Forget about the rum! A pirate loves his treasure, and the latest silver coin for Niue features an embedded black diamond

I think we all love a good pirate coin and these historical baddies have appeared on everything from bullion coins, multiple series of them, to some seriously impressive higher-end numismatics. Joining them is T&S Coin’s latest issue in their own pirate series, the third to date (although there was a 2023 coin that has disappeared from their site, potentially making this the fourth), following the 2024 Treasure Island, and 2025 Black Diamond issues.

The Black Diamond coin marked a change in finish, with the addition of some rich colouring to go along with the gilding, and the embedding of an actual black diamond in the skeletal pirate’s ring. It was also a superb design, packed from edge-to-edge with humorous little touches, and it is to the 2025 coin that the 2026 issue leans on for its gorgeous design. Again, we have a richly detailed pirate, beautifully coloured in black and gilding, and the embedded black diamond ring returns.

The coin is called ‘Black Mark’ which is a nod to the black spot from the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel, Treasure Island. Here, the spot marked a pirate’s fall from grace, sentenced to death by his fellow pirates for breaking their code of conduct. On the coin, the pirate captain holds a black medallion with a gilded skull & crossbones on it, fulfilling the same purpose. He appears to hold the knife to his own throat, perhaps mocking the mark’s intent. A terrific looking coin.

The pretty common obverse designed by T&S Coin for their issues, returns, and it does seem to suit the theme particularly well in this case, almost like it was based on the ships’ ornamentation. As always, the coin will come boxed with a certificate of authenticity. The mintage is capped at 500 pieces, and it’s available to pre-order right now, so check out our Where to Buy page for dealers stocking it.