Cook Is "FAMOUS NAVAL BATTLES ~ HAMPTON ROADS" Fancy COA # 1919 Silver Prf Coin

Description

Cook Islands -
"
WAR SHIPS ~ FAMOUS NAVAL BATTLES ~
BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS 1862.
"
Limited Edition ~ 1oz Silver Proof Coin !
Fancy Certificate of Authenticity No. 1919 !
The third in the series marks the historical naval encounter on Hampton Roads in 1862.
During the American Civil War, the first-ever clash between two ironclad warships took place on Hampton Roads, a body of water at the confluence of the Elizabeth and James Rivers. On the Confederate side was Virginia, a wooden frigate previously known as USS Merrimack, which had been sunk and then rebuilt as an ironclad ram. On the second day of the battle, she encountered the Union Monitor. A completely new design of ironclad, her extremely low profile meant that she had no more than 18 inches of armoured deck visible above the water line.
The ships fought for several hours, mostly at close range. Neither landed a decisive blow, their armour-plating proving effective. Nevertheless, the battle marked the dawn of a new era in maritime warfare ...
Nominal Specifications
Mint:
The Perth Mint
Issue date:
3 August 2010
Denomination:
Cook Island
Metal:
99.9% pure silver
Finish:
Proof
Mass:
31.135g
Diameter:
40.60mm
Mintage:
5,000
Designer:
Darryl Bellotti
(PWC13).