I recently stumbled upon what can only be described as philatelic gold—a magnificent set of Bahamas stamps celebrating the rogues and heroes of the Golden Age of Piracy. Now, I'll freely admit that pirates have held me in their thrall since childhood, so discovering stamps that marry my twin obsessions of postal history and buccaneering was rather like finding a perfectly preserved treasure map in the attic. But this particular quartet isn't just thematically appealing; it features some of the most exquisite artwork I've encountered on any stamp. Each piece is a miniature masterpiece, filled with detail and layers of depth.

During the period from 1650 to 1720, piracy was at its peak. Contrary to popular belief, there were likely no more than 20 pirate ships and less than 2000 men at any given time. By comparison, there were around 80000 legitimate sailors during the same period. The total number of pirate ships that existed during this era was less than 1000, with most being captured, sold, or repurposed.