PREVIEW: WORLD AND ISLAMIC COINS 4 OCTOBER

A century after capturing Jamaica from the Spanish, Britain was embroiled in the Seven Years War against the French and Spanish in the West Indies and the Americas, among other theatres of war.

Ultimately, the conflict and its alliance with France were to prove a disaster for Spain, which went on to lose Havana in Cuba and Manila in The Philippines to the British, who emerged from the conflict as the growing world power on the path to its dominant empire.

The war brought a growing population of English troops to Jamaica, supplemented by American merchant allies, with more than 160 Royal Navy ships stationed there in 1758, largely as a protective force for American trade.

Such a substantial expansion in the island’s inhabitants caused a shortage of coinage, resulting in a policy of converting coins of all denominations and currencies into legal tender under British issue through the use of a GR, for George II (reigned 1727-60) countermark stamped across the face and reverse.

The leading highlight of this sale is one of the higher value coins subjected to such conversion, a Doubloon (valued at Five Pounds), issued under the Jamaica Authority as a countermarked 1751 8 escudos of King Ferdinand VI of Spain, struck in Lima.

In good very fine condition, with very fine countermarks, it is estimated at £20,000-26,000.