CLIVE OF INDIA TREASURE
SALVAGED FROM THE 1755 WRECK OF THE EAST INDIAMAN DODDINGTON OFF SOUTH AFRICA
CERTIFIED BY NGC UNCIRCULATED DETAILS / SALVAGE SALT WATER MATTE APPEARANCE
OBV: "LAUREATE" PORTRAIT OF KING JOHN V OF PORTUGAL RIGHT; DATE BELOW.
REV: CROWNED ARMS OF PORTUGAL WITHIN CARTOUCHE WITH SCROLLS.
KM # 149
CONTAINS 14.34 GRAMS OF .917 FINE GOLD (.4228 OZ AGW)
32 MM IN DIAMETER
MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT CLIVE, 1st BARON CLIVE (1725-1774) "CLIVE OF INDIA", WAS A BRITISH OFFICER CREDITED WITH ESTABLISHING THE SUPREMACY OF GREAT BRITIAIN, BOTH MILITARY AND POLITICAL, OVER BENGAL. THROUGH HIS EFFORTS, CLIVE CONFIRMED BRITISH HEGEMONY OVER INDIA, THUS SECURING THE POWER AND WEALTH OF THE SUBCONTINENT FOR THE BRITISH CROWN.
AFTER HIS SUCCESFUL AND NUMEROUS MILITARY, DIPLOMATIC AND ECONOMIC VENTURES ON BEHALF OF THE CROWN IN INDIA, CLIVE RETURNED TO LONDON. IN 1774 HE WAS OFFERED THE COMMAND OF ALL BRITISH FORCES IN NORTH AMERICA, BUT DECLINED THE OFFER. THAT SAME YEAR, HE COMMITTED SUICIDE WITH A PENKNIFE, THE SUICIDE ATTRIBUTED TO A HISTORY OF DEPRESSION AND OPIUM ADDICTION.
19 YEARS BEFORE, IN 1755, THE BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY SHIP, THE DODDINGTON, AFTER PASSING THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, STRUCK A ROCK AT ALGOA BAY, NEAR BIRD ISLAND, SOUTH AFRICA. THE INDIAMAN (EAST INDIA COMPANY MERCHANT SHIP) WAS CARRYING PORTUGUESE AND BRAZILLIAN GOLD AND SILVER COINS BELONGING TO LORD CLIVE (CLIVE WAS SAILING ON ANOTHER SHIP THAT HAD GOTTEN SEPARATED FROM THE DODDINGTON, ALONG WITH THREE OTHER SHIPS, AFTER DEPARTING THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS).
THE GOLD CONSIGNMENT CALLED "CLIVE OF INDIA'S GOLD", WAS LOOTED BY TREASURE HUNTERS FROM NEARBY PORT ELIZABETH IN MODERN TIMES.
THE SALVAGED COINS WERE AT THE CRUX OF A HIGH PROFILE AND SENSATIONALIZED LAWSUIT BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE SALVAGERS, AND SOUTH AFRICAN AND INTERNATIONAL MARITIME LAW WERE BOTH FOUND TO BE SEVERELY INADEQUATE IN DEALING WITH SUCH MATTERS.
AFTER THE FOUR YEAR LEGAL BATTLE ROYAL, OUT THE 1,200 OF "CLIVE OF INDIA'S" COINS THAT WERE RECOVERED, A THIRD WERE RETURNED TO SOUTH AFRICA.
THIS 1750 BRAZIL 6,400 GOLD REIS, MINTED DURING THE REIGN OF JOAO (JOHN) V (1706-1750), WAS PART OF THIS LEGENDARY AND CONTESTED TREASURE.
THIS COIN HAS A REMARKABLE HISTORY, IT SUFFERED MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE (SALT WATER) DURING ITS SUBMERGED TIME IN OCEAN WATER FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. , BUT IS NON-DETRACTING AND HAS LEFT THE COIN WITH AN AMAZING SUPERB MATTE FINISH.
RIO DE JANEIRO MINT
