What is the oldest commemorative coin of GB ?

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I think it's probably the LIMA King George II coins; here is the shilling ...
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces13121.mobile.html#lien_collection

It's not what you would think of as a commemorative these days, but it's to show it's the silver taken from a captured ship from Lima, Peru.
I think they will go back further than that, especially when you consider the fact that the Romans had commemorative coins and medals.
Yeah, I was thinking just for Great Britain though, the Romans seemed to like commemoratives :)
Actually...an older one than George II is guineas of Anne that have the word Vigo added to show it was struck with gold seized from Spain in a battle...might be something older...
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Yes VIGO shillings of Anne and SSC shillings of 1723 are apparently commems
I wouldn't want to take a guess as there could be a multitude of many coins intended as commemoratives. The English celebrated very strange events throughout the medieval period so there may well be something out there that has not had recognition as a commemorative.
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Yeah, I've got one of the SSC shillings, I think the regular coins have roses and crowns in the corners rather than the Steam Ship Company initials



Unfortunately mine has a slight buckle in it (you can see where the light reflecting from the plastic of the flip comes off the buckled part.
Quote: "Oklahoman"​Actually...an older one than George II is guineas of Anne that have the word Vigo added to show it was struck with gold seized from Spain in a battle...might be something older...
​but you must think the Vigo issues which I have some of are English coins the Lima ones were for Great Britain. And for plumes and roses, SSC issues I always took them to be like a mint mark as such since they were privately struck with that companies metal for that company. Where as putting the areas of which the metal was plundered was basically bragging.

Anyway what an epic out of the blue revival !
Plumes roses ssc and eic tell where metal was sourced. But lima and vigo tell of battle and commemorate who won...I think...any way it is interesting.
Library Media Specialist, columnist, collector, and gardener...
quote:
Yeah, I've got one of the SSC shillings, I think the regular coins have roses and crowns in the corners rather than the Steam Ship Company initials
did Great Britain have steamships back then, I thought that was still the age of sails.
Quote: "Holindaze"​quote:
​Yeah, I've got one of the SSC shillings, I think the regular coins have roses and crowns in the corners rather than the Steam Ship Company initials
​did Great Britain have steamships back then, I thought that was still the age of sails.
​I'm sure Neil meant South that's the company name south sea company. Which was at the centre of the south sea bubble
My bad, I was misled by the SS usually meaning steam ship. Well you live and learn.z|
Quote: "neilithic"​My bad, I was misled by the SS usually meaning steam ship. Well you live and learn.z|
​I set you up to get away with it as a typo there man ! ?
Well I don't know boats, so I'll take it on the chin. I'm eyeing up another couple of Georges to add to my collection. I'm thinking of picking up these two

Among my many interests is collecting William Hogarth prints paired with the commentaries which explain for the modern reader the references. Every single person or event in a Hogarth work has an often very subtle meaning. Some are obvious, others far from it, and even after many years of reading and frequently visiting the various Hogarth exhibitions I'm still learning new things. Here's his satire on the South Sea Bubble-

Non illegitimis carborundum est.  Excellent advice for all coins.
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