SALUTE OUR NAVY’S FIRST VICTORY

In the Battle of Cocos Islands on 9 November 1914, HMAS Sydney sank the highly successful, predatory German raider SMS Emden, commanded by Captain Karl von Müller. Known for his fearsome reputation, Müller had sunk 27 allied ships across the Indian Ocean. Although outmatched by the faster, more powerful HMAS Sydney, Emden’s captain refused to surrender, ultimately running his crippled ship aground on North Keeling Island, battle flag still flying. When no reply was received to a surrender demand, HMAS Sydney continued its attack, resulting in 134 German dead and 65 wounded. Before this clash, a German raiding party of 53 men had landed on Direction Island, where they destroyed key communication equipment, including the radio room, main transmission mast, undersea telegraph cable, and other vital assets. While the victory of HMAS Sydney may seem straightforward in hindsight, it was hard-fought. During the intense battle, Emden scored numerous hits, and Sydney’s narrow profile and skilled maneuvering helped minimize the damage. Four sailors lost their lives and 16 were wounded—a toll that could have been far higher, given the enemy fire had destroyed Sydney’s rangefinders. This decisive victory was especially significant as it marked a proud first for our young navy. HMAS Sydney continued to serve in other combat theaters until it retired in 1928. The Bradford Mint proudly presents this 65mm diameter silver commemorative coin, strictly limited to 199 pieces worldwide, featuring the heroic HMAS Sydney in finely etched detail, steaming into battle. An etched Royal Crown emblem signifies the engagement, alongside a depiction of a Mexican dollar—one of 6,429 silver Mexican dollars recovered from the SMS Emden, which Germany used for trading with its Chinese colony at Tsingtao. A thousand of these pesos were mounted by a Sydney jeweler and presented to the officers and men of HMAS Sydney as unofficial medals of bravery. Call one of our Senior Coin Experts now on 02 9841 3324 for more about this significant Naval collectable.