Shipwreck Coin Ducatoon

Ducatoon, Spanish Netherlands, 1679(Antwerp Mint) from the Shipwreck Merestein

In 1702, the Merestein set sail from the Netherlands, headed for Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) with a stopover at the Cape of Good Hope, a Dutch resupply station. Ships often paused at the Cape to take on fresh supplies before continuing their long and dangerous journey to the East Indies.

As the Merestein approached the coast of South Africa in April 1702, it encountered a powerful storm. The ship was wrecked near Jutten Island, close to Saldanha Bay, north of Cape Town. Like many VOC ships that foundered near the Cape, the Merestein was unable to navigate the hazardous waters and ran aground on rocks.