Gold 0.21%
£3,219.68 OZ
Silver -2.37%
£47.78 OZ
Platinum -0.49%
£1,401.60 OZ
The Silver Britannia is capital gains tax free in the UK, making is a very popular choice with UK investors
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Queen Anne’s gold Guinea coins are among the most iconic of the series and command high premiums when offered, especially when seen in an almost uncirculated or mint state. There is an elite tier to the Queen Anne Guinea series, the “Vigo” Guinea.
Intriguingly, the Vigo Guinea coins are the only Guineas known to be struck from gold that was not mined in Guinea which adds to their uniqueness and the story behind the coins.
The Vigo hallmarked variation is so rare than most Guinea collectors will be unaware of their existence. Equally, the Vigo Anne Guineas have an intriguing history which is something that increases the allure of this numismatic coin.
The Vigo Guineas are one-year types of 1703 which was in Queen Anne’s first year of power. The name was derived from a battle in which the gold was stolen. Commander of the British Navy fleet in 1702 was advised of a Spanish treasury ship mooring at Vigo Bay on the northwest shore of Spain. The vessel was reported to contain gold and silver mined in Mexico.
The Spanish blockaded the bay and had cannons guarding the port, a strategy that was expected to slow the advance of British vessels whilst the cannons deterred them. The British overcame this and managed to capture the intended target ship in a conflict that lasted less than 48-hours. Much of the loot had already been transferred off the ship to the shore, however the British managed to seize 3.4kg of gold.
This gold was used to mint the Queen Anne Vigo Guinea coins which was given the Vigo hallmark in tribute to the success of the battle. This small series is the only known Guinea coins struck from gold that was mined in a location other than Guinea. No other Guinea coins were ever struck using Mexican gold like the Vigo Anne Guinea coins making these coins historically significant and incredibly contested whenever they surface.
A review of the market value of the Queen Anne Vigo Guinea coins in all denominations
The five guineas featuring the Vigo hallmark is the most frequently seen denomination. It is believed that less than 15 five Guinea coins are in private collections of which there are three different variations of where the word “Vigo” was struck onto the coin.
At the time of writing in early 2025, only three examples have been certified by NGC/PCGS with two coins achieving mint state status, the finest being MS62 which sold in 2019 at a price of $1,080,000 including buyer’s premium. Arguably, the five Guinea Vigo meets the criteria to be considered as a pattern given that the coins predated the release of the standard Queen Anne 5 Guineas series.
The Vigo Anne half guinea is one of the rarest of the half Guinea range with only three examples certified by NGC/PCGS, none of which have achieved a mint state certification. The exact mintage of the half Guinea bearing the Vigo hallmark has been lost to history, but we know this is an extremely rare type.
The half Guinea’s status is reflected by an auction held by Heritage Auctions in 2020 in which a XF40 example sold for $55,200 (including buyer’s premium), a remarkable achievement for a coin weighing 4.17g.
The Guinea is the rarest of the three Vigo denominations and the last time one was on the open marketplace was at public auction in 2007 with the coin estimated to fetch $40,000 at the time.
Sales data for the full Guinea Vigo is unobtainable which is testament to the coin’s rarity, auction records show that no full Guinea Vigo coin has been sold at any auction in the last decade.
Queen Anne Guinea coins command a high premium when in an almost uncirculated or mint state, the Vigo coins add an extra layer of eliteness to a series that is already at the top-end of the numismatic market
Investing in Guineas
Considered the elite British Gold coins, the Gold Guineas are akey piece of British history and have maintained their premiums through the ages
