Commemorative, Historical and Art Medals

United Kingdom, British Colonies and unspecified British-made Anti-Slavery Medals, SPANISH WRECK RECOVERED, 1687, a silver medal by G. Bower, conjoined busts of James II and Mary right, rev. the salvage operation, a small row-boat to the fore with Sir William Phipps’s ship, the Algier Rose, beyond, 55mm, 60.60g (MI I, 619/33; E 285; Betts 67). Rim knocks and somewhat scuffed, otherwise very fine £1,000-1,500

Sir William Phipps (1651-95), who was born in the American Colonies, led an expedition, financed by the Duke of Albermarle, to recover silver from the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, which sank in the Silver Banks passage (now the Turks & Caicos Islands). The treasure recovered amounted to some £300,000 of silver, of which Phips received £16,000. He was knighted by James II for his efforts and appointed sheriff of New England before becoming, in May 1692, the first Governor of the Province of Massachusetts, remaining in office until November 1694