Royal Australian Mint, 2020 Australian Shipwreck Series – Zuytdorp 1 oz .999 Silver Coin in Capsule

Description

The Royal Australian Mint presents the third release in the Australian Shipwreck series featuring the Zuytdorp. For the first time in bullion, the series will feature coins that are triangular-shaped in design. The Zuytdorp follows on from the first two popular releases in the series featuring the Batavia and the Gilt Dragon.

The exquisite design of the reverse conveys two scenes to communicate the journey of the Zuytdorp. With the image of the ship viewed upright, the Zuytdorp is shown setting sail in its full glory. Flipping the coin to view the text of ‘1712’ and ‘Zuytdorp’ upright depicts the ship in its final state capsized shortly after wrecking in 1712. The obverse design depicts scenes from the dramatic story of the Zuytdorp.”

Product Features

• Third release in the popular and unique Australian Shipwreck Series
• Low mintage of just 20,000 coins
• Struck from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver and issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965.
• Reverse design: With the image of the ship viewed upright, the Zuytdorp is shown setting sail in its full glory. Flipping the coin to view the text of ‘1712’ and ‘Zuytdorp’ upright depicts the ship in its final state capsized shortly after wrecking in 1712.
• Obverse design: depicts scenes from the dramatic story of the Zuytdorp
• Packaged in sealed rolls of 10 and boxes of 240
• Presented in an acrylic capsule that fits the coin’s unique shape

History & Significance

In 1711, Dutch East India Company trading ship, the Zuytdorp (meaning ‘South Village’), set out from the Netherlands for Batavia on what was to be its third and final voyage. Onboard were more than 200 men and precious cargo comprising 250,000 silver coins.

After nearly seven months at sea with scurvy claiming the lives of many men, the Zuytdorp continued its journey from the Cape of Good Hope via the Indian Ocean.Zuytdorp never arrived at Batavia and with no knowledge of where it may have sunk or whether it had been taken by pirates, no search was ever made. The wreck was found more than 200 years later off the coast of Western Australia along a stretch now known as the Zuytdorp Cliffs. Divers of the wreck have reported a ‘Carpet of Silver’ – the result of thousands of silver coins strewn along the ocean floor. These coins inscribed with ‘Zeeland’ and ‘1711’ helped identify the wreck as the ill-fated Zuytdorp, which still abounds in mystery today.