Rare Captain Cook medal dating from 1772 set to be sold at auction

The coin was originally a medal from Captain Cook’s second voyage of discovery.

A rare coin dating from the reign of King George III is set to be sold at auction and is expected to go for at least £2,000.

The coin was originally a medal from Captain Cook’s second voyage of discovery. The renowned British explorer and naval officer set sail from Plymouth in July 1772 after being commissioned by the British government to locate a mysterious southern continent - Terra Australis - by circumnavigating the globe as far south as possible.

The coins - medals with heir hanging loops removed - were commissioned by famous botanist Sir Joseph Banks and paid for by the Admiralty.

Banks had intended to join Cook's second voyage but withdrew at the last minute, delaying departure and meaning that the date on the medals was incorrect.

RWB Auctions’ Head Auctioneer Gareth Wasp said: “This is a very rare medal, with only 2,000 known to have been made back in 1772.

"The link to the voyages of Captain Cook is sure to attract bids from collectors of Cook memorabilia as well as those interested in commemorative medals.”

The brass medal is due to be sold on Wednesday, December 4, as part of an Auction of Coins and Tokens.

It shows the two ships commissioned for the voyage: HMS Resolution and HMS Adventure. The inscription reads 'SAILED · FROM · ENGLAND MARCH · MDCCLXXII' (1772).

Ships logs record that medals were distributed to locals in more than 30 locations that Cook and his crews visited across the Pacific, including Tahiti, Easter Island and New Zealand.

They were designed to prove to future explorers that Cook had been there first and to introduce native inhabitants to the then British monarch - King George III - whose portrait appears on the other side.

Originally, these medals would have had a hanging fixture at the top so they could be worn, similar to a modern military medal, though most surviving examples are missing this.

The medal is estimated to sell for between £2,000 and £3,000. It is unknown who the medal was originally given to, but it has been consigned for sale by a collector who wishes to remain anonymous.

RWB Auctions has previously hit the headlines for selling a rare trial 25p coin and a locally-found Celtic gold coin minted thousands of year ago just a few miles from their salerooms in Royal Wootton Bassett.