DRAWER FIND: 1703 QUEEN ANNE VIGO FIVE GUINEA PIECE

A widow has struck gold after finding a “lost” 18th century coin worth up to £120,000 during a rummage through her late husband’s chest of drawers.

The Queen Anne Vigo five guinea piece was only bought by “seriously wealthy people” back in 1703.

Now the woman will be one herself when it is sold next month.

Auctioneer Leslie Gillham said: “She produced from her bag one or two old silver coins worth a few pounds.

“I flippantly said, ‘It’s a pity you haven’t got any gold ones’ and she said that she had.

“With that she produced this 1703 five guinea coin.

“I thought it must’ve been a fake. I got a second opinion confirming it was genuine and gave her the good news.”

The commemorative coins were made from Spanish gold seized off treasure ships and only 20 were ever struck.

The unnamed pensioner, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, is selling it at Gorringes on December 6.

To read the complete article, see: You've struck gold! Widow finds old coin in chest of drawers worth £120,000 (www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/queen-anne-vigo-five-guinea-1438995)

To celebrate the victory over an adversary, the Royal mint had about 20 Queen Anne Vigo five guinea coins made.

Of the 20 that were struck, only 15 are known of and they are in private hands. It is thought the woman’s late husband inherited the exceptionally rare coin as he showed no interest in coin collecting when he was alive.

The series of Vigo coins were made out of 7.5lbs of gold seized from a Spanish galleon. After the British failed to capture Cadiz in October 1702, the fleet intercepted a Spanish treasure ships coming back from America in Vigo Bay.

To read the complete article, see: Buried treasure! Widow found rare Queen Anne coin minted with stolen Spanish gold worth £120,000 as she cleared late husband's chest of drawers (www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2233806/Buried-treasure-Widow
-discovers-rare-coin-worth-120-000--late-husbands-chest-drawers.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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