2009 Tuvalu Silver Proof Coin HASTINGS FAMOUS BATTLE

* Unique and colorful design - Very low mintage *

Famous Battles in History - The Hastings, a 2009 silver proof coin from Australia.

Issued by the Perth Mint as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu, this 2009 silver proof coin commemorates the significance of William’s victory with a design incorporating Harold’s demise from the historic Tapestry. In 1066, William Duke of Normandy’s fleet landed near Hastings where it engaged King Harold’s foot-weary army, recently returned from conflict in the north. A fierce battle raged for much of the day until the persistence of William’s soldiers eventually succeeded in breaking through the English lines. During the mêlée, Harold was struck in the eye by a Norman arrow, a fatal blow depicted in the 11th century Bayeaux Tapestry.

Focusing on five notable engagements that changed the course of history, The Perth Mint’s Famous Battles series portrays battlefield scenes spanning more than two millennia. The first coin in this series, the battle of Thermopylae -already sold out at the Mint- marks the Spartans’ remarkable stand at Thermopylae in 480BC against a powerful Persian invasion force. The second coin commemorates Hannibal’s crushing defeat of the Roman legions in 216BC. Future coins in the series commemorate the battles of Balaclava – 1854; and Gettysburg – 1863.