What is a Piedfort?
Popular with collectors for more than a century, and always hard to find, piedforts are highly sought after. We get asked all the time, "What is a piedfort?" There are two different, but related, stories of the origin of the word "piedfort". The first says that it literally means "strong foot" in French (from pied, foot and fort, strong). The second says this word was appropriated by the mint centuries ago to mean "heavy measure" or "heavy weight". In both cases, the sense of serious heft to the coin is obvious.

Often the word "piedfort" is translated as "double-thick", but this is neither a literal translation nor a precisely accurate definition. Numismatically speaking, any coin that is 50% or more thicker than a standard version qualifies as a piedfort, although some piedforts are, indeed, twice as thick as normal.

Finally, the age-old question, "How is the word pronounced?" Coming from French, it is not pronounced as it is spelled; that is, don't say, "pide - fort". Rather, "pee - ay - four" (three syllables) is a good approximation.

Obverse
The gorgeous design portrays a magnificently hued Chinese Phoenix in flight. Struck by the Perth Mint in ultra high medallic relief, the Phoenix is surrounded by the other, lesser birds, all flying among vivid flowers, plants, and clouds. There are no legends on the obverse, to further enhance the beauty of the vignette.

Reverse
The reverse features Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, was executed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. This is the special tribute effigy, which includes the dates of her reign, 1952-2022. The legend QUEEN ELIZABETH II, the date and the denomination also appear. The legend 5 OZ 9999 SILVER guarantees the weight and purity.

Packaging
The coin is housed inside a handsome taupe leatherette, clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and satin, and protected by a full-color outer box. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is included.

Specifications

Country	Tuvalu
Mint	Perth Mint of Australia
Year of Issue	2023
Face Value	Five Dollars
Weight	155.533 g
Diameter	55.90 mm
Gauge (Thickness)	7.50 mm
Mintage Limit	488
Finish	Antiqued with Color and Ultra High Relief
Composition	.9999 Fine (Pure) Silver
Edge	Plain
Artist	Natasha Muhl (obverse) Ian Rank-Broadley (reverse)
Certificate	Individually Numbered

The Island Nation of Tuvalu
Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbors are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. It is comprised of four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of 11,992 makes it the third-least populated independent country in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. It is also the second-smallest member by population of the United Nations. In terms of physical land size, at just 10 square miles Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City, Monaco and Nauru.

The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people, who arrived about 3000 years go. The islands came under Great Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate from 1892 to 1916 and as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In 1974 the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within The Commonwealth in 1978. with Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state.

Because Tuvalu has few natural resources it has been dependent in recent years upon aid from larger, more developed nations, including Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The Perth Mint of Australia is officially commissioned by the government of Tuvalu to produce legal tender coinage for the island nation.