Our Treasure of the Month for November is this group of items that would make a perfect “starter” set for any up-and-coming collector. Actually, we are just kidding. But this collection does have what any serious collector of Fleet material would want. It is a representative sample of everything Fleet-related. It has gold coins, jewelry, a gold chain, a porcelain cup, an emerald, a small aggregate (or “clump” as it is popularly called), and even encrusted coins. Also, there is a very rare gold and enamel decoration (badge) of the Order of the Holy Spirit.
Below is an image of our Treasure of the Month with each item identified. As can be seen, every item is of the highest quality. The Porcelain is K’ang Hsi (or Kangxi) made during the reign of the K’ang Hsi Emperor (1662-1722) of the Qing dynasty. It is characterized by sapphire-blue cobalt pigment painted on bluish-white glaze.
Several gold coins from Spanish colonial mints are also represented. Identified below are mints from Mexico, Lima, and Santa Fe de Bogotá. A particularly nice ring with eight emeralds sits atop a gold chain. Next to a small clump of silver coins fused together by the chemical reaction of seawater with silver. This exposure creates a dark surface layer of tarnish, making the silver look dull, grey, or black. Several encrusted coins covered with ocean deposits are examples of how many silver coins are actually found before being restored by conservation. A raw emerald adds a splash of color against several gold coins from the Lima mint.
Completing our collection is a Maltese Cross known as The Order of the Holy Spirit. A French order of chivalry, it was presented by the King of France to those noblemen in honor of their supreme loyalty to the monarch, political eminence, extraordinary public service, or prominent defense of the Catholic faith. Why it would be found among the remains of a Spanish fleet is intriguing. The War of Spanish Succession, in which Spain and France were combatants, had recently ended. Was this the possession of a French nobleman? If so, what was he doing on a Spanish fleet? Maybe an old archival passenger list still to be discovered will provide the answer.
This great collection of Fleet coins and artifacts was arranged and photographed by John de Bry. John was a long-time Fleet Society member, supporter, and contributor who sadly passed away in February 2025.
