Museum Objects Gallery

Liroconite, Wheal Gorland, St Day, Gwennap, Cornwall, England

A large, rare, liroconite crystal on strashimirite found in 1808. At 2.5cm, the specimen is the largest known crystal from any locality worldwide. Collector Philip Rashleigh wrote in his mineral catalogue: 1114 A crystal of copper ore in a double four sided pyramid of a transparent blue colour, the largest edge of the crystal 9/10th of an inch, the largest yet seen perfect. Wheal Gorland, r r r'. Type locality specimen. Rashleigh Collection

© RIC, photographer Mike Searle

Copper Alloy Pre-decimal One Penny (1d) Coin, England

The obverse bears the youthful portrait of Queen Elizabeth II (reigned 1952-) wearing a laurel wreath in her hair. The inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F : D: + encircles the portrait. This portrait by artist Mary Gillick (1881-1965) was used on British coins until 1968 when new 5 pence and 10 pence coins were introduced, ahead of decimalisation in 1971. Royal portraits have been used on English coins for over 1000 years. The reverse features a seated Britannia holding Neptune's trident and shield, with the sea behind and a lighthouse on the left. The inscription ONE PENNY are placed on either side with the year, 1967, towards the bottom. Britannia, the female steadfast and ready warrior who is an emblem of Britain, first appeared on coins back in the Roman era. Charles II reintroduced Britannia onto British coins in 1672 and she remains on some of our coins to this day

© RIC, photographer Mike Searle

Gold, Carnon Stream Works, Perranarworthal, Cornwall, England

Gold is a native element and precious metal which has been prized by mankind for thousands of years for its beauty, malleability and resistance to corrosion. This gold nugget is the largest known to have been found in Cornwall and weighs 1 oz t, 18 dwt. 6 grs. It was found in January 1808 in the Carnon Valley tin-stream works and bought by collector Philip Rashleigh in March of the same year. Rashleigh wrote in his Manuscript (112 Au): Native Gold found in Carnon Stream work in Cornwall weighs - 1 oz. 18 pw. 6 gr. Troy this piece has had all the extra matter picked out except a mite in one place the marks of many others remain. The smoothness of the piece shews the great time it has been washed by the water where it was exposed and the hollow parts more rough gives a proof of its not being manufactured'. In the ownership of Mr Wills, a silversmith from Truro, the find was reported in the Royal Cornwall Gazette on 6th February 1808 this is unquestionably the largest and most beautiful specimen ever found in Cornwall, or probably in any other country'. The paper reported in March 1808 that Rashleigh purchased the specimen from Mr Wills. Mineral analysis undertaken in 2018 indicates that the gold content in the nugget is in the high 90s while other gold nuggets from the Carnon Stream Works, which were analysed, are around the 70s. As a result, it has been suggested that this gold nugget may have been refined and worked into a forgery by the silversmith who sold it to Rashleigh. Rashleigh Collection

© RIC, photographer A.G. Tindle