#piratesunday: The 1988 Australia $10 First Fleet Bicentenary Commemorative

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”Black birds tend to like Shiny Things.” ~ The Bloody Raven

May I present a very lovely silver coin I’ve just added to my Silver fleet of ships, a coin I think @dfinney should be very familiar with this epic seaworthy piece.

First the card

The Industrial Revolution was an economic boon that kept England the most productive countries in Europe as machines now efficiently produced the goods that fueled the English economy. Left In the wake of this developmental leap was the social aftermath, many English citizenry became unemployed and destitute, a wave of crimes perpetuated by the desperate just to survive.

There was also a general reform of the Penal system as judges began to defer the death penalty in favor of prison time for what were deemed to be petty crimes without diluting the object of deterrence. The courts system became overwhelmed. The prison system overcrowded resorting to improvised housing conditions that were quite unsuitable to humans let alone convicts.

The 1988 Australia Proof 10 Dollar First Fleet Bicentenary

Reverse: Anniversary of the First Fleet, 10 DOLLARS
Sterling silver 0.926, 20g
34mm diameter, 2.55 mm Thick
HMS Supply on the Left and Prominent HMS Sirius the Right,

At the same time there was a concern over control of the newly discovered lands claimed by the English crown and an urgency to have a presence to defend against the treat of foreign encroachment of these far off lands.

In August of 1786 the government decided take the advice from the Naturalist Sir Joseph Banks of Captain James Cook’s 1770 expedition to resolve these issues by Transporting out a large excess of the convict population to establish a colony(s) abroad at Botany Bay of New South Wales (Australia).

The job of commanding this fleet fell upon a retired naval officer by the name of Captain Arthur Phillip and the ‘to be appointed’ Governor of Australia. Not an outstanding naval officer but Phillips was quite reliable, obedient and somewhat altruistic an officer with experience in transporting prisoners in the Portuguese navy with familiarity of farming and agriculture he may have just the right qualifications.

The 1988 Australia 10 Dollar First Fleet Bicentenary

Obverse: ELIZABETH II, AUSRALIA 1988, 3rd Portrait facing right
By the Royal Australian Mint, Canberra
Proof 50,099, UNC 111,497
KM# 103

Under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, Eleven ships departed Portsmouth England in May of 1787. Phillip was granted authority to establish a penal colony on the lands of New South Wales discovered and claimed by Captain Cook in 1770.

Naval Escorts;
  • HMS Sirius
  • HMS Supply

Supply Transports;

  • Golden Grove
  • Fishburn
  • Borrowdale

Convict Transports;

  • Alexander
  • Charlotte
  • Friendship
  • Lady Penrhyn
  • Prince of Wales
  • Scarborough



Conditions were harsh on the eight month journey in cramp conditions with only exercise time on the top decks weather permitting. On June 3rd, the fleet replenished supplies at Tenerife at Santa Cruz, in August the fleet arrived at Rio de Janeiro for a month for repairs, cleanup, and resupply, then proceeded to Cape Town in October to stock up in livestock before proceeding to their destination.

Enduring the hot tropical weather, stormy seas, pest infestations, and at times water rationing, disease, cramp and unsanitary conditions even the stench was substantiated by various personal accounts of officers, crew and convicts, it was somewhat a miracle than deaths were not as in greater numbers than they were.

There was even an account of an attempted mutiny on one of the ships but that was stopped before it got underway.

Bonus Silver Coin

1966 Australia 50 Cents - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait
Reverse: Australian coat of arms, 50, SD
0.800 Silver, 13.28g
31.5mm Diameter , 2.55mm Thick

The HMS Supply with Captain Phillip sailed first into Botany Bay on January 18th 1788. But after a few days determined that the location was just not suitable for the colony and was not as described in glowing terms provided by Captain Cook. Captain Philip sailed into a place named Port Jackson located further North and found it much more suitable a location with fertile soil, fresh water and a deeper sheltered anchorage to which Philip named Sydney Cove.

1966 Australia 50 Cents - Elizabeth II 2nd portrait
Obverse; Elizabeth II facing right, ELIZABETH II, AUSTRALIA 1966 ,
Mintage of 36M, Reference KM#67
Edge; Reeded

On January 26th of 1788 Phillip returned with the fleet and raised the British flag on the location known now as the City of Sidney, a date that is celebrated today as Australia Day.

And the following day, January 27th the 1,420 people that started the 24,000 km journey from Portsmouth England, 1,373 finally landed on the shore of Sidney Cove and things haven’t been any easier as the settlers struggle with new hardships to become a self-sustaining colony.

The First Fleet entering Port Jackson on January 26 1788
Drawn in 1888 by E. Le Bihan, State Library of New South Wales under CC 3.0

Well my take away from this that these Australians are a tough and resourceful lot so I may include a few in the crew in the Chronicles of the Bloody Raven.

I hope you enjoyed this coin feature, thank you for stopping by my Blog.

The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain @stokjockey for #steemsilvergold and #ssg-community pirates to proudly showcase their shiny booty and plunder for all to see. Landlubbers arrrh…welcomed to participate and be a Pirate at heart so open yer treasure chests an’ show us what booty yea got!


References

1. My own pictures shot with a Samsung SM-A530W
P. Image under Pixabay
R. Clip art from 123RF
W. Wiki Commons

Sources;

Numista: First Fleet
historyaustralia.org First Fleet
sydneylivingmuseum.com First Fleet

Banner by @thekittygirl

“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin”


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A wonderful coin and a much wonderful story. You have the knack of story-telling.
!trdo

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More of an Expository rather than a fictional narrative this time.
I think there's got to be a movie of this somewhere in the world since there is a lot of material that Mel Gibson can make an epic movie on.
Wink wink.
Thanks for commenting @ronaldoavelino

So very L-O-V-E-L-Y, a 1988 Australia $10 First Fleet Bicentenary Commemorative, and a great background information t go with it! Kudos on this latest addition to your collection of ship coins!
😍#ilikeitalot!!!😍
You have the best choices of silver to stack, sis @kerrislravenhill! Thank you for this show. I am so inspired!
Have a beautiful Sunday, my sweet sis @kerrislravenill, take care 🥰🌺🤙 and a million Hugs and Kisses 🤗💕💋!

You know this my favorite theme in Collecting silver coinage so as to Stack&Collect at the same time. High premium but chalk that cost up to fun. I hope my future generations keep the Core Stack and this collection as part of the Family Heirloom Equity as collateral for Investment opportunities and understand that their ancestor had a method to her madness.
"Aweigh anchor, drop sail, we're headin' fer Glory!"
Always, with love... me precious Sis 🌺 💝 🌹 💓 🌸 💗

Oooo very cool coins. I have oddly been missing Australia a lot lately. The whole you can’t go there is really making me want to go back! Sydney Harbour is so beautiful. I think these English folks picked a good spot.

I remember your last visit back home. All the pictures of the family, the seashore, the countryside and Sydney.
This Covid19 self quarantine tends to inspire travel or at least get outside before going stir crazy from being cooped up too long. I kind of figure Aussies are the Outdoors Type and don't like being caged up like the original Settlers as convicts for the better part of eight months.
Beautiful weather coming.
I hope this Pandemic fizzles out soon.
I see a lot more people out and about now. I guess folks are getting fed up of the Lock down.
One day I'll visit Australia, probably after I retire.
Thanks for commenting @dfinney

Great writing as usual and grrat coin as well

Thank you @silverd510, just holding up my end of the Stacker Community in my own style as time and energy permits.

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