The Endeavour's 1768–1771 voyage under James Cook was never a purely scientific expedition — the Admiralty's sealed orders, opened only after leaving Tahiti, directed Cook to search for the hypothetical southern continent and claim any suitable lands for Britain. Benin's involvement in commemorating this history is purely commercial; the country has issued hundreds of such pieces under licensing arrangements that have nothing to do with its own national narrative.
Cook's ship was originally a Whitby collier named the Earl of Pembroke, purchased by the Navy for £2,840 and renamed before departure.
The Endeavour's 1768–1771 voyage under James Cook was never a purely scientific expedition — the Admiralty's sealed orders, opened only after leaving Tahiti, directed Cook to search for the hypothetical southern continent and claim any suitable lands for Britain. Benin's involvement in commemorating this history is purely commercial; the country has issued hundreds of such pieces under licensing arrangements that have nothing to do with its own national narrative.
Cook's ship was originally a Whitby collier named the Earl of Pembroke, purchased by the Navy for £2,840 and renamed before departure.