Captain Morgan's Gold Coin

Captain Morgan's Gold Coin

Henry Morgan was an energetic youth, ambitious & high-spirited. The quiet country lifestyle of his younger years held no excitement for him. He yearned for adventure, fame & fortune. He took to seafaring at an early age. His journey began when he went to Bristol, then the chief western port of England. He worked in the sugar plantations for seven years, learning the 'artful ways of the pirates' which frequented the islands. In 1662 Henry had enough of cutting cane & listening to other men's adventures & set out for Jamaica, which became his home for life. He signed aboard a ship which set sail with a mixed crew of seasoned & novice sailing men on May 3rd, 1655, bound for the West Indies. Morgan served his apprenticeship with Sir Christopher Myngs, an intrepid seaman who had commanded a ship during the invasion of Jamaica. Myngs ravaged the Spanish Main & in an incredible stroke of good fortune stumbled upon a store of Spanish silver containing 1.5 million pieces of eight, an astronomical sum. (The first document that mentions Morgan by name refers to Captain Henry Morgan as commander of one of ten ships sailing under letters of marquee in Myngs admiralty). Henry Morgan immediately made himself a name as a swashbuckler. He and his cohorts were so successful that Morgan's share of the booty bought him a ship of his own. After plundering his enemy's richest cities he left for open water with the Spanish in hot pursuit. Morgan turned to fight. In a fierce & bloody battle which nearly destroyed the Spanish fleet. The total count of the treasure, from the Spanish, was 250 million pieces of gold and silver coin, quantities of jewels, casks of ale & rum, precious spices, silks and velvets, weapons & ammunition, gun powder, cutlasses & daggers (enough for an army). He returned to Jamaica with spoils valued at more than 1,000,000 and was met with general rejoicing.

Remember to take lots of photos to document this coins journeys!