† A DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY (V.O.C.) SILVER INGOT SALVAGED FROM THE ROOSWIJK CARGO, CIRCA 1739

stamped with the mark of the Amsterdam Chamber of the V.O.C., with rampant goat assay master's mark, each stamped 'A' above 'VOC' conjoined -- 6¼in. (16cm.) long; 63.82 ozt. 1276.38 dwt. (1,985 gr.)

Provenance: Rooswijk recovery team - certificate of authenticity Bar Cat. No. RK04A0055

The 850 ton Dutch East Indiaman (V.O.C.) Rooswijk was on her second outbound voyage to Batavia, when she foundered on the 9th January 1740 in a storm passing the notorious Goodwin Sands off the Kentish coast with the loss of all 200 souls on board. She also contained a valuable cargo of Mexican silver which had just been smelted in Amsterdam and which comprised some thirty chests containing 1,000 bars and at least 36,000 silver Reale coins. The only evidence of the disaster appeared the next day when locals found letters washed ashore at Deal. The sands kept their secret until by chance, in December 2004, they parted and allowed an amateur diver to retrieve two complete chests and hundreds of silver bars. The salvage team, operating in secrecy, continued throughout 2005 by agreement of the Dutch and British Governments.