Piratesunday; 2021 and 2022 Royal Mint’s Pirates of Sherwood Forest

Bow and Arrow by suju-foto under Pixabay

“Black birds tend to like shiny things.” ~ The Bloody Raven

I bought a few silver coins last week following the news of the plunge in the paper price of silver. From my vantage point, whist the paper price dropped an aggregate of about $3.50CAD/oz, the net savings at retail was $2.20CAD/oz meaning my Retailer’s premium has bumped up another notch.

With most of the cheaper premium rounds now close to the Royal Mint coins such that I made up the difference from a few recent Coinstar machine loose change coin finds and picked up the minimum order of 9 coins to meet the free shipping threshold. So, here’s three of what I got!

2022 2 Pound United Kingdom Maid Marian

Reverse; Maid Marian next to a tree, foreground foliage

Text; MAID MARIAN · 1OZ · FINE SILVER · 999 ·2022, JC

Myths & Legends Series

Fine Silver 0.999, Weight 31.1g

Diameter 38.61mm, Thickness 3mm

Engraver; Jody Clark

Reference N#302586

I am delighted at this updated portrayal of Maid Marian role as observer and informant, Robin Hood’s eyes and ears in the very court of Prince John. Her role required a sharp intelligence and quick thinking. There are no surviving records of women having taken up the longbow in the 14th century as far as I can find, the fact that drawing of the longbow requires considerable upper body strength to perform, and with the way long standing legends have evolved over the centuries, I see the equipping of a Longbow and quiver as a subtle symbol of personal empowerment.

2022 2 Pound United Kingdom Maid Marian

Obverse; Queen Elizabeth II facing right

Text; ELIZABETH II·D·G·REG·F·D·2 POUNDS·, J.C

Engraver; Jody Clark, Mintage not published

Identical Obverse with 2021 Robin Hood

Placed along side the 2021 Robin Hood coin does suggest Marian participating in the ambush of Prince John’s Tax collectors as I would visualize this. Combat on the ground requires good mobility so wearing a ground length Bandage dress would tend to restrict mobility.

2021 2 Pound United Kingdom Robin Hood

Reverse; Robin Hood up on a tree with bow drawn

Text; ROBIN HOOD · 1OZ · FINE SILVER · 999 ·2021, JC

Myths & Legends Series

Fine Silver 0.999, Weight 31.1g

Diameter 38.61mm, Thickness 3mm

Engraver; Jody Clark, Mintage not published.

Reference N#278785

The legend Robin Hood himself, just the man to relieve Prince John’s Tax Collectors of their ill collected booty. A man of noble birth, compassionate to the plight of the common man, talented archer as well as a fine swordsman, loyal to King Richard the Lionhearted and a heroic outlaw against tyranny. As the oral traditions claimed.

At first, I wasn’t sure about this series of Myths & Legends. The comparatively cheaper price made this Robin Hood an attractive ‘Order top up coin’ that I purchased in the second quarter this year. With the acquisition of the 2022 Maid Marian now prompts me to complete this trio set of the series, awaiting the master of the Quarterstaff, Little John.

And that may be it for the Pirates of Sherwood Forest with no other members of his Merry Crew forthcoming.

2021 2 Pounds United Kingdom Silver Valiant

Reverse; Mounted St. George attacking a Dragon

Text; 1 oz FINE SILVER 999.9, 2019

Fine Silver .9999, weight 31.1g

Diameter 38.6mm, Thickness 3mm

Engraver; Etienne Millner

Reference Sp#rmb17, N#169973

And to another Royal Mint coin, but not of the Myth & Legend series is my first coin of the silver Valiant. To me it’s a nice update in the classic of the British Silver Crown but costing a few dollars more per ounce than the Myths & Legends coins.

Some examples coinage of St. George and the Dragon; United Kingdom 1 Crown St. George and the Dragon, silver. United Kingdom 1 Sovereign gold. Russia 50 Ruble St. George the Victorious, gold.
Ethiopia 1 Werk St. George slaying the dragon, gold. German State Mansfeld-Bornstedt 1 Taler St. George and the Dragon, silver.

2021 2 Pounds United Kingdom Silver Valiant

Obverse; Queen Elizabeth II facing right

Text; ELIZABETH II·D·G·REG·F·D·2 POUNDS·, J.C

Engraver; Jody Clark, Mintage not published

And to finish off this post is this .999 Fine silver Power Bow pendant from Skully’s Corner of Beyridge Designs. I was gifted with by a participant in a fund raiser for a late fellow Stacker.

Power Bow Pendant by Beyridge designs

Fine Silver .999, Weight 7.63g

In memory of my Scottish friend, Big Lorry.

In the past I had enrolled my sons into Archery at a nearby Archery school called Boorman’s. I can tell you is that Archery isn’t as simple as it looks, and good upper body strength is an asset in handling a basic bow let alone a sophisticated compound power bow.

Adding Silver and Crypto coins in my Stack for that rainy day, are you?”

And thank you for visiting my post today.

The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain @stokjockey for #silvergoldstackers pirates to proudly showcase their shiny booty and plunder for all to see. Landlubbers arrrh… welcomed to participate and be a Pirate at heart so open yer treasure chests an’ show us what booty yea got!