George II (1727-60), silver Crown, 1746, LIMA. below older laureate and draped bust left, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS.II. DEI.GRATIA., rev. crowned cruciform shields, Irish harp with ten strings, coat of arms of Brunswick and Luneberg with seven hearts, garter star at centre, date either side of top crown, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, .M.B.F.ET. H.REX.F.D.B. ET.L.D.S.R.I. A.T.ET.E., edge inscribed in raised letters of inverted orientation to obverse, .DECVS. ET. TVTAMEN. ANNO. REGNI. DECIMO. NONO, 30.13g (Bull 1668; ESC 125; S.3689). Lightly toned, dig mark to neck on obverse but only slight wear to higher points, almost extremely fine though graded by NGC as AU Details (Cleaned), though it does not necessarily look cleaned to our English eyes.

NGC Certification 6674855-016

The Latin legends translate to on obverse "George II by the Grace of God" continuing on the reverse in abbreviated Latin which if in shown in full reads "Magnae Britanniae Franciae et Hiberniae Rex Fidei Defensor Brun et Lunebergen-sis Dux, Sacri Romani Imperii Archi-Thesaurius et Elector" and translates as "King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Luneberg, High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire."

The coins provenance marked LIMA under the bust are all made from silver from treasure captured from the Spanish by the English Privateers John Morecock and James Talbot, Captains of the Prince Frederick and the Duke in 1745.

The story behind these captures is revealed in detail in the new book published by Spink "The Metal in Britain's Coins" by Graham Birch, where Chapter 9 pages 116-142 deals with the back story of the journey of silver mined and coined in Peru by one nation, subsequently captured and finding its way reminted into the pockets of the populous of another nation, the two biggest sea powers of the era.

Provenance:
Ex Spink & Son, Coin Auction, 30th March 2006, lot 48.
Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, May 2010, item MS9155.

Estimate: £ 800 - 1000