Description: <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://ti2.auctiva.com/sw/java.gif" border="0"><br><table align="center"><tr><td><a style="text-decoration:none" href="http://emporium.auctiva.com/okranch" target="_blank"><img src="http://ti2.auctiva.com/sw/images.gif" border="0"></a></td><td height="27px" valign="middle" align="center"><font face="arial" size="2"><b><a href="http://emporium.auctiva.com/okranch" target="_blank">okranch</a> Store</b></font></td></tr></table></div> SKU# OK1303379532EB 2014 $20 RMS Empress of Ireland, Lost Ships in Canadian Waters Series - 1 Oz. Pure Silver Color Proof Coin All coins offered in this listing are unsearched! (see ‘Additional Information’ below) All of our Canadian coins are acquired directly from the Royal Canadian Mint - The counterfeiting of numismatic coins, and the sale of stolen coins, are serious problems for coin collectors and dealers. Unlike many other coin dealers, to protect against these risks, we do not sell 'second-hand' coins. All of our Canadian coins are stored in a climate controlled, smoke-free vault. Specifications Composition - 99.99% pure silver Finish - proof Weight (g) - 31.39 (one troy oz.) Diameter (mm) - 38 Edge - plain with edge lettering Certificate – serialized (serial numbers will vary) Face value - 20 dollars (a legal tender Canadian coin) Artists - John Horton (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse) Description It was the greatest maritime disaster in Canadian history - a tragedy unparalleled by the loss of life and the speed at which the events unfolded. The sinking of RMS Empress of Ireland made headlines around the world in 1914; sadly, the onset of the First World War would quickly overshadow the events that transpired in the waters near Rimouski, Quebec. Built in Scotland by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Empress of Ireland was launched on January 27, 1906. Measuring 172 meters long and 20 meters wide, the Canadian Pacific Railway steamship was widely regarded at the time as one of the fastest and most comfortable passenger ships for the transatlantic journey between England and Canada. On the afternoon of May 28, 1914, the Empress left its berth in Quebec's harbor for its first summer voyage to Liverpool. In the early morning hours of May 29, the liner was steaming down the St. Lawrence River near Pointe-au-Père when, at 1:40 a.m., the Norwegian collier Storstad was sighted at about eight miles to starboard. Both crews attempted to anticipate one another's course as a thick fog engulfed them, forcing Captain Henry George Kendall to bring the Empress to a stop. But minutes later, the Storstad emerged from the fog at a mere 30 meters from the Empress - it was too late for either ship to alter its course, and at 1:55 a.m., the Storstad's reinforced hull plowed into the center of the Empress. The Empress could not withstand such damage to its compartments. Water rushed into the Empress, trapping many passengers inside their cabins. The ship listed sharply on its starboard side, allowing water to pour in through the portholes and rendering it impossible to close most of the watertight doors. The tragedy was further compounded when only a few of the lifeboats were able to be launched before the ship turned over completely on its side. In the span of a mere 14 minutes after the collision, RMS Empress of Ireland had sunk to its final resting place. Of the 1,477 passengers onboard RMS Empress of Ireland, 1,012 perished, including 134 children. For most, the Empress will be forever linked with its tragic end, but it is also remembered for the thousands of immigrants who boarded this great liner to make their journey to a new life in Canada. In 1999, the wreck site was classified as a historical and archaeological property, and it has since earned a protected status as a National Historic Site. Special features: · This coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of the loss of RMS Empress of Ireland and features edge-lettering that displays the ship's name, as well as a bell: one of the recovered artifacts from the wreck. · The coin features a stunning color portrait, framed within the coastline of the St. Lawrence seaway, and shows the RMS Empress of Ireland moments before her collision with the Storstad. · This coin is the first in a 3-coin series that commemorates well-known vessels that have been lost in Canadian waters, and the stories that have emerged from the events surrounding their final fate. · This coin is 99.99% pure silver, and has a limited worldwide mintage. · This coin is a prestigious addition to any Canadiana, history, fine silver color proof, or commemorative collection. It also makes an outstanding gift coin! Design: Designed by Canadian artist John Horton, the coin uses selective paint to recreate the imminent collision of RMS Empress of Ireland and the Norwegian collier Storstad during the early morning hours of May 29, 1914. Rolling in from the coast (engraved in the background), the thick fog comes between the two ships in the colored center portion of the image field. The shadowy image of the Storstad emerges from the right side of the image, its sharp bow in line to make contact with the Empress's starboard side. The passenger ship's stern and funnels are partially unobstructed by the fog in this image, to provide a glimpse of the liner before tragedy would send it to its final resting place on the bottom of the St. Lawrence River. Packaging: Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clam-shell with a custom beauty box. Shipping & Handling Fast, free shipping & handling via USPS First Class Mail to all U.S. addresses! USPS Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express are also available for an additional charge. International shipping via eBay’s Global Shipping Program. Additional Information OK Ranch sells fine collectible & investment coins, fine & fashion jewelry, gifts, and more through our eBay store. “Unsearched” — All of the coins offered in this listing are “unsearched”. Many coin dealers “search” all coins when they are received from the Mint. They "cherry-pick" the best coins. Then submit them to be graded, certified, and slabbed by PCGS, NGC, ANACS, etc. These graded and certified coins are then sold at higher, premium prices. When a dealer searches coins, those that they sell in original Mint packaging are only lesser quality coins. Photos: When a listing offers multiples of the same coin, one coin is picked at random and photographed. Since all coins offered in that listing are essentially identical, the coin photographed is representative of all coins offered. Surface areas that appear black on some proof coin photos are actually highly polished, mirror-bright metal reflecting the color of the camera. We often include proof coin photos with the coin slightly tilted to better depict the mirror bright surfaces. However, tilting the coin may resulting one side being slightly out of focus. Our goal is to provide clear, high definition photos that accurately represent the coin(s) offered in each of our eBay listings. Whenever possible, we use actual photos of our coins, rather than just stock artwork from the Mint. We frequently update and upgrade the photos that appear with our listings, using improved cameras and lenses and better lighting. We will honor your requests for additional photos as quickly as our schedule permits.
Price: 124.99 USD
Location: Lewisville, Texas
End Time: 2024-12-29T20:09:20.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Seller
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Country/Region of Manufacture: Canada
Certification: Royal Canadian Mint
Precious Metal Content: 1oz.
Composition: Silver
Strike Type: Proof
Edge: Lettered
Series: Lost Ships in Canadian Waters
Material: Silver
Year: 2014
Circulated/Uncirculated: Uncirculated
Denomination: $20
