The obverse
Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II
The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, together with TUVALU, the 2020 date, one-ounce silver specification and TVD $1 denomination.
The 2020 issue
Royal Fortune: coin, pirate and vessel
This is the 2nd documented standard Black Flag release. Coin facts and the reverse depiction are presented separately from the historical record behind the subject.
The reverse depicts Royal Fortune under sail in rough water beside a looming skull motif and Black Bart's flag. Lucas Bowers is credited with the reverse design.
The published figure is a maximum of 15,000; no final declared total is shown.
- Release position
- 2 of 6 documented releases
- Pirate subject
- Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart)
- Vessel subject
- Royal Fortune
01
02
03
History & legend
Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart) and Royal Fortune
Roberts captured the Royal African Company's ship Onslow in 1721, renamed it Royal Fortune and armed it heavily. He was killed during the 1722 action against HMS Swallow off Cape Lopez. Several ships used by Roberts carried the name Royal Fortune. This coin presents the name as a single series identity rather than distinguishing every vessel that bore it.
- Release position
- 2 / 6
- Pirate subject
- Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart)
- Vessel subject
- Royal Fortune
Design story
The 2020 reverse: Royal Fortune
The coin presents Royal Fortune under sail in rough water beside a looming skull motif and Black Bart's flag. The BLACK FLAG inscription, named subject, silver legend and P mintmark identify the release. Lucas Bowers is credited with the reverse design.
The reverse
Royal Fortune
The reverse is a modern coin design centered on Royal Fortune and Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart); it should not be read as a contemporary visual record of the historical people or vessels.
Full specifications
At a glance
Available dimensions, artists and issue details for this annual coin are listed below.
- Denomination
- TVD $1
- Silver content
- 1 troy ounce
- Fineness
- .9999
- Metal
- Silver
- Gross weight
- 31.107 g
- Diameter
- 40.9 mm
- Thickness
- 3.5 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Finish
- Brilliant Uncirculated (BU)
- Authentication
- Not documented in the listed item-level sources
- Legal-tender country
- Tuvalu
- Mint
- The Perth Mint
- Obverse portrait
- Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II
- Obverse artist
- Ian Rank-Broadley
- Reverse designer
- Lucas Bowers
Mintage & issue
15,000
MaximumThe published number is a maximum production limit. A final declared mintage is not currently listed.
- Maximum mintage
- 15,000
- Issue status
- Maximum
- Source date
- 2026-08-14
This release in the series
See the issue in sequence
Compare the pirate and vessel subjects immediately around this release.
Sources
References for this annual coin
Product and numismatic references cover the coin; museum or historical references cover the pirate and vessel context.
This section covers only the standard 1 oz .9999 silver Brilliant Uncirculated coin for each documented Black Flag release. Antiqued, 5 oz, gold, proof, coloured, graded, MintDirect and presentation-format products remain separate objects.
- Explaining Tuvalu's role in modern coinsThe Perth Mint · 2026-08-14
- Currency ActGovernment of Tuvalu · 2026-08-14
- 2020 Tuvalu 1 oz Silver Black Flag — The Royal FortuneAPMEX · 2026-08-14
- 1 Dollar — Black Flag: Royal FortuneNumista · 2026-08-14
- Bartholomew Roberts' last battleRoyal Museums Greenwich · 2026-08-14
Image credit
Obverse and reverse images: APMEX · 2020 standard 1 oz BU coin.