A British flag of the battle of Trafalgar is auction: it will be sold to at least half a million pounds

Although the main value of each flag national both the symbolic one, some boast an exceptional one also from an economic point of view. For example, the 500-800 thousand pounds (594-950 thousand euros, at the current change) that Christie’s plans to collect on July 1st for a British banner hoisted by the warship HMS watershed during the famous battle of Trafalgardated 21 October 1805. 232 centimeters high and 352 wide, it will in fact be one of the highlights of the London Exceptional Sale 2025auction dedicated to precious memorabilia dating back to the past centuries.

Military triumph

Hand seams, spores, even a furrow on the upper edge perhaps due toImpact with a cannon ball: just a look to prove the antiquity of the specimen, in whose fabric they were stuck Metal fragments and small pieces of wooden Probably deriving from the trees of the vessel damaged during the clash. A small, great piece of history. Especially for the subjects of His Majesty. In fact, that day 220 years ago the 27 admiral ships Horatio Nelson They managed to get the better of the 33 Franco-Spanish under the orders of Pierre Charles Silvestre de Villeneuve. Keystone of the victory, the innovative choice to face the (superior) Napoleonic forces by deploying the fleet not on a single column, but out of two to transversely cut the enemy line. Result: Franco-Spanish lost twenty-two ships and British not even one, thus maintaining their domain on the seas.

Air of deal

As well known, Nelson himself was wounded in death during the battle, and since 1843 a high column dedicated to him he stands out right in the square that takes its name from that prestigious military triumph: Trafalgar Square. According to what is explained by the head of the book Department of Christie’s in London Thomas Venning, « he was one of the first commanders to hoist the Union Jack in battle », whose today is in fact in use by 1801. Because of this – He continued on the website of the Auction House -, « being able to observe one of the flags waved from its fleet to Trafalgar 220 years ago is remarkable and a source of inspiration ». More in detail – reads again -, the one that in less than a month will be assigned to the best bidder is « one of the only three Union Jacks to have survived the battle that we are news». Initially preserved by Captain James Clephan, according to Lieutenant of the HMS Spartiate, and handed down by hereditary, in 2009 he was then purchased by the specialized collector Benjamin Reed Zoricor For 384 thousand pounds. He felt the air of deal, and to judge from today’s predictions had fully reason.