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We are gradually publishing details of objects in our collections online so come back soon to see new objects and themes.
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Curator's choice
American $20 gold coin dated 1908 with eagle on front and Liberty on reverse. The $10 coin was known as an 'eagle' so the $20 coin became known as the 'Double Eagle'. The coin was part of the 'Hackney hoard', a collection of 80 double eagles belonging to the Sulzbacher family.
In 1938 Martin Sulzbacher and his family fled anti-Semitic persecution in Nazi Germany and sought refuge in Hackney. They brought with them the family savings in gold coins and stored them in a bank vault.
When WWII broke out Martin was interned by the British Government as an ‘enemy alien refugee’ and sent to Canada on the ill-fated Arandora Star which was torpedoed. After many hours in the water he was rescued by a Canadian destroyer which landed him in Scotland. A week later he was sent to Australia on the Dunera together with some 2,000 other Jewish refugees. His wife and 4 small children were interned on the Isle of Man.
Martin’s parents, widowed sister Fanny, brother Fritz and his wife, all stayed in Hackney. Nazi soldiers were raiding bank vaults in Amsterdam and other invaded cities. The family decided to bury their 160 gold coins in 2 jars in the garden for safe keeping. Tragically, the house was bombed in 1940, all 5 family members were killed and the secret location lost.
Martin was later re-united with his wife and children. They returned to London where they also took care of Fritz’s 4 orphaned children. He seached the garden with a metal detector but was unable to locate the coins in the rubble.
Ten years later the first jar of coins was found by workmen digging foundations for a new building. The coroner returned the coins to Martin in 1952.
The second jar was finally found in 2007 after almost 70 years in the ground. It contained 80 American $20 ‘Double-Eagle’ bullion coins dating from 1854-1913. Martin passed away in 1981, so the coroner awarded the coins to his children, the legal heirs. They kindly donated this one to Hackney Museum along with the original jar and wrappers.
In 1938 Martin Sulzbacher and his family fled anti-Semitic persecution in Nazi Germany and sought refuge in Hackney. They brought with them the family savings in gold coins and stored them in a bank vault.
When WWII broke out Martin was interned by the British Government as an ‘enemy alien refugee’ and sent to Canada on the ill-fated Arandora Star which was torpedoed. After many hours in the water he was rescued by a Canadian destroyer which landed him in Scotland. A week later he was sent to Australia on the Dunera together with some 2,000 other Jewish refugees. His wife and 4 small children were interned on the Isle of Man.
Martin’s parents, widowed sister Fanny, brother Fritz and his wife, all stayed in Hackney. Nazi soldiers were raiding bank vaults in Amsterdam and other invaded cities. The family decided to bury their 160 gold coins in 2 jars in the garden for safe keeping. Tragically, the house was bombed in 1940, all 5 family members were killed and the secret location lost.
Martin was later re-united with his wife and children. They returned to London where they also took care of Fritz’s 4 orphaned children. He seached the garden with a metal detector but was unable to locate the coins in the rubble.
Ten years later the first jar of coins was found by workmen digging foundations for a new building. The coroner returned the coins to Martin in 1952.
The second jar was finally found in 2007 after almost 70 years in the ground. It contained 80 American $20 ‘Double-Eagle’ bullion coins dating from 1854-1913. Martin passed away in 1981, so the coroner awarded the coins to his children, the legal heirs. They kindly donated this one to Hackney Museum along with the original jar and wrappers.