Owner Comments:
DESCRIPTION
DATE: 1737
RULER: Philip V
ASSAYER: MF-Manuel de Leon / Francisco de la Pena y Flores
WEIGHT: 26.3g.
THE 1743 SHIPWRECK OF THE DUTCH EAST INDIAMAN HOLLANDIA
The coin shown above was recovered from the wreckage of the Hollandia.
On July 3,1743 the Hollandia set sail on her maiden voyage from Texel in the Netherlands bound for Batavia (present day Indonesia). On board were 276 sailors and soldiers as well as a number of distinguished passengers under command of Captain Ian Kelder.
The Hollandia had begun her trip by heading Westward through the English Channel, but through a disastrous navigational error headed West-Northwest taking her dangerously close to the rocks of the Scilly Isles. Efforts to correct the mistake failed and the Hollandia struck Gunner Rock on the night of July 13th.
Badly damaged but still afloat, the Captain ordered one or more of the Hollandia's cannons to be fired as a distress signal but terrified islanders were unable to assist in the dark night and the perilously rough sea conditions.
By morning nothing remained of the ship but floating debris; all 276 members aboard perished and the ship's precious cargo was lost.
In 1972 Rex Cowan, with his professional team of divers and technicians located the Hollandia's remains which were scattered over a wide area of the sea bed, and a limited number of coins were recovered from the wreck.