Six coins dating to the 19th century are discovered beneath the mast of HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. According to Royal Navy Museums, the find connects the ship to a long-standing maritime tradition. Sources describe the coins as having been placed under the mast for “good fortune,” with the coins subsequently uncovered during conservation or structural work. The Independent reports that removal work involves dismantling major sections of HMS Victory’s rigging and masts, carried out with a 750-tonne crane. Specifically, the mizzen, foremast and bowsprit masts are removed as part of the process, and the coins are found beneath the mast area during that work. The available reporting does not identify who placed the coins or when the placement originally occurred, but it emphasizes that the discovery reflects a practice historically linked to seafaring beliefs and shipboard customs. Royal Navy Museums’ statement frames the coins as part of a broader maritime tradition stretching back thousands of years.