#piratesunday The 2005 Canada 20 Dollar: Tall Ships

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”Black birds tend to like Shiny Things” ~ The Bloody Raven

I came across this lovely coin in a random coin fishing expedition for Canadian dollars on Ebay a few weeks back and performed a cursory search for information on this coin. The eye catching holographic waters and the Cameoed ship are clearly the key selling features of this Bullion coin. The Holographic print technology was new at 2005 and different from the Royal Canadian Mint's newer non-circular achromatic hologram used on the 2015 Northern Lights series.

This is the First Issue of the 3 coin Tall Sailing Ships Series starting 2005, 2006, and 2007. The original Issuing price of $74.95 CAD.

As I received this coin without the customary Certificate of Authenticity (COA) and accompanying details of the issue I set about researching this coin. The Title of this coin seemed vague and somewhat generic rather than any particular famed ship in Canadian history.

The Close up of this coin

The 2005 Canada 20 Dollar The Three Masted Ship

Reverse; A Clipper sailing ship, CANADA 20 DOLLARS, BR

0.9999 Silver, 31.39g

BR: Engraver Bonnie Ross

38mm Diameter, 3mm Thick

Judging from the reverse design I can only make an educated guess this ship as The Marco Polo, a Clipper in the strictest definition of Seafaring ships, a product of the Halifax’s James Smith shipyards in 1851. Designed by Canadian born Ship Builder Donald McKay who had also built Clippers; The Lightning, The James Baines and the Flying Cloud from out of his Boston Shipyards following the Marco Polo.

The Marco Polo endured an embarrassing accident running aground, twice, upon her launch and before her maiden voyage to Great Britain with a cargo of Canadian timber.

The Marco Polo’s Statistics

Class: Medium Clipper
Tonnage: 1,625 GRT
Length: 184 ft
Beam: 36 ft
Draught: 29 ft
Sail Plan: Square rigged 3 Masts
Decks: 3 Decks Image of The Marco Polo State Library of Queensland, Public Domain

The Marco Polo was sold to the Black Ball Lines and in the following year was put into passenger service between Liverpool England and Port Philip Australia taking advantage of emigrants seeking passage to the Australian God rush. In that service the Marco Polo set a round trip record in under six months and yielding the company huge profits, hence the ship’s claim to fame as the ‘Fastest ship in the world’.

With this remarkable achievement the ship operated for another 30 years changing back to cargo shipping after 1867 and vessel was refitted in 1874 as a Barque rig until 1884 when she ran aground for good on the shores off Prince Edward Island.

The 2005 Canada 20 Dollar The Three Masted Ship

Obverse; Queen Elizabeth II facing right

Legend; ELIZABETH II D·G·REGINA · 2005 ·

Mintage of 18,276

Reference #561

Edge; Serrated

Other than a few unseemly incidences of accidental collisions, mutinies, changing of ownership and difference of opinions the Marco Polo served a life of unremarkable service. Perhaps there was not enough of Whiz Bang historical drama to name this coin as Clipper Ship: The Marco Polo.

My Take on this Numismatic Bullion Coin

A Beautiful ship with fast sleek lines, tall masts set full sail as if she were leaving her port of call. The Cameo finish gives the strike a fantastic crisp contrast, the sea calm and iridescent by the early morning dawn, a ideal coin to add to my Silver fleet. At a low 18,276 mintage and a full ounce make her quite collectible.

I can presume the Title of this coin refers generically to all Three masted ships of yesteryears whether be a merchant, military or exploration, they all had a role in building the country of Canada.

My alter ego, The Bloody Raven’s Take

“Nay, th’ ship is too narras to put ‘eavy guns on. Th’ extensive riggn make fer a noisy ship thet cannea ‘neak up to th’ prey.”

“Aye, speed she’s got but a frail hull thet cannae put up wit a few cannon balls an’ takes in water fester then Moby dicks.”

“A pretty coin though.”

The two other coins of the Series;

Numista: The 2006 Canada 20 Dollar The Ketch

RCM: 2006 Canada 20 Dollar The Ketch

Numista: The 2007 Canada 20 Dollar The Brigantine

RCM: 2007 Canada 20 Dollar The Brigatine

Return of the Tall Ships;

The 2019 Canada 125 Dollar Tall Ships of Canada

Thank you for slipping by my post this fine Sunday, Arrrh!

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