2023 Captain James Cook $1 'First Antarctic Crossing 250th Anniversary' 1oz Silver Proof Coin

Celebrate the 250th anniversary of one of the greatest human achievements of all time - the second of James Cook’s voyages of discovery. Captain Cook and his crew were the first Europeans to cross the Antarctic Circle and lay their eyes on the icy wonders that lay beyond – the planet’s most southerly landmass. Now, you too can follow in Cook’s wake!

Own the adventure with an eye-catching and exclusive masterpiece. The 2023 $1 Cook - Antarctic 1oz Silver Proof Coin is a cool piece of legal tender that will send shivers down your spine with its captivating colours, enchanting design, and metal purity. On his first voyage, James Cook charted most of Australia’s eastern coastline. However, little was known about the vast and unchartered expanse of the great Southern Ocean. Many questioned whether there was still undiscovered land below Australia.

In addition, Britain’s prosperity depended upon expanding its territories and laying stake to valuable raw materials. New trade routes and discoveries were essential in maintaining an advantage over rivals Holland, France and Spain. In this context, in 1772, the Royal Society of Britain tasked Captain Cook with voyaging as far south as possible. The HMS Resolution and Adventure were fitted for another voyage and set sail. On January 17, 1773, James Cook and his crew, aboard the HMS Resolution, made the first recorded crossing of the Antarctic circle. The importance of this momentous achievement cannot be overstated, as it marked the start of a new era of exploration and discovery.

It is only fitting that the legal tender coin celebrating this historic undertaking send chills down your spine! A study in silver perfection, the 2023 $1 Cook - Antarctic 1oz Silver Proof Coin is an exploration of cutting-edge minting that reveals the HMS Resolution in a spectacular Proof quality strike. Cook’s impressive ship is depicted surrounded by an ultra-realistic icy landscape in stunning relief, against 1oz of the PUREST SILVER. Digital Colour minting techniques have been cleverly utilised to further enhance the frozen beauty of the Antarctic environment, inspiring the sense of wonder and exhalation that Cook and his crew must have felt.

Beautifully presented, complete with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity , this MUST-HAVE pure silver Proof is part of a strictly limited mintage of a mere 750 coins worldwide.