| Coin | Silver Ounce 2011 Pirates of the Caribbean - Blackbeard |
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Niue, a sovereign state in free association with New Zealand, uses two official legal tender currencies. The New Zealand Dollar is the circulation currency for daily transactions, while the government also authorises legal tender coins in the Niue Dollar currency for collector's purposes.
A number of mints issue a large variety of commemorative, bullion and collector coins under the authority of Niue. These coins are dedicated to historical or general popular culture themes not related to Niue itself. Many of them are in standard bullion sizes - typically, one ounce of silver (abbreviated as 1 oz Ag, where "Ag" comes from the Latin word for silver, Argentum). Many of these feature characters and themes from popular culture.
This coloured silver ounce coin was issued as part of a four-coin themed set, and features the famous pirate Blackbeard.
The Mint says about it:
"Have you ever seen the real Caribbean pirates? Now you’ve got the exceptional possibility to own a set of .999 silver proof coins each bearing the most famous pirates of the Caribbean. Most of the pirates of the classic piracy era (1700-1730s) in the Caribbean were of English, Dutch and French origin.
The obverse of each of the four Niue coins carries the effigy of Her Majesty Elizabeth II surrounded by the inscriptions denoting the Queen’s name, the face value of the silver coin and the name of the issuing country. The year of issue is also indicated at the bottom of the pirate coins.
The reverse design of the silver coins features the colored images of Caribbean pirates Edward Teach or Blackbeard, Calico Jack Rackham, Henry Avery and Bartholomew Roberts. The images are supplemented with two outstanding pirate symbols: two swords and a skull with crossbones.
Piracy was known to flourish in the Caribbean because of the existence of pirate seaports such as Port Royal in Jamaica, Tortuga in Haiti, and Nassau in the Bahamas." |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin shows at its centre the crowned bust of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a pearl necklace, facing right (her effigy known as the "Third Portrait", by Raphael David Maklouf).
The designer's initials are usually incuse in tiny letters on the neck truncation when this portrait is used, but they are not displayed here.
Around, the monarch's legend and the face value: ELIZABETH II · NIUE · TWO DOLLARS. Below, the date of issue 2011. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the coin shows a coloured artist's impression of the famous pirate Edward Teach - known as Blackbeard - with burning fuses under his hat. On two lines in a ribbon above, the inscription REAL PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. Around left and right, two curved swords. Below, under a skull and crossed bones symbol, BLACKBEARD.
Edward Teach (alternatively spelled Edward Thatch, c. 1680 - 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. Little is known about his early life, but he may have been a sailor on privateer ships during Queen Anne's War before he settled on the Bahamian island of New Providence, a base for Captain Benjamin Hornigold, whose crew Teach joined around 1716. Teach captured a French slave ship known as La Concorde, renamed her Queen Anne's Revenge, equipped her with 40 guns, and crewed her with over 300 men. He became a renowned pirate, his nickname derived from his thick black beard and fearsome appearance; he was reported to have tied lit fuses (slow matches) under his hat to frighten his enemies.
Teach captured a French slave ship known as La Concorde, renamed her Queen Anne's Revenge, equipped her with 40 guns, and crewed her with over 300 men. He became a renowned pirate, his nickname derived from his thick black beard and fearsome appearance; he was reported to have tied lit fuses (slow matches) under his hat to frighten his enemies. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
REAL PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN BLACKBEARD |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: proof, coloured (pad printing).
Packaging: in four-coin set in wooden "pirate chest", accompanied by a skull and crossbones pendant necklace, with numbered Certificate of Authenticity. |
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| Included in Set |
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Real Pirates of the Caribbean, mintage 8,000
4 coins: 1 oz Silver, Calico Jack, 2011, 1 oz Silver, Blackbeard, 2011, 1 oz Silver, Bartholomew Roberts, 2011, 1 oz Silver, Henry Avery, 2011
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