Multiple 19th century coins uncovered under HMS Victory mast after being put there for ‘good fortune’

May 20, 2026 · 11:01 PM UTC ·7 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 40 views

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

During a restoration of HMS Victory, six 19th-century coins were discovered beneath the foremast. This find highlights a maritime tradition of placing coins for good fortune. The coins date back to the period when the foremast was replaced in 1894, with one token from 1835 identified as from Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Key facts

▪Six coins and tokens were unearthed beneath the foremast of HMS Victory during a restoration project.
▪The discovery was made possible by the removal of the masts using a 750-tonne crane.
▪Five of the coins date back to 1894, while one is a token from 1835 from Prince Edward Island.

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Original publisher	The Independent
Canonical URL	https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hms-victory-19th-century-coins-portsmouth-b2980557.html
Publication time	Wed, 20 May 2026 23:01:00 GMT
Retrieval time	2026-05-20T23:10:03.199Z
Last seen	2026-05-20T23:10:03.199Z
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand

NewsUKHome NewsMultiple 19th century coins uncovered under HMS Victory mast after being put there for ‘good fortune’A 750-tonne crane was used to remove the mizzen, foremast and bowsprit (the bow) masts from Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship at Portsmouth Historic DockyardBen Mitchell Thursday 21 May 2026 00:01 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2980557","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hms-victory-19th-century-coins-portsmouth-b2980557.html","title":"19th century coins uncovered under HMS Victory mast –…

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