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19th Century Coins Found Under HMS Victory's Mast
The find reflects a maritime tradition of placing coins for protection and good fortune, with the oldest token dating to 1835, curators said.
- During a 10-year, £42m restoration project, conservationists discovered six 19th-century coins beneath the foremast of HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard after a 750-tonne crane removed the masts from Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship.
- Following a maritime tradition dating back thousands of years, the crew placed coins beneath the ship's mast to bring good fortune when the foremast was stepped in 1894, a practice they chose to continue.
- Three bun head pennies of Queen Victoria, a halfpenny, a farthing, and a rare 1835 Prince Edward Island token comprise the collection, all heavily degraded by 132 years of pressure from the 50 tonnes of mast.
- Conservator Karoline Sofie Hennum used X-radiography to reveal the coins' details beneath decades of corrosion, and the artifacts will go on display starting May 23 in the Victory Gallery at Portsmouth.
- Andrew Baines, Royal Navy Museums executive director, called the discovery 'an extraordinary surprise,' noting the 1835 token's inscription, 'Ships, Colonies and Commerce,' reflects 19th-century imperial trade networks.
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Archaeology breakthrough as six 19th century coins discovered underneath HMS Victory
A collection of six coins and tokens dating from the nineteenth century has been unearthed from beneath the foremast of HMS Victory in a major archaeological breakthrough.It comes as part of the warship's ongoing £42million restoration project at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.The artefacts came to light after conservators successfully lifted the foremast from Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson's legendary flagship during work on HMS Victory: The Big Repair…
·London, United Kingdom
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The IndependentReposted by 
The Independent (US)
The Independent (US)19th century coins uncovered under HMS Victory mast – here’s the meaning behind it
A 750-tonne crane was used to remove the mizzen, foremast and bowsprit masts from Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
·London, United Kingdom
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Total News Sources14
Leaning Left5Leaning Right3Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Left
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Left
42% Left
L 42%
C 33%
R 25%
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