The S.S. Tilawa was a British-Indian passenger and cargo ship that met a tragic fate during World War II. On November 23, 1942, while en route from Bombay to Durban, South Africa, the vessel was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the Indian Ocean. The attack occurred approximately 930 miles northeast of the Seychelles, sending the ship to the bottom of the ocean. The Tilawa was carrying 958 passengers and crew members, along with a valuable cargo that included silver bullion. You now have a rare opportunity to collect modern silver bullions refined from shipwreck silver plucked from the wreckage of the S.S. Tilawa. The 1/2 oz S.S. Tilawa Shipwreck Silver Voyage Round is available now from JM Bullion.
Round Highlights:
- Comes with a protective plastic flip, a tube of 20, or a box of 500!
- Part of the Tilawa Shipwreck Silver series!
- Refined from silver salvaged from the wreck of the Tilawa!
- Contains 1/2 Troy oz of .999 pure silver.
- The obverse features a depiction of the S.S. Tilawa on its course to South Africa.
- On the reverse is the S.S. Tilawa.
Each 1/2 oz S.S. Tilawa Shipwreck Silver Voyage Round offered here is made from silver that was recovered from the ocean floor amidst the wreckage of the S.S. Tilawa. After seven decades on the ocean floor, the silver bars from the Tilawa have been resurrected and refined anew into silver bars and silver rounds. These silver rounds arrive inside protective plastic flips, tubes of 20, or boxes of 500.
In 2017, more than seven decades after the Tilawa sank, a remarkable recovery operation took place to retrieve the ship’s valuable cargo of silver bullion. The operation was carried out by Argentum Exploration Ltd., a company specializing in deep-sea salvage. Using advanced underwater technology and robotics, the salvage team successfully located the wreck at a depth of about 2,800 meters (9,200 feet) and began the painstaking process of recovering the silver bars.
The obverse of the S.S. Tilawa Silver Round features an intricate design commemorating the ill-fated final journey of the S.S. Tilawa. A bird’s-eye perspective captures the vessel navigating the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean. The background is adorned with a nautical chart, meticulously detailing the ship’s intended route from its departure point in Bombay, India, to its destination of Durban, South Africa.
Turning to the reverse side, the 1/2 oz S.S. Tilawa Round pays tribute to the rich history of the S.S. Tilawa. Originally constructed in 1924, this majestic ocean liner was a product of the British India Steam Navigation Company’s fleet. However, with the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the Tilawa’s purpose shifted dramatically. Requisitioned by the Royal Navy, it was repurposed as a vital cargo and troop transport vessel, playing a crucial role in wartime operations across the Indian Ocean theater.
If you have any questions about silver rounds, please feel free to ask. JM Bullion customer service is available at 800-276-6508, online using our web chat, and via our email address.
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