Reproduction George II Lima Shilling

Obverse: Old laureate and draped bust of George II facing left. Text around GEORGIUS II DEI GRATIA. LIMA in exergue.

Reverse: Crowned cruciform shields, incorporating the Arms of Hanover, garter star at centre. Date split either side of crown. Text around M B F ET H REX F D B ET L D S R I AT ET E.

History: In 1740, Admiral George Anson and his ships headed south across the Atlantic Ocean, on a mission to capture Spanish possessions in South America. As they sailed along the Pacific side of South America they took the Peruvian town of Paita and captured treasure from a number of Spanish vessels, but their greatest reward came when they managed to capture a Spanish galleon. Admiral Anson finally returned to England in 1744.

It was decided that the captured silver would be turned into British coins. The seized coins bore the word ‘Lima', the name of the Peruvian capital city where the metal for the coins was originally sourced. To celebrate the capture of the silver, ‘Lima' was struck into King George II's silver issues of 1745 and 1746, underneath his portrait.

Date: 1745

Diameter: 2.5cm