Death of Captain Cook Medal Discovered At Car Boot Sale

A rare 18^th century medal issued to commemorate the death of famed explorer James Cook, discovered at a Yorkshire car boot sale is set to sell for £3,000-4,000 (plus buyer’s premium) when it goes under the hammer in the Coins and Banknotes Sale at Tennants Auctioneers on 6^th May.

The present vendor discovered the small blue coin box, which contained twenty-two medals dating from the 18^th to the 20^th century at the car boot sale, and paid just £25 for the box. Having an inkling the James Cook medal was special, he managed to sell the other medals on for a total of £500 and took the remaining medal to Tennants, where he discovered its rarity.

Tennants’ Coin Specialist Will Dobbins says of the lot: “The Death of Captain Cook Medal is believed to be among the earliest pieces issued to commemorate the death of the explorer James Cook, who was killed following a dispute with Native Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay on 14 February 1779. Struck in bronze and featuring a prominent portrait of Cook, examples of this medal are seldom offered at auction and only two are listed in museum collections – one in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, and the other in the Powerhouse Collection in Sydney”.

Also to be offered is an extremely rare Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Specimen Album, comprising a set of six specimen banknotes from 1980, each bearing the serial number 000055. The album is estimated at £3,000–£5,000. It was presented to Tony Latter, a former employee of the Bank of England, who later moved to Hong Kong to take up the role of Deputy Secretary for Monetary Affairs with the Hong Kong Government.

The modern proof section of the sale is particularly substantial, featuring an extensive range of issues from The Royal Mint, including silver proof coins, large-format fine silver pieces, and boxed commemorative sets. In addition, the sale includes a small but attractive selection of collectable high-grade farthings, an interesting group of commemorative medals, and a notable collection of shillings and sixpences spanning the Elizabethan era through to the twentieth century.

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