Coins mark Captain Cook's 1768 voyage of discovery

Coins to mark the 250th anniversary of Captain James Cook's voyage of discovery have been unveiled by the Royal Mint.

On August 25 1768, Captain Cook sailed out of Plymouth harbour on the ship HM Bark Endeavour at the start of his epic journey.

The three-year voyage was the first of three such journeys for the pioneer, during which he would circumnavigate the world twice.

Captain Cook commemorative coins
Captain Cook commemorative coins

The Royal Mint has unveiled the first in a three-year series of commemorative £2 coins to mark the 250th anniversary of the voyage.

It said Captain Cook's spirit of adventure helped to "fill in the blanks" on the world map and improve knowledge of new places, plants and other planets.

It said a series of three £2 coins, released each year from 2018 to 2020, will reflect Captain Cook's voyage "in real time".

The Captain Cook commemorative £2 coins are available in a range of finishes and available to buy from the Royal Mint website, with prices ranging from £10 for a nickel-brass version to £845 for a gold coin.

Advertisement