BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY OF BERMUDA
REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II (1952-PRESENT) - HOUSE OF WINDSOR
RARE LARGE FIVE-OUNCE GOLD $180 BERMUDA TRIANGLE - SHIPWRECK SERIES LIMITED ISSUE TRIANGLAR COIN
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
TRIANGULAR PLANCHET WITH ROUNDED EDGES.
ONLY 99 MINTED!
OBV: CROWNED BUST OF ELIZABETH II WITHIN ROPE BORDER; DATE AT BOTTOM.
REV: MAP, COMPASS AND CAPSIZING SHIP; KNOTTED ROPE BORDER; DENOMINATION AT LEFT.
KM# 98
BERMUDA IS THE OLDEST AND MOST POPULOUS OF BRITAIN'S OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AND WAS SETTLED IN 1612.
THE BERMUDAS, FORMERLY THE SOMERS, ISLANDS, ARE AN ARCHIPELIGO 138 IN NUMBER AND ARE SURROUNDED BY THE NORTHERNMOST CORAL REEF IN THE WORLD.
DISCOVERED BY THE SPANISH IN 1505 AND USED BY SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE SHIPS TO REPROVISION, THE ISLANDS RECEIVED AN UNSAVORY REPUTATION AS THE ABODE OF EVIL SPIRITS EARNING THE NICKNAME "ISLE OF DEVILS".
THIS NICKNAME MOST LIKELY STEMMED FROM THE NOISES MADE BY STRANGE BIRDS AND WILD HOGS AT NIGHT AND THE EVER PRESENT DANGEROUS REEFS.
IN 1609, BRITISH ADMIRAL SIR GEORGE SOMERS, AT THE HELM OF HIS FLAGSHIP THE "SEA VENTURE", GOT CAUGHT IN A STORM AND RAN THE SHIP ON A REEF TO KEEP IT FROM FOUNDERING.
THIS BRAVE ACTION SAVED THE LIVES OF THE CREW AND PASSENGERS AND LED TO BERMUDA BEING CLAIMED BY THE BRITISH CROWN AND PERMANENTLY SETTLED IN 1612.
SOMERS AND THE SURVIVORS OF "SEA VENTURE" SPENT 9 MONTHS STRANDED ON BERMUDA, AND IN THAT TIME SALVAGED THE RIGGING AND OTHER NECESSITIES FROM THE FOUNDERED VESSEL, AND WITH BERMUDA CEDAR WOOD BUILT TWO NEW SHIPS, THE "DELIVERENCE" AND THE "PATIENCE". REPROVISIONED WITH SALTED PORK FROM WILD HOGS, THE TWO SHIPS SET SAIL FOR THEIR ORIGINAL DESTINATION OF JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA. THEY LEFT MAY 10th AND ARRIVED ON MAY 23rd, 1610.
THE WRECK AND DISAPPEARANCE OF NUMEROUS SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA BETWEEN BERMUDA AND FLORIDA HAVE GIVEN RISE TO THE LEGEND OF THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE, AND THIS COIN COMMEMORATES NOT ONLY THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE COLONY'S FOUNDING BUT ALSO THE MYSTERIOUS AND TRAGIC FATE OF COUNTLESS HAPLESS VOYAGERS.
CONTAINS 155.52 GRAMS OF .999 FINE GOLD (5 OZS AGW)
65 MM WIDE & HIGH
ONLY 99 MINTED!
ROYAL MINT
