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Miscellaneous, Engraved coins: Shilling, worn smooth and engraved with a warship under sail, w blakey below, rev. the same vessel, flying a British ensign, dismasted, feb 2[–] 1783 above, cerberus below. Pierced as usual, very fine and of particular Colonial interest (£120-150)

The Cerberus, a 5th rate 32-gun frigate built at Rotherhithe in 1779, was lying at Castle Harbour, Bermuda when the captain, Jacob Wheate, succumbed to a fever in February 1783. Lt Thomas Parkinson assumed command and the ship hove anchor on 21 April 1783, but when passing the castle struck two submerged rocks and went aground on a reef. Despite the crew shifting guns and provisions forward and then overboard and even cutting away the masts, the vessel remained stuck fast, so the order was given to hoist the boats and the crew were ferried ashore, those on nearby fishing vessels declining to help. Over the next five days a considerable amount of stores and provisions from the wreck were salvaged. Ironically, many of the crew, including Lt Parkinson, were taken on board the sloop Mentor, which disappeared after sailing from Bermuda in late April 1783 and was presumed to have foundered with all hands