Sir Francis Drake

[longnine009]

Just finished reading 100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens by Katherine Jaeger and the Numismatical Writing Dude--Dave Bowers.
Item #99 was the Sir Francis Drake Globe Circumnavigation Medal--an English medal awarded to an Englishman. However, it made the list because: "...Drake's medal belongs among the 100 greatest American medals because it bears the first known use of the term 'America' in struck form..."

BTW, considering all of  Drake's exploits, would he be considered a "Sea Knight?"  Didn't someone Knight him in order to be called Sir Drake?

[scottishmoney]

Actually Sir Francis Drake bore lettres of marque from Queen Elizabeth, so was little more than an opportunistic sailor of fortune in the vernacular, but in the contemporary to this present time we would regard him as little more than a sanctioned pirate.

[longnine009]

 Didn't he also command the Queen's fleet against the Spanish Amanda?

[scottishmoney]

He was out of town when that happened.  When he did return to England he fell out of favour with QEI and spent some time in the luxuriantly appointed Tower of London.

[longnine009]

Wikipedia has some interesting stuff about him. He was second in command under Lord Effingham at the Spanish Armada battle. And even then he took time out to capture a Spanish ship that was carrying the payroll.

Maybe he just liked collecting Spanish Pillar dollars?   

[scottishmoney]

Caution on the wikipedia sources though, I find stuff frequently that is erroneous or outwardly facetious.  Mary Queen of Scots being a prime example.  One cannot take as factual when only conjecture is available for research.

[TwoShadows]

Well you fellows have answered a HUGE question for me. I have always wondered why some individuals, throughout history, were so bad and it never dawned on me they were COIN COLLECTORS!!! This has changed my whole perception of the bad guys!  I will now have to have a long look at history and find those individuals who were NOT working for the government or religious organzations in their quests but only as individuals interested in contributing to their hobby.

I think this is so humorous! We now have Sea Knights, Train Knights, Bank Knights, Stage Coach Knights and Armored Car Knights. And of course we can't forget Sir B.D. Cooper the original Jumping Jet Knight but I do think he was more of a dedicated currency collector, due to the weight involved in transport, so he stayed away from precious metals?

[longnine009]

Well, mathematically speaking, if Drake was plundering the plunderers, doesn't the plundering on both sides cancel each other out  and so cancel out pirating? 

I hereby petition the court to grant Sir Francis Drake the status of Sea Knight of the Coin Table  (SKOTCT)

[Humpybong]

He needs to have an Australian coin first....... 

[TwoShadows]

How do you know he doesn't?  As a point of interest the last train robbery in Indiana (within 50 miles or so of my home) was never solved, well the bad guys were arrested and jailed but the loot was never discovered. Probably still buried in one of three counties in this area. Efforts have been made through the years, with a little digging, but never located and the train robbers took their secret to the grave. It still remains out there just waiting for me!!!

[longnine009]

Certainly the Aussie Erroll Flynn must've owned some Aussie coins.  And he portrayed Sir Drake in the movie Sea Hawk.

[Humpybong]