This gold find is the subject of one of the best books I’ve ever read. “Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea” by Kinder.
SS Central America went down in the Atlantic in 1850’s off So Carolina (I think) carrying first minted coins and bars of the SF Mint from the Calif Gold Rush. This was pre-Panama Canal so the ship that left SF with the gold had to unload in Panama and go by ground and mules across Panama jungles and then board the side wheel SS Central America for the trip up the Atlantic Coast to NY. Exciting book. Ends at the recovery and sailing into port in Florida(?) and then facing the many law suits from the insurance companies who had paid out claims from 1850’s. As I remember 90% of those claims were dismissed by Virginia’s Maritime Court. Later I read newspaper accounts of Thompsons’ trip sadly into drugs, alcohol in Florida. I didn’t know ‘til just now that he’d been imprisoned. Fascinating story.
I read the book in late 1990’s (printed in late 1980’s as I remember as a Book of the Month Club) so forgive me the tiny details I’m sketchy on as that was a while ago.
Good Book. Also read “America’s Lost Treasure” by Tommy Thompson.
Treasure aside one of the greatest parts of the tale recounted in the book is that the ships sinking made the Titanic look like a pansy fest. In a nutshell most of the men died from exhaustion/drowning keeping the ship afloat by hand bailing until the women were rowed off to a couple of battered sailing vessels in 30 or 40 foot seas!