FRANCE (Nova Scotia Interest) 1731-L (Bayonne) Louis XV Silver Ecu 27.42 grams from 1761 Auguste Shipwreck with Certificate of Authenticity signed by Edward Barrington - Scarce Mint for this Wreck

Auguste was a full-rigged sailing ship that sank at Aspy Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in 1761 while carrying exiles from the fall of New France. Auguste was a former French privateer ship which had been captured by the British and converted to a merchant ship. In September 1761, she was hired by the British government to transport French exiles and prisoners of war from Montreal to France. For the voyage, she was under the command of Joseph Knowles, an English sea captain. The ship was unarmed and carried 121 passengers and crew. Almost immediately upon clearing the mouth of the St. Lawrence on October 28, she encountered a week of contrary winds followed by a nor'west gale and heavy seas which badly damaged the ship. Leaking heavily with an exhausted crew and damaged rigging, the captain sought a sheltered harbour in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. However Knowles was unable to find a safe refuge as Auguste carried only charts of the French coast. The ship struck land on the northeastern side of Cape Breton Island near an inlet known as Aspy Bay. Only seven of the 121 made it to shore alive. These included the captain, the merchant Luc de la Corne, two soldiers, two servants, and one discharged soldier.

Many notable Canadians died during the sinking, including Charles-René Dejordy de Villebon, Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye, and Louis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne.

Carrying the life's savings of many of its passengers, the ship contained considerable amounts of gold and silver. This has attracted various treasure hunters, including Joe Amaral, as well as some archaeology by Parks Canada. A display of artifacts from Auguste is featured in the "Shipwreck Treasures of Nova Scotia" exhibit at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax recovered by various divers including Offshore Diving and Salvage of Sydney, NS owned by Gerald Langille and Edward Barrington's 1977-78 expedition.

Luc de la Corne (c. 1711 – October 1, 1784) was a Canadian-born military officer, merchant, interpreter and politician.

Luc de la Corne was born c. 1711 in Contrecœur, Quebec, then part of the French colony of Canada. Born into a "large and illustrious family", his parents were Jean-Louis de La Corne de Chaptes and Marie Pécaudy de Contrecœur, both of whom were French Canadians. Saint-Luc was an officer in the Compagnies Franches de la Marine; his brother Louis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne, later became a very successful merchant at Montreal. Though relatively unknown, he played a major role in American and Canadian history. He is most famous for returning from the shipwreck of the Auguste off the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, at the age of fifty, during the dead of winter, to Quebec City - a trek of 700 miles (1,125 kilometres). He had a varied and courageous military career which earned him the cross of Saint Louis in 1759. He fought at both the Battle of Fort William Henry during the French and Indian War and at the Battles of Saratoga during the American Revolutionary War.

He became a very successful merchant and was heavily involved in the Montreal end of the fur trade. His brother, Jean-Louis, was heavily involved in the fur trade and exploration and Luc controlled the eastern end of his activities. Another brother, François-Josué de La Corne was the commandant of Fort Kaministiquia for a time and large fur trade profits were realized. He was in partnership with Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye for three years south of Lake Superior. In the same period his brother, Louis de la Corne was commandant of the western forts founded mainly by the elder La Vérendrye. Most of his ventures made large profits and, at the time of his death, he was one of the richest men in Canada. Luc de la Corne was an interpreter for Louis-Joseph de Montcalm at the Massacre of Fort William Henry. Saint Luc was held partially responsible for the attack on the British troops and was dismissed.

In 1761, Luc was returning to France, when his ship Auguste ran into terrible weather and sank. The seven survivors endured some terrible hardships but eventually found themselves back in Montreal. The feat made Saint Luc de la Corne famous in Quebec. During the American Revolution War, Saint Luc reappeared as an interpreter for John Burgoyne during his trek to Saratoga.

Inv. 8050