Cleveland Museum of Art

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

Date

1746

Medium

gold

Culture

England, George II, 1727-1760

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

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. The crowned quartered shield of arms represents from right to left, top to bottom, a framed lion for Scotland, France with fleurs de lys, Ireland with harp, and two lions for Brunswick, among others.

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