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Shipwreck of the SS Central America (1857)

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The SS Central America Shipwreck

In a story that would make a great movie, the "Ship of Gold", sunk in a hurricane on September 11, 1857. That ship, the SS Central America was a 280-foot side-wheel steamer carrying 400 passengers and crew and 30,000 pounds of gold. Roughly 425 people went down with the ship. In 1987, a group led by Tommy Thompson found much of the gold on the ocean floor, the gold's value today is between 100-150 million dollars.

Public domain photo courtesy Wikimedia

An artists rendition of the 1857 shipwreck.

Public domain image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Sinking of The SS Central America

ship of gold

On September 3rd, 1857, 100 crew members and over 475 passengers left the Panama's port of Colón, setting sail for New York under the leadership of Captain W. L. Herndon. The ship was carrying with around 14 tons of gold mined during the Gold Rush in California. After a stop in Cuba, the ship headed northward.

On the 9th of September the vessel was encountered a hurricane while passing the Carolina coastline. Two days later, the strong winds and harsh seas had ripped apart Its sails, the ship was rapidly taking on water. A leaky paddle wheel seal doomed her fate, and, around noon that day, her steam engine could no longer operate. This shut down the pumps that kept the water at bay and the paddle wheels that kept the ship pointed into the wind. The crew flew the ship's flag upside down to try to inform a passing vessel of their predicament.

When the back half of the hurricane hit, the ship was on the verge of sinking. With no power, the ship was whisked along with the storm. The next morning, two vessels were spotted, including the....(read more at Wikipedia)


Public domain image courtesy Wikimedia/Library of Congress

Ship of Gold

The detailed and engrossing story of the sinking of the SS Central America, and the quest to recover its cargo some 131 years later.
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck

by: Gary Kinder

Amazon Price: $6.54 (as of 06/04/2012)Buy Now

Links on the Shipwreck

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America's Lost Treasure; The S.S.Central America

The most talked about treasure in American history more...0 points

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SS Central America: gold, valor, loss, and recovery

The SS Central America gold story is a many facete more...0 points

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S.S. Central America Shipwreck Coins

Learn all about the rare gold coins from the 1857 S.S. more...0 points

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Ship of Gold

SS Central America - Ship of Gold Ingots and Coins more...0 points

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Gold Ingots from the S.S. Central America-Pace Heritage Auction Results

All four gold ingots from the S.S.Central America more...0 points

A recovered gold ingot from the shipwreck weighing 80 pounds sold for a record $8 million in 2001. It is recognized as the most valuable piece of currency in the world.

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Gold from the Shipwreck

Ross Baldwin on Shipwreck Coins from the SS Central America
by nationalcoinbroker | video info

1 rating | 889 views
curated content from YouTube

Shipwreck Literature

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Any Thoughts on the SS Central America?

Feel free to leave a comment here.

  • Zut_Moon Jan 30, 2012 @ 5:57 pm | delete
    This lens would go well with my History Pavilion lens. Thanks
  • SayGuddaycom Jan 27, 2012 @ 4:07 pm | delete
    Excellent lens
  • AlaskaHydro Sep 14, 2010 @ 10:43 am | delete
    Truly a tragedy. Then there is the gold. How did the commercial describe it? A rare numismatic opportunity? You too can own a piece of American history. If I had the money, I would buy a coin or two from this shipwreck.
  • vallain Jun 12, 2010 @ 9:58 am | delete
    There's something so fascinating about a shipwreck. My husband actually survived a ship that caught fire and sank (off the coast of France).
  • KimGiancaterino Dec 3, 2009 @ 3:01 pm | delete
    What a tragedy for those people. Very nice job on the lens. I'm a bit curious about who claimed ownership of the gold. Sounds like it would make a great movie.
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