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COLLECTORS – Captain James Cook’s  Commemorative Plate

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Captain Cook
RAN Ships
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Publication
June 2025 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

The commemorative plate (above) was produced as a souvenir that marked the bicentenary of the 1770 landing on Australian shores of Captain (Lieutenant) James Cook.

The face of the plate (top) carries a transfer-printed depiction of Cook’s ship, HMB Endeavour, encircled with the legend: TO COMMEMORATE THE BI-CENTENARY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 1770-1970, surmounted by the Australian Coat of Arms and with an image of Captain James Cook, Royal Navy beneath. Plaques representing the six Australian states are arranged around the rim of the plate on a background of Australian wildflowers and floral emblems.

The back of the plate (below) carries a brief biography of Cook, plus a description of Endeavour. The plate was also produced in a limited hand-painted edition.

 

 

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