The featured item on our online shop today is this stunning Auguste Shipwreck coin, a 1755 MM Mexico 8 Reales accompanied by a numbered certificate of authentication from the Canadian Numismatic Company. This coin is a fairly typical piece with significant salt water corrosion but remains quite detailed to be readily identifiable.
The "Auguste" sank in the a gale off the Aspy Bay, Cape Breton in 1761. The full-rigged ship was a former French privateer ship that had been captured by the British and was hired to transport French exiles and prisoners of war from Montréal, Québec to France. Sadly, only 7 of the 121 souls aboard made it to the shore alive. Many notable Canadians perished during the sinking, including Charles-René Dejordy de Villebon, Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye, and Louis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne.
Since many of the passengers carried their life savings with them, the ship contained large amounts of valuables, such as gold and silver which continues to attract the interest of many treasure hunters and documentary filmmakers.
