was later captured at Louisbourg by the English Navy, that was also rich in gold treasure which also contributed towards the LIMA marked gold coinage. A total of £474,492 worth of gold was struck in the calendar year of 1746. A wonderful medallion was produced which shows the capture of the French treasure by Talbot and Morecock on the obverse, with the reverse depicting their busts and the procession of the treasure in wagons below being transported to the Mint for coining.

Provenance:

Ex A. H. Baldwin, Fixed Price List, Summer 2014, item BM025.