Voyage of the Hispaniola

This coin thing could run and run, as I have now found lots more coins, many with an interesting history. And a lot from countries around the world, most of which I can only think were brought back by my uncle, who travelled a lot when I was a child, and in between travelling would come and stay with us.

Anyway, this blip is on a lighter note, as I should be getting on with the sorting out – I have several shelves to do, fabrics, knitting wools, games etc. and am making the most of Gordon being out at the football so I can do this by myself.

Pirate Treasure (or ‘my hoard’ for those who know the ‘Detectorists’)
I found this Doubloon and wondered about it. It has a pirate on one side, a pirate ship on the other, and is marked ONE DOUBLOON 1751. Any ideas?

It is obviously not a gold doubloon worth a lot of money, but a fake. I thought it might be a toy, but it has more of a story than that, as I discovered. 

For many years, from 1949 onwards, pirate-themed trips were made across Scarborough Mere, in a motor boat disguised as the ship, the Hispaniola. Passengers were landed on an island, greeted by staff dressed as pirates and told about treasure hidden under the sand. (Interesting the link with ‘Treasure Island’ after I had been this week to the museum featuring Robert Louis Stevenson.)

I now have a vague memory of going on this boat and digging for treasure and we must have been successful, as Doubloons like this were the treasure hidden under the sand. This one is one of the early ones, made of copper plated brass. Later they were plastic. My mother must have kept it, along with all the other coins, and somehow I have the collection. The things you find when you do some clearing out . . . and the time you spend researching!!