1687 Recovery of Treasure, St. Domingo Medal. Betts-67. Silver, 54.7 mm. MS-61 (PCGS).
A lovely example of an enduringly popular medal, one avidly sought by shipwreck enthusiasts, historical medal specialists, and collectors of New World cobs. Deeply toned in antique silver gray with rich blue and subtle violet highlights on the obverse and robust rose on the reverse. Crisp and well detailed on both sides, with only minor handling and trivial contact points. The rims are intact, unlike many specimens of this oft-mishandled medal. This medal is among the most widely sough of all Betts medals. Struck from silver recovered by future Massachusetts governor Sir William Phipps (or Phips), this is one of the only relic medals among the Betts series, one whose fame among the above mentioned distinctive specialties keeps it seeming perhaps scarcer than it really is. Phipps and his cohorts salvaged some 34 tons of the silver treasure from the 1641 Spanish wreck of the Concepcion. It's unknown just how much of that silver was turned into these medals, but it was a fairly substantial production. For his part, the salvage operations turned Phipps into a wealthy and prominent man. This event led to his knighthood, his command of the 1690 Quebec Expedition against French Canada, and his promotion to governor of Massachusetts. Phipps was governor during the Salem Witch Trials. He died shortly thereafter, in London, in 1695. While any example of this medal sees active bidding, most of these have been mishandled, ether by recipients or collectors. This one is far nicer than most.
PCGS# 613151.
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From the Sydney F. Martin Collection.

Estimate: $5500