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The Coins form the East Indiaman "Wendela"
(Summary in English of the original dokument)
The Coins form the East Indiaman "Wendela",
shipwrecked 1737 off the Shetland isles
In 1971 the Belgian marine archaeologist Robert Sténuit
found the place off the isle of Fetlar (Shetland, see map p.
32), where the "Wendela" of the Danish Asiatic Company was
totally shipwrecked in the night between 18 and 19 December
1737 (no survivors). He and his men found 44 gold and some
850 silver coins as well as some artefacts. Thanks to the
good offices of Mr. Sténuit himself and the Keeper of the
Department of Coins and Medals of the British Museum, a
representative of The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals
of the Danish National Museum (the author of this article)
had the opportunity to see the coins during a fortnight in
March and April, 1973. They were sold at an auction in
London in November the same year. Most of the gold coins
(29) were Dutch ducats, three of which had dates, which were
not known before (nos. *8, *24, and *27). Most of the silver
coins were German; especially Brunswick-Luneburg, Brunswick-Wolffenbuttel
and Hannover were well represented (204), but also Saxony
and the countries united under the Habsburg dynasty were
largely represented (77 and 101). In all, there
(70 Rigsarkivet. Asiatisk Kompagni 565, fol. 4 r., 8 r., 9
v. og 46 r. - På fol. 103 r. er der en udgift på 4 rdr. til
Monsieur Wandel (der var fuldmægtig ved Den kgl. Mønt) for
hans umage med at sortere og veje de fra Hitland hidbragte
kontanter samt 3 rdr. til jøden Una for samme arbejde.
71 Rigsarkivet. Asiatisk Kompagni 8. Proposition til
generalforsamlingen, 2. april 1739, § 2 samt Asiatisk
Kompagni 287, fol. 89 r. og 565, fol. 54 r.
72 Rigsarkivet. Asiatisk Kompagni 565, fol. 74 r.)
(67 Mønterne fra Ostindiefareren "Wendela")
were coins from most countries in Northern and Central
Europe. Some of the coins had a certain numismatic
importance, see catalogue nos. *87,93, *100 (year previously
unknown), 111, 120, and 126. Of special interest was the
Saxonian 1/3 thaler from Friedrich August II, 1734, with the
initials of J. G. Schomberg (no. *164), as no "drittels"
from Friedrich August II were known with the signature of
this mintmaster. It should be mentioned that the Spanish
mint of Mexico was rather well represented, too, as there
were 29 pieces of eight.
The composition of this fragmentary hoard reminds us of the
many Danish hoards from the period of the Swedish wars in
the middle of the 17th century, but it has no resemblance to
the other Danish hoards, which are known from the years
between c. 1730 and c. 1750. In these hoards small currency
is dominant.
The records of the Danish Asiatic Company are well
preserved, and since 1841 they have been kept at the
Rigsarkivet in Copenhagen. A guide to them was edited in
1969 (see note 18). The records demonstrate that the company
often had difficulties in finding minted silver for the
India trade (while silver bars were relatively easy to get).
The invoices for the last voyage of the "Wendela" have been
analysed, and it has been shown that more than 63 % of the
silver coins were supplied by three Jews of Copenhagen. In
fact, nearly all the coins were bought from Berendt Jacob
and Berendt Samuel. We know that they had close family
relations with Amsterdam, whence the latter had immigrated.
It is therefore reasonable to believe that the silver coins
came from Amsterdam, which at that time was the world centre
of trade with precious metals. The only other possibility is
Hamburg. Consequently, the coins were not taken from the
stock which was circulating in Denmark at that time. As to
the gold coins then, it is shown that they are part of the
subsistence allowance of the captain. He had 146 Specie
Ducater with him, and not a single one was found after the
shipwreck. But now Mr. Sténuit has found nearly a third of
them.
A short survey of the history of the ship is given. It was
bought in Amsterdam in 1731, and both the officers and the
crew were skilled. Jørgen Mathiasen Foss had been captain of
the "Wendela" since 1731, and this was his third voyage. The
chief officer, Nils Smidt, had been in the India trade since
1718, and we know for certain that many others had been to
India before. Because of the prevailing southwesternly wind
the route north of the Shetland was prescribed in the
instruction.
Finally a few words are added about the endeavours of the
company to get the salvaged goods to Copenhagen, awaiting
the more detailed report which Mr. Robert Sténuit has
promised to provide.
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