S.S. Gairsoppa Shipwreck Silver Bullion

Have you ever wanted a piece of a sunken treasure? With Gairsoppa Shipwreck Silver Bars, you’ll get a piece of the treasure you don’t even have to dive for. These silver bars can be collected, invested in, or given as gifts.

The Gairsoppa Shipwreck Silver Bars and rounds are all made up of recovered silver from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The silver was then melted and refined into 99.9 percent silver bullion pieces. This bullion has been created as a memorial to the ship itself and the people who lost their lives when the ship sank. Each bar weighs 10 troy ounces while the round weighs 1 troy ounce.

Production

During the recovery of the SS Gairsoppa, the combined efforts of the Odyssey Marine Exploration team and the British government brought approximately 110 tons of silver to the surface. This silver accounts for nearly all that was lost in the tragic shipwreck.

Once the silver was recovered, it was sent to Sunshine Mint, as it was determined to be the best option for creating beautiful silver bars to commemorate the event. Since the original production of the bars, there have been several versions – some even including the year the bar was minted.

History of the Ship

In 1919, the SS Gairsoppa launched. The ship was owned by the India Steam Navigation Company Ltd, and, for several years, it ran as a civilian merchant ship. However, it was eventually enlisted in the war to carry supplies and cargo.

At the end of 1940, the Gairsoppa was loaded one last time. It carried pig iron, silver ingots, and tea. Through a long oversea trek, the ship was supposed to head to London, England for all the cargo to be offloaded. Unfortunately, it never made it to port.

When it ran low on coal and dealt with heavy surf and high winds, the Gairsoppa made the fatal decision to take a more direct route than originally planned. Because of this, on February 17, 1941, the ship was spotted by German forces. A German aircraft sent a torpedo at the supply ship, sinking it quickly and effectively. Though a single lifeboat got away, 85 hands went down with the cargo. Only one man, who was originally on the ship and made it to the lifeboat, was found alive at sea.

In 2011, the identity and location of the ship were positively identified by Odyssey Marine Exploration, a Florida-based company. Working together with the British government, the Odyssey Marine Exploration team started recovery on the ship.

The ship lay about 3 miles under the surface and about 300 miles off the coast of Ireland, making recovery no simple task. Luckily, the team that worked on recovering the ship has done an impressive job. To date, they have been able to recover an astounding 110 tons of silver ingots.

Designs

The obverse of the ten ounce Gairsoppa bar reads, “Certified Gairsoppa Shipwreck Silver 10 Troy Ounce 999 Fine Silver.” It also includes the serial number of the bar itself. On the reverse, you will see a profile of the SS Gairsoppa as it looked in the 1920s, along with the words “SS Gairsoppa February 17, 1941.”” The first minting of the bars did not include the year. However, since then, the designs have stayed consistent.

The one ounce Gairsoppa bullion round features, on its front, the image of the ship traveling along the open sea. Below the image are stamps for the ships name and the date that it sunk. The back side features the rounds purity and the phrase “”Certified Shipwreck Silver.”” Below his inscription is the weight of the round.

Appeal To Investors

There are several reasons why Gairsoppa Silver bullion is so popular with investors. First, because of the historical significance. These are a piece of World War II history. Second, they’re part of a sunken treasure that took decades to find and recover making them very unique in the world of silver bullion.

Availability

Because the amount of silver recovered from the ship is finite, the bars are in high demand from investors, as well as coin, silver and World War II collectors. It might be hard to get your hands on SS Gairsoppa silver, but it can certainly be worth having if you decide to seek it out. The silver from the ship has been used by the British government and the Odyssey crew to create commemorative pieces over the years, and it’s likely that it will continue to be used in this capacity.