HMS Victory's Mast Coin Discovery

A 127-year-old coin placed under the mast of the nation’s historic flagship, HMS Victory as part of a centuries-old sea-faring tradition has been sensationally uncovered and put on display at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to mark this year’s Trafalgar Day commemorations on Thursday 21 October.
The coin, identified as a farthing, was uncovered in the base plate of the 32-metre, 26-tonnes mast section which was temporarily removed from Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship during a highly complex three-day engineering challenge, earlier this year.
It will be put on display from Trafalgar Day in the National Museum of the Royal Navy’s newest gallery, HMS Victory: The Nation’s Flagship, which charts the extraordinary story of the remarkable survivor considered by many to be the world’s most famous ship.
The coin is a farthing from 1894, with a face value at the time of ¼ pence, which would be worth about 0.1p today.  If in perfect condition it would feature Queen Victoria’s head on one side, with her hairstyle documented to 1874-94 and Britannia on the other with a lighthouse in the background, however this coin is impacted by corrosion, so this is less clear.
The tradition of placing coins under their ship masts may date back to Roman times and remains a naval tradition. The date of 1894 ties in with when these particular masts were inserted into the ship, when their ship, HMS Shah, had been decommissioned.  The masts replaced Douglas Fir ones inserted in the 1850s that had since become rotten.
#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy #PortsmouthHistoricDockyard #Portsmouth #Hampshire #Coin #Discovery

[@TonyB868]

Wonderful discovery and so exciting to discover tradition was upheld. Will try to get down to the museum before the end of the year. Great work team 🙏👏👏

[@rachellevin9855]

I can’t wait to study abroad in England and visit the Victory!

[@scottmeeker9971]

We’re so lucky to have been aboard the Victory years ago, it is a humbling experience.

[@normanboyes4983]

Never realised they were not the original masts but then there is very little that is original I suppose.

[@theVoid524]

This whole video is unintentional ASMR lol

[@BroonParker]

Not entirely sure why the corrosion on the farthing needs removal for display in the museum. 1894 farthings can be obtained, and an undamaged one could have been mounted alongside it, with all of its wear and tear intact - it could have told a better story visually.

[@gemmeliusgrammaticus2509]

Are ye gonna add a contemporary coin when you replace the mast?

[@abrahamdozer6273]

You'd better put it back! Don't mess with bad juju.

[@stevehhall3385]

Am sure when the masts are replaced they will put a new coin in..

[@samabrahams7687]

The coin is bronze all Victorian Penny's were struck in bronze after 1860 . Fools

[@devonboy3410]

Put it back it is bad luck to remove it

[@BroonParker]

New (or restored) mast, new coin.
This isn't the ark of the covenant. Get a grip!