Auctions

Jewelry Recovered from Sunken ‘Ship of Gold’ Heads to Auction

AuctionsNov 22, 2022

Jewelry Recovered from Sunken ‘Ship of Gold’ Heads to Auction

The S.S. Central America sank in 1857 off the coast of South Carolina, carrying tons of gold from the California Gold Rush.

20221122_SS-CentralAmerica-header.jpg
A size 8.5 signet ring engraved with initials “SS” may have been owned by San Francisco jeweler Samuel Shreve, who was a passenger on the S.S. Central America when the ship sank in 1857 on a voyage to New York. (Photo credit: Holabird Western Americana Collections)
Reno, Nevada—Jewelry on board a ship that sank off the U.S. coast in the mid-1800s will be available to the public for the first time when it goes up for auction next month. 

The S.S. Central America, or the “Ship of Gold,” sank off the coast of South Carolina in 1857 during a hurricane while traveling from Panama to New York City.

In addition to costing the lives of more than 400 of its passengers, tons of gold bars and coins from the California Gold Rush valued in the millions also went down with the ship. The gold onboard was meant to help banks manage the financial panic that had just started, but its sinking instead exacerbated the crisis.

Insurance claims for the loss were paid in 1850s.

Recovery from the shipwreck occurred in stages: between 1988-1991 and then again in 2014.

The company that discovered and retrieved the sunken treasures settled with insurers and their successors in 1992. With court approval, California Gold Marketing Group acquired clear title to all the artifacts that had been recovered from the ship.

Now, gold jewelry, vintage clothing, and other historic items recovered from the site will be offered at auction on Dec. 3, years after many of them were retrieved from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

“Much of the gold jewelry was part of a commercial shipment, either carried by one of the jewelers on board or by a separate shipment transported on the voyage going to New York. Gold nugget stickpins were found still attached to their original thick paper boards, ready for resale on the New York or eastern seaboard jewelry market,” said Fred Holabird, president of Holabird Western Americana Collections, which will conduct the auction.

Lots include dozens of 1850s gold rings, stickpins, cufflinks, a gold belt buckle, and several pocket watch cases and covers.

Notable highlights include a rare medal/badge presented by the Order of Saint Maurice and Saint Lazarus, the world’s second oldest order of knighthood. Bestowed by the House of Savoy in Italy, the medal features a white enamel cross representing the Order of Saint Maurice and a green enamel Maltese cross of the Order of Saint Lazarus.

It was retrieved from the bottom of the ocean in 1991 and kept in secure storage for decades.

See: More Pieces in the Upcoming Auction 

There is also a ring engraved with initials “SS” that may have belonged to San Francisco jeweler Samuel Shreve, a passenger on the ship when it sank, rings with heart shapes that would’ve eventually been engraved with lovers’ initials, and California gold-in-quartz items like cufflinks and brooches.

Meanwhile, other interesting items include the oldest known Gold Rush-era heavy duty work pant jeans with a button fly, which may have been made by or for Levi Strauss in his early years of business.

There are also S.S. Central America bottles, tableware, dining utensils, the purser’s keys to the gold treasure room, passenger luggage tags and ticket receipts, hardware from the ship, a navigational octant, and daguerreotype photographs.

“Many collectors have been waiting for these extraordinary items to come on the market since the legendary S.S. Central America was located in 1988 and Life magazine proclaimed it America’s greatest treasure ever found,” said Holabird.

The auction will be held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Nevada and online on the Holabird Western Americana Collections website on Saturday, Dec. 3.

A second auction featuring hundreds of additional artifacts from the shipwreck will be held in February.

In anticipation of the auction, Holabird has created a limited edition 280-page catalog with numerous previously unpublished illustrations of the recovery of the S.S. Central America, some of which are reproduced in 3-D as shot during the discovery missions with a remote-controlled submersible nicknamed “Nemo.”

Copies of the catalog are available for $100 while supplies last.

Auction lots can also be viewed online.

For more information about the auctions or to buy a printed catalog, visit the Holabird website or contact the company at 775-851-1859 or info@holabirdamericana.com

 Related stories will be right here …

The Latest

Bergman Jewelers family
IndependentsApr 01, 2025
Bergman Jewelers in Omaha Closing After 137 Years

The independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.

QVC Group Inc. logo
MajorsApr 01, 2025
QVC Group to Cut 900 Jobs in the U.S.

The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.

Coconut Grove Jewelry & Watch Show
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
U.S. Antique Shows Adds Fall Show in Florida

The debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.

bench jeweler 1872x1052.png
Brought to you by
The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They Deserve

Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.

The Jewelry Symposium (TJS)
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
TJS to Host Discussion on Jewelry Industry’s Labor Shortage

The roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.

Weekly QuizMar 27, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann Collection Bracelets
CollectionsApr 01, 2025
Monica Rich Kosann Says ‘Good Grief’ in Peanuts Jewelry Collection

The “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.

Graphic for What Do We Mean When We Say “Recycled” Gold webinar
Recorded WebinarsMar 31, 2025
Watch: What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Recycled’ Gold?

Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.

Facets-of-Fire-Difference-You-Can-See.jpg
Brought to you by
Natural Diamonds Should Mean More

Natural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.

Mindi Mond Clarity Earrings
TrendsMar 31, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Dripping in Diamonds

Diamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.

Lashbrook ring
MajorsMar 31, 2025
Lashbrook Expands Into Luxury Golf Gifts With Acquisition

The Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.

Bulgari and LVMH Watches CEO Jean-Christophe Babin
WatchesMar 31, 2025
Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin Will Also Head LVMH Watches

The longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.

Surveillance footage of robbery
CrimeMar 28, 2025
2 Suspects Arrested in $1.7M Smash-and-Grab Robbery of NY Jewelry Store

Authorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.

Nephrite and Jadeite by Heinrich Fischer, Richard W. Hughes
SourcingMar 28, 2025
19th-Century Jade Book Now Available in English

Lotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.

LÖF The Valentine Ring
CollectionsMar 28, 2025
Piece of the Week: Löf’s ‘The Valentine’ Ring

The ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.

Eggs on a shelf
SurveysMar 27, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls in March Amid ‘Gloomy’ Outlook

The Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.

Austin Butler
WatchesMar 27, 2025
Austin Butler Joins Breitling as Brand Ambassador

The Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.

ICA Congress Brazil 2025
SourcingMar 27, 2025
Susan Jacques, Gaetano Cavalieri to Headline 2025 ICA Congress

The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.

Bailey’s Fine Jewelry storefront
IndependentsMar 26, 2025
Bailey’s Fine Jewelry Acquires Fellow NC Independent Jeweler

The family-owned retailer is the new owner of Morrison Smith Jewelers in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bulova 150 Art Deco Miss America Watch, 150 Art Deco Pocket Watch
WatchesMar 26, 2025
Bulova Celebrates 150th Anniversary With Art Deco Watches

The “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.

Alex Wellen
MajorsMar 26, 2025
QVC Group Appoints New President

Alex Wellen, formerly CEO and president of MotorTrend Group, has taken on the role.

Jewelers of America’s new logo
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2025
Jewelers of America Announces New Funding Initiative

The Impact Initiative is part of the nonprofit association’s new three-year strategic plan.

Diamond earrings held in gloved hand
CrimeMar 25, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Earrings Swallowed Following Grab-and-Run Theft Recovered

The two pairs of earrings, snatched from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, are valued at a combined $769,500.

Emmanuel Raheb CEO of Smart Age Solutions
ColumnistsMar 25, 2025
The Smart Lab: Using Short-Form Videos to Sell More Jewelry

The time to start experimenting with video content is now, writes columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

Pomellato Nudo High Jewelry Campaign
CollectionsMar 24, 2025
Pomellato’s Latest ‘Nudo’ Collections Revamp its Classic Design

From striking high jewelry to miniature fine jewelry, the new chapter continues to highlight gemstones featuring its signature 57-facet cut.

Jamie Singleton, Bill Brace, Rebecca Wooters, Bill Luth
MajorsMar 24, 2025
4 Top Executives to Depart Signet Jewelers Amid Turnaround

The jewelry giant is reducing its senior leadership by 30 percent as part of its new turnaround strategy.

Sothebys Watchcheck
WatchesMar 24, 2025
Sotheby's Now Offers Watch Repair Services

The auction house's partnership with online watch servicing platform WatchCheck makes repairs convenient and accessible, it said.

Swarovski lab-grown diamond Galaxy earrings
FinancialsMar 21, 2025
Swarovski Says Its Lab-Grown Diamond Sales Doubled in 2024

The company also noted record sales in the United States and a strong performance in its jewelry category.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy