BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY OF BERMUDA (ALSO CALLED THE SOMERS ISLES)
REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II (1952-PRESENT) - HOUSE OF WINDSOR
5 OZ GOLD BERMUDA TRIANGLE SHIPWRECK SERIES COIN - THE "SAN PEDRO"
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 65 ULTRA CAMEO
TRIANGULAR PLANCHET.
OBV: CROWNED PORTRAIT OF ELIZABETH II WEARING TIARA WITHIN MAP EDGE BORDER; DATE BELOW.
REV: WITHIN MAP EDGE BODER KNOTTED, 16TH CENTURY SPANISH MERCHANT VESSEL "SAN PEDRO" SAILIG UPON STYLIZED WAVES LEFT; HOG PRIVY MARK AT TOP; DENOMINATION BELOW.
BERMUDA IS THE OLDEST AND MOST POPULOUS OF BRITAIN'S OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AND WAS SETTLED IN 1612.
THE BERMUDAS, OR SOMERS ISLANDS, IS AN ARCHIPELIGO WITH 138 ISLANDS IN NUMBER AND IS 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.
THE SPANISH MERCHANT SHIP SAN PEDRO, LADEN WITH NEW WORLD TREASURE BOUND FOR SPAIN, SANK ON BERMUDA'S INNER REEF IN 1596. ONE OF THE MANY CASUALTIES OF THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE.
TEDDY TUCKER, A NATIVE BERMUDAN DIVER, SPOTTED THE WRECK BY ACCIDENT IN 1951, AND RETURNED FIVE YEARS LATER AT THE HEAD OF HIS OWN SALVAGE COMPANY TO EMBARK ON THE FIRST MAJOR TREASURE RECOVERY OF THE 20th CENTURY.
THE TREASURES RECOVERED INCLUDED 2,000 SILVER COINS, A 32 OUNCE GOLD BAR AND AN EMERALD STUDDED GOLD PECTORAL CRUCIFIX (ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE PIECES OF JEWELRY TO BE FOUND ON ANY WRECK) AND NUMEROUS OTHER VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT ARTIFACTS.
TEDDY TUCKER WENT TO SELECT ITEMS TO BE DISPAYED FOR THE QUEEN'S VISIT IN 1975. HE WENT TO THE MUSEUM WHERE THE TREASURE IS HOUSED AND DISCOVERED THE EMERALD CROSS HAD BEEN STOLEN AND REPLACED WITH A WORTHLESS FACSIMILE.
CONTAINS 155.52 GRAMS OF .999 FINE GOLD (5 OZS AGW)
65 MM WIDE & HIGH
ONLY 99 MINTED!
