Every Collector's Dream The “Fleet of Columbus” The Nina, Pinta & Santa Maria Numbered 448 of 950 sets WorldWide
Purchase This Set for $389.00 plus shipping & insurance
The Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria were recreated on this official Fleet of Columbus Piefort Proof Set issued to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the "New World." Authorized by the United States Columbus Quincentenary Commission, the double-thick Proofs forever capture the epic voyage of the fleet of Columbus in the beauty of precious silver and gold.
Although he had not discovered the "Indies," Columbus and his fleet of three tiny ships had discovered the unknown "New World" of the America's. For that reason, the 500th anniversary of his discovery was celebrated in 1992 by countries around the world.
This Fleet of Columbus Proof Piefort Set is a Limited Edition of 950 sets worldwide and contains genuine and official commemoratives authorized by the United States Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission.
The History Of This Set: One of the premier events of the quincentennial festivities was the touring of the fleet of Columbus, the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria. The three ships were built in Spain according to plans based on historical records of the ships, using the same types of oak, pine and hand—forged nails in their construction. In late 1991, the replica fleet set sail across the Atlantic and arrived at Miami, Florida, to huge crowds in February of 1992. From there, the fleet went on to visit 20 more cities in the United States, ending up in San Fransisco on Columbus Day, 1992. On the Fourth of July, the Spanish fleet was the highlight of a "Tall Ships" armada in New York Harbor.
The History Behind This Set: Just before sunrise on the morning of August 3, 1492, three of the Most famous ships in history weighed anchor in the harbor of Palos, Spain, and drifted with the tide out to the open sea of the Atlantic Ocean. From his flagship, the Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus set the course for the tiny fleet, which also included the two caravels, Niña and Pinta. The caravels were agile, shallow-draft ships, ideal for exploring in shallow waters. The larger Santa Maria carried the bulk of food and other provisions for the journey.
After first heading south for the Canary Islands, the fleet of Columbus then sailed directly west into the unknow waters of the Atlantic Ocean - the "Sea of Darkness." By early October, the sailors were desperate for the sight of land, and demanded that Columbus turn back. This he promised to do if they did not sight land within two or three days.
Only two days later, at 2 a.m. on October 12, 1492, a lookout on the Pinta caught the first sight of land in the "New World". At dawn of that day, 10 weeks after leaving Spain, Columbus and his men went ashore on the tiny island of San Salvador in the Bahamas.
This Fleet of Columbus Proof Piefort Set was minted with the following specificatons.
Gold Proof
Mintage: 950pcs
Country of Issue: U.S.
Obverse: Bust of Columbus
Reverse: Official “500” Year
Weight: 1/3 troy ounce
Composition: 14 Karat
Diameter: 20 mm
Thickness: 3 mm
Condition: Proof
Silver Proof
Mintage: 950pcs
Country of Issue: U.S.
Obverse: Caravel Niña
Reverse: Official “500” Year
Weight: 2 troy ounces
Composition: .999 fine silver
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Thickness: 5.8 mm
Condition: Proof
Silver Proof
Mintage: 950pcs
Country of Issue: U.S.
Obverse: Caravel Pinta
Reverse: Official “500” Year
Weight: 2 troy ounces
Composition: .999 fine silver
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Thickness: 5.8 mm
Condition: Proof
Silver Proof
intage: 950pcs
Country of Issue: U.S.
Obverse: Caravel Santa Maria
Reverse: Official “500” Year
Weight: 2 troy ounces
Composition: .999 fine silver
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Thickness: 5.8 mm
Condition: Proof
This beautiful and rare Piefort Proof Set will arrive in a wonderful wood presentation case with latch. The plaque which holds the four commemoratives is removable for proud display. And inside the lid is a replica of a 4¢ stamp depicting the Fleet of Columbus at sea. This collection includes the official Certificate of Authenticity.
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