The 2017 Cook Island One Dollar “The Bounty” Bullion Coin
” Blackbirds tend to like Shiny Things” ~ The Bloody Raven
This is another lovely coin rescued from the fiery Furnace of Reckless Metals. We shall never know what art form this coin may have had a new life as and I can see why I got it at two bucks above spot at the time. The small handling scuffs may have taken away it’s original Brilliant Uncirculated condition, but I am very pleased with having my hands on the coin commemorating a Mutiny.
The Coin
Some aspects of this famed Mutiny has it’s controversial circumstances regarding the nature of the Mutiny or whether Captain William Bligh really conducted himself in a malicious manner, but it was enough such that Acting Lieutenant Fletcher Christian and 22 of the 42 men forcibly seized the Bounty and set adrift Bligh with 16 of his loyal crew. It is noted that Captain Bligh had survived three mutinies in his career, which say something about the man’s character.
Meanwhile, Christian and the mutineers settled on Pitcairn Island. Grounded and set The Bounty a flame. The remains of the ship were discovered in 1957 by Luis Marden.
While everyone is most familiar of the Mutiny itself, I’d rather focus on the Ship.
The original ship was not a warship, but a small three masted Merchant ship Collier Bethia purchased for £1,950 by the Royal Navy renamed the Bounty in 1787 and converted for expedition work.
Builder: Blaydes Shipyard, Kingston-upon-Hull, England
Launched: 1784
Tons Burden: 220 Tons
Length: 90 ft
Beam: 24 ft
Depth of Hold: 11 ft 4 inches
Sail Plan: Full rigged Ship
Complement: 44
Armament: 4 – 4 pounder guns
10 Swivel guns
In 1960, the major film Studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Commissioned the Smith and Rhuland Ltd of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in building a replica of the Bounty based on the documents archived by the British Admiralty. However, the ship was built to almost twice it’s original size.
Bounty Specifications:
Builder: Smith and Rhuland Ltd of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Launched: 1960
Tonnage: 409
Length: 180 ft
Beam: 31.6 ft
Draft: 13 ft
Depth: 21 ft
Powered: 2 x John Deere 375 hp diesel engines
Sail Plan: Full-rigged ship
Crew: 12-14
The Bounty was completed in August of 1960 and sailed to location in Tahiti for the filming of Bounty Starring Marlon Brando. The director planned the ship to be burned at the end of the filming, but Brando protested, the ship was spared and sent the Bounty on a worldwide promotional tour. Based in Florida as a tourist attraction, The Bounty has been used in a variety of television features, films and Tours. To name a few…
1962: Mutiny on the Bounty, Marlon Brando
1963: Yellowbeard
1965: Flipper
1966: Treasure Island, Charlton Heston
1989: Treasure Island, Christian Bale
And with this ship changing hands and getting on in years, she had seen many refits and restorations if not for maintaining seaworthiness then reconfiguring for a filming production.
In October 2012 heading back to St Petersburg Florida, the Bounty saw her end when Captain Walbridge made a fatal error steering the ship into the path of Hurricane Sandy and was sunk off the coast of North Carolina.
I hope you enjoyed this mutinous epic yet seaworthy feature
Thank you for stopping by my Pirate Blog today.
Original Full Version Blog here
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!
References
Sources
“Et lux in tenebris to serve laboro, sum sicarius” “I work in the shadows to serve the Light, I am an Assassin”
Wow.... to be spared from being burned at the end of filming, only to be caught in the middle of a hurricane years later....
What a tragic end to a beautiful ship!
Thanks for sharing @kerrislravenhill! I especially like the mutiny bar! Excellent! Take care sista!💜🤗
It is all worth it, sis @kerrislravenhill!!!
Another wonderful article!
I remember Brando as Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, long ago...It is interesting that the new Bounty was twice as large as the original Bounty. Maybe was made that way to be easier to carry Marlon Brando's ego...