08 August 2018
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A new coin from the British Virgin Islands, in denominations of $1 and $10, marks the 400th anniversary of English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh.
Available in proof sterling silver and uncirculated cupro-nickel, the coin features a depiction of the Ark Raleigh, the ship that was constructed for Raleigh, along with a portrait of the explorer himself. The obverse of the coin features a portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Raleigh was instrumental in the English colonisation of North America after being granted a royal patent to explore the New World. His voyages to find the so-called ‘City of Gold’ saw Raleigh discover the northern coast of South America and the Caribbean Sea, and he returned to England with potatoes and tobacco, two things unknown in Europe at that time.
The sterling silver coin is limited to 2,000 copies, while the $1 version has an issue limit of 10,000. Both coins have a diameter of 38.6 and weigh 28.28 grams. The silver $10 coin is protected by an acrylic capsule and then packaged in a black box and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. The $1 coin is shipped in a Pobjoy Mint Pouch.
