Ships That Changed the World Silver Proof Coins

The Ships That Changed the World Silver Proof Coins are a series of strikes from the Perth Mint of Australia. Showcased on the reverse of the silver proof coins are designs emblematic of famous ships that have played an important role in the history of the world.

Ships That Changed The World Silver Proof Coins

The reverse design of each silver proof coin that depicts the ships that changed the world features a colorful treatment to enhance the detail. According the the Perth, the original series will see a total of five strikes minted and released as part of it.

Each coin of the series is struck from one ounce of 99.9% pure silver. The series is considered legal tender of the country of Tuvalu (an island nation found between Hawaii and Australia) and showcases a face value of $1 indicating that.

Adding to the desirability of the silver proof coin series, the Perth has limited each release with a maximum mintage of only 5,000. This limited mintage, along with their unique designs, has already proven to be effective with collectors leading to sell-outs in the series.

Santa Maria Silver Proof Coin

Released as the first coin in the Ships That Changed the World series was the Santa Maria Silver Proof Coin. Showcased on the reverse of this strike is an image of the Santa Maria, one of three ships used by Christopher Columbus for his initial expedition to the New World. The design of the ship is surrounded by colorized elements to further enhance the detail of the strike.

The Santa Maria, also known as the Santa Maria de La Immaculada Concepcion, was the largest of three ships used by Columbus. His initial expedition was taken under the patronage of Queen Isabella of Spain to find a faster route to the East Indies. Instead, he started a movement of further exploration and eventual colonization of the New World.

Golden Hind Silver Proof Coin

The Golden Hind Silver Proof Coin is the second release in the Perth Mint’s series. Shown on the reverse of the strike is a colorized image including a portrayal of the Golden Hind, a ship used by Sir Francis Drake to circumnavigate the globe. Both the water and the sky behind the ship is shown in color drawing the eye.

Sir Francis Drake renamed the Golden Hind in honor of one of his patrons. That patron had an armorial crest with a hind (female deer) on it. He used this ship on his voyage around the Strait of Magellan and to explore the coast beyond. Upon his return aboard the Hind, Drake unveiled holds full of Spanish treasure that he had commandeered.

Mayflower Silver Proof Coin

The third release of the Ships That Changed the World series was the Mayflower Silver Proof Coin. An image of the Mayflower is shown on the reverse of the strike complete with a colorized representation of water and globe map behind it. For those that do not know, the Mayflower was a cargo ship that transported pilgrims to a site near present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts in their pursuit to be free from religious persecution.

Details of the actual Mayflower are surprisingly sketchy. However, its place in history will likely never be forgotten as it marked a new era of colonization in the new world.