The Jolly Roger: Set sail with Navy Crow!

Jolly Roger: Fact or Fiction

The original Jolly Roger black flag made popular in the book Treasure Island, and in TV shows such as Black Sails are much a figment of modern imagination more so than historical facts. The Golden Age of Piracy influenced by the constant wars between the major powers of Europe as they battled for influence and supremacy in both the New World and the Old. The Privateers started out as what we today would refer to as Private Military or Mercenaries depending on who you talk to: these men and women ran their own ships and more or less did as they pleased and were given a wide range of latitude to conduct operations. Their payment was a share of any prize that they should capture with the remains going back to the crow. In practice however these ships’ crews often would keep the booze, shot, powder, food stores and whatever treasure that they could find with not much if anything left over for the crown when they returned to port.

 

 

US Navy vs. The Jolly Roger

 

The US Navy got into the pirate hunting gig around the turn of the 18th Century with the capture of merchant seamen and attacks upon merchant vessels off the northern coast of Africa near modern day Libya by the Barbary States. In 1795, Algeria came to an agreement that resulted in the release of 115 American Sailors they held, at a cost of over $1 million. This amount totaled about one-sixth of the entire U.S. budget, and was demanded as tribute by the Barbary States to prevent further piracy. The continuing demand for tribute ultimately led to the formation of the United States Department of the Navy, founded in 1798  to prevent further attacks upon American shipping and to end the demands for extremely large tributes from the Barbary States.

 

To the Shores of Tripoli

 

In October 1803 the frigate USS Philadelphia was patrolling Tripoli harbor when it ran aground. Unable to float her while under fire from the shore batteries the ship, her Captain, William Bainbridge, and the ship’s company were taken prisoner, this served to be the final straw. On the night of 16 February 1804, Lieutenant Stephen Decatur led a small detachment of U.S. Marines aboard the captured Tripolitan ship rechristened the USS Intrepid, thus deceiving the guards on Philadelphia to float close enough to board her. Decatur’s men stormed the ship and overpowered the Tripolitan sailors. With fire support from the American warships, the Marines set fire to Philadelphia, denying her use by the enemy.

 

The Modern Day Jolly Roger

 

Fast forward a few hundred years and the US Navy is back in the game hunting down shady characters in the same part of the world! Modern day piracy is no joke, and the pirates often have military grade weapons and high speed boats funded by ransoms. This has led to the formation of the US Navy Visit, Board, Search, Seizure or VBSS teams tasked to hunt down the pirates and bring them to justice. What better moniker for a modern day pirate hunter than the Jolly Roger, a relic of history made relevant by today’s world.

The Jolly Roger Design

This unique design features a 4 inch diameter 5mm depth caricature of the Jolly Roger hailing back to the days of sail and remembrance of Treasure Island! The design has the trademark skull and crossbones with a flair of modern touch we find the antique silver Jolly Roger sporting a US Navy Enlisted Man’s White Hat or “Dixie Cup” clenching a dagger in his teeth inlaid with the ill-gotten booty of antique gold. The dagger handle has such exquisite detail, you could almost imagine holding the blade in your hands! A closer look at the blade reveals a blood groove and scarring along the edges. This pirate knows his business, you best steer clear or suffer the fate of those who dared otherwise! Each coin is individually serialized making it a collector’s item, something to be passed along to future generations to come.

 

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