”Blackbirds tend to like shiny things.” ~ The Bloody Raven
Resuming my Pirate blog this week arrrh another fine pair of silvery gifts from Captain Nyssacat373.💋☠️ At this rate, I am well backlogged of numerous potential blog post subjects to last me the rest of the year.
One work-in-progress post coming up is a recovered Trade Dollar of an 1874 shipwreck, discovered 20 miles off the coast of Hong Kong. The scale of the tragic loss can only be comparable to that of the Titanic, yet hardly mentioned in maritime history.
But, on to today’s silver goodies…
Last of the Windjammers Series; The Nippon Maru
The age of sail was ending, and the arrival of the growing reliability of Steam powered ships was becoming economically favorable. Swift ships like Clippers and Tea ships where still profitable provided that their marketing and popularity can still get top dollar amidst tough competition.
The 1977 Nippon Maru Silver Bar
And their time did run out.
When attention seizing headlines fade, the novelty wears off and those exclusive products and wares became affordable to even the most modest households. These ships are eventually assigned to secondary or bulk cargo for the remainder of their service life, few were preserved for posterity.
The Nippon Maru built in 1930 by Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation was for the Tokyo Institute in the training Marine officers of Japan’s merchant marine. After 1,830,000 kilometers and 54 years of service, she was retired in 1984 as a museum ship in Yokohama’s Nippon Maru memorial park.
She was replaced by the Nippon Maru II in 1984.
The 1977 Nippon Maru Silver Bar
The Nippon Maru I by Volfgang under CCO 2.5
- Launched: January 27,1930
- Owner: Tokyo Institute for Marine Training
- Length: 318 feet
- Beam: 42.5 Feet
- Draft: 22.6 feet
- Tonnage: 2278 Tons
- Construction: Steel Hull
- Sail plan: Four masted Bark, 32 sails
- Engines: two 600 Horsepower diesel
- Complement: 27 officers, 168 crew
- And no cannons.
No Cannons!?
Well, the 1930 Nippon Maru did serve as a public relations attraction making appearances at various marine festivals all over the world. A friendly and good will type of attraction so …no cannons. 😒
The Nippon Maru II continues to be operational.
The 1977 Nippon Maru Silver Bar
The Bloody Raven's Notes on this Bar.
This 1977 Vintage Nippon Maru silver bar is a part of the original ‘Last of the Windjammers’ Series of 14 different bars. The newer is 1986 version having the Colonial Mint on the back/obverse. Colonial Mint can be seen here. So, this bar does NOT have the Colonial mint Logo. Not much extra information can be found on this earlier variety without the original 1977 COA. Mintage of the 1986 version is 9600 sets.
Original Pirate Material Compass Coin
This little hearty half ounce silver Pirate coin hails from an Instagram silver crafting Pirate, o.p.m.82. And because he’s a pirate, he need not mess with that Hallmarking drivel and kept his design simple.
In the United Kingdom, Hallmarking regulations require Silver products to be authenticated by being assayed and Hallmarked in order to be sold to the public in a normal course of business. Would you think this be a Value-Added feature, or more bureaucratic over-regulation?
OPM82’s Silver Compass Coin
The ovoid shape can perhaps be best reasoned between the 14th century Spanish irregular cob and that of semi roundish Reals of the 16th...
The coin's character is a ‘Hammered’ style finish yet different than the typical ball peen hammer. Appearing as if it was run over by the gun carriage wheel prior to stamping, an interesting but hazardous way to texture a coin.
Gunnery Safety tip: A 2000+ lb. recoiling cannon is dangerous, keep your feet well clear of the wheels.
OPM82’s Silver Compass Coin
A refreshing simple and practical design for pirate business, enough to buy your table of pirate mates each a flagon of rum. And it came with some nice pirate swag like this authentic OPM82 Flagon Pirate Coaster with a 65 x 65mm OPM Sticker to put on your treasure chest.
Is this worth getting?
For the Vintage 1977 Nippon Maru would be best kept as a set with the 13 other bars, case, and original Certificate of Authenticity to get top dollar in a collector’s market. I’m pleased to get this as a gift. I may keep an eye out the other bars but won’t sail too far out of the way to acquire them. And be warned, some individual bars are valued more than others.
Last eBay sales of a 1977 set is $1000, $450 for the 1986 set.
The OPM82 Compass Coin, not for the pure Stacker and largely for FUN stacking as a part of the replica and fantasy pirate money collection.
Adding another Silver in my pirate coin styled stack.
Always adding Silver and Crypto to my Stack for the coming dark and stormy night!
The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain 
Previous Pirate & Sailing ship themed silver Posts
2009 Solomon Islands $1 HMS Golden Hinde
1986 China 5 Yuan The Empress of China
2010 Benin 1000 Franc The Santissima Trinidad
Revenge in a Bottle: My non-full-scale replica of The Queen Anne’s Revenge
Queen Anne’s Revenge Charleston, The Nautical Art of Lawrence Packard
2021 British Indian Ocean Territories, 1 Royal The Cutty Sark
References
1. My own pictures shot with a Samsung SM-A530W
Sources
Ebay: 1977 Colonial Mint, Last of the Windjammers
1986 Nippon Maru Silver Bar
Nippon Maru Sailing Ship 1930
Nippon Maru sailing Ship 1984
Wiki Definition; Bark
Wiki Definition; Windjammer
Photo Background is a Nautical Hanky by Modhanks, of Springfield Illinois.
“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin.”
