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Five Guineas: George II (obverse); Shield of Arms (reverse)
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Five Guineas: George II (obverse); Shield of Arms (reverse)

1746 · gold

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

A new bust now appears on the coinage showing the king as an older man. The word LIMA that appears below the bust on this year only, refers to bullion captured by Admiral Anson from a Spanish plate fleet at Manila during his circumnavigation of the globe (1739–43). It also probably includes bullion supplied by a number of privateers operating against the Spanish plate fleets in the Atlantic. Why the actual word "Lima" was chosen to mark this supply of bullion has never been satisfactorily explained. The mint record book of the period simply records a warrant being issued for the inclusion of the word.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineFive Guineas: George II (obverse); Shield of Arms (reverse), 1746. England, George II, 1727-1760. Gold; diameter: 3.7 cm (1 7/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection, 1969.208
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