About the Design
The Real Pirates of the Caribbean - New Zealand Mint’s latest commemorative coin set release.
The great or classic era of piracy in the Caribbean extends from around 1560 up until the mid 1720s. The period during which pirates were most successful was from 1700 until the 1730s. Caribbean piracy arose out of, and mirrored on a smaller scale, the conflicts over trade and colonization among the rival European powers of the time, including the empires of Britain, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and France. Most of these pirates were of English, Dutch and French origin. Because Spain controlled most of the Caribbean, many of the attacked cities and ships belonged to the Spanish Empire and along the East coast of America and the West coast of Africa. Dutch ships captured about 500 Spanish and Portuguese ships between 1623 and 1638. Some of the best-known pirate bases were New Providence, in the Bahamas from 1715 to 1725, Tortuga established in the 1640s and Port Royal after 1655.
Reverse Design
The reverse of the coins features a full coloured image of the most famous Caribbean pirates; Edward Teach or Blackbeard, Calico Jack Rackham, Henry Avery and the most successful Bartholomew Roberts.
Obverse Design
The obverse of the coin features The Raphael Maklouf effigy of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II sovereign of the commonwealth of Niue.
Limited Mintage
Each coin in the Pirates of the Caribbean set is struck from 1oz of pure silver. No more than 8,000 coins will be issued by the New Zealand Mint. The coins are legal tender of Niue Island.
Packaging
The four coin Pirates of the Caribbean set is displayed in a replica wooden pirate’s chest with working padlock and key, each set includes a skull and crossbones pendant necklace, a treasure map, and a certificate of authenticity with the background on each famous pirate.
Authenticity
Each Pirates of the Caribbean set comes with an individually numbered certificate of authenticity issued by New Zealand Mint
Specifications:
Metal .999 Silver
Finish Proof
Diameter 40.7mm
Edge Milled Milled
Denomination $2
Year of Issue 2011
Mintage 8,000
