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Medal from Cook's Second Voyage to New Zealand Appears in $1 Auction
An extraordinarily rare medal carried on Captain Cook’s Second Voyage to New Zealand 255 years ago will be among the exhibits at the 4th International Auckland Numismatic Expo in 2027, before going under the hammer as a fundraising lot in the Official Auction Part I that evening — with bidding opening at just $1
Its History
The 1772-3 Resolutions & Adventure medal (Lot 1) was made by Matthew Boulton of Birmingham and carried on the voyage aboard the HMS Resolution and HMS Adventure, the two ships depicted on the medal.
This was the first medal produced by Boulton, commissioned and paid for by the Royal Navy’s Admiralty. He later established the Soho Mint, which produced the famous Cartwheel Pennies series—official British legal tender in the 19th century- which was also used in New Zealand.
In 1880, Spink & Son of London, which became renowned for producing medals alongside its numismatic business, acquired the Soho Mint. In 1897, Spink issued a series of medals celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, including a dedicated New Zealand series.
In 2024, Aventine Coins & Bullion became Spink’s official numismatic agent in New Zealand, continuing the historic connection between Spink and New Zealand for over a century.
Taonga in New Zealand
These medals were distributed in New Zealand during encounters with Māori communities, likely as diplomatic gifts and later circulated as objects of appreciation and curiosity rather than for practical use. They are among the earliest surviving European objects found in New Zealand.
Most examples recovered from the ground in New Zealand are heavily worn or corroded, and many have been pierced for use as personal ornaments.
The medal has also appeared in popular media. In Season 10 of the world-famous TV series Pawn Stars, Rick Harrison examined an example initially thought to be an old coin, later identified as a Resolution and Adventure Medal and appraised at US$7,500–8,500.
In 2026, The Post and Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira featured an example that was first assessed and authenticated by Aventine upon being discovered. It was the first known Resolution and Adventure Medal to be unearthed in New Zealand’s North Island.
The specimen
This example is Die Type I, identified by a distinctive reverse die crack and the anchor's position on HMS Resolution. These features place the medal among those produced specifically for distribution during the voyage.
The medal is certified and encapsulated by NGC, one of the world’s leading coin and medal authentication services.
Captain Cook's Second Voyage. New Zealand. 1772-1773 Resolution & Adventure Medal
- Obverse
- GEORGE . III . KING . OF . GR . BRITAIN . FRANCE . AND . IRELAND ETC — laureate bust of George III facing right; B·F in truncation.
- Reverse
- RESOLVTION ADVENTVRE SAILED FROM ENGLAND MARCH MDCCLXXII— stern views of HMS Resolution with vertical anchor position and HMS Adventure.
- Type
- Die I, late die state.
- Condition
-
The suspension loop has been removed, with traces of the former screw fitting remaining visible on the rim. A small indentation near the “A” of ADVENTVRE suggests the medal was once worn as a pendant.
- XRF Metallurgical Analysis
-
- Copper (Cu)50.34%
- Zinc (Zn)48.48%
- Lead (Pb)0.50%
- Iron (Fe)0.36%
- Molybdenum (Mo)0.14%
- Nickel (Ni)0.12%
Why $1
$1
No Reserve.
To mark the 60th anniversary of New Zealand’s Decimal/Dollar Currency later this year and the opening of ANE 2027, Aventine will offer this item with bidding starting at just NZ$1, against a pre-sale estimate of NZ$20,000.
Aaron Mackesy, a recognised specialist in Resolution medals and one of only 15 Crown-licensed dealers in taonga tūturu, noted the exceptional rarity of this type appearing on the New Zealand market.
This example is accompanied by a Certificate of Export issued by New Zealand’s Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
Another medal coming home
During production of the brass-alloy medals intended for distribution, Boulton’s 1st reverse die, known as Die 1, was damaged. To complete the order, a second reverse die—Die 2, originally intended for gold and silver examples—was used to strike a small number of near-pure copper examples, a softer metal that would prevent damage to the die used for presentation pieces.
Only four other bronzed copper examples are recorded in commerce, with just seven auction appearances over more than 40 years at the time of publication. They have been described as rarer than even the silver presentation medals (SBG, Spring 2025 Showcase, 1184).
This deaccession sale helps fund the acquisition of such an example—the rarest distributed type of the Resolution and Adventure Medal—to be made available for public display, research and study in New Zealand.
Auction Details
Lot 1: 1772 Resolution & Adventure Medal
Opening Bid: NZ$1.00
Estimate: NZ$20,000
Auction Date: 6 March 2027
Time:
Link:
Aventine Numismatics
