Few pieces of WWII-era bullion ever surface with the raw historical energy of the massive 1,069.5-ounce fine silver ingot recovered from the wreck of the S.S. Gairsoppa. On November 30, 2025, at 8:07:30 PM Pacific, GreatCollections will offer one of the most imposing artifacts of underwater numismatics: Ingot No. JZ459-5, a 99.9% fine silver bar weighing more than 1,057 troy ounces of pure silver (ASW), accompanied by its original Odyssey Marine Exploration certificate of authenticity.
This bar is one of only 462 ingots recovered during the 2012–2013 deep-ocean salvage operation conducted by Odyssey Marine Exploration. Few collectibles can bridge numismatics, world history, industrial bullion, and shipwreck lore as seamlessly as this class of ingot. Their mystique stems from both what they are, immense, nearly pure silver bars minted in Bombay (Mumbai), India, and the dramatic circumstances in which they were lost.
A Cargo Meant to Save a Nation
In the winter of 1940–41, as Britain endured the unrelenting pressures of the Battle of the Atlantic, the government relied on precious-metal shipments from India to stabilize currency reserves and finance wartime production. Nearly 100 metric tons of silver bullion were loaded aboard the British merchant ship S.S. Gairsoppa, part of a George V-era fleet pressed into high-risk transatlantic supply routes.
The mission would prove fatal.
On February 17, 1941, after peeling away from its convoy due to diminishing fuel reserves, the Gairsoppa slowed to conserve what remained. That vulnerability made it an ideal target for the prowling German U-boat U-101. A single torpedo struck with devastating precision. Within minutes the Gairsoppa slipped beneath the frigid North Atlantic, plunging more than 4,700 meters to the seabed and entombing its vast stores of silver and wartime materials.
For over 70 years, the treasure rested in near-complete darkness.
Discovery, Recovery, and Legacy
When Odyssey Marine located the wreck in 2011 and began recovery operations the following year, the Gairsoppa instantly became one of the largest precious-metal salvage projects in world history. The silver ingots—fully hallmarked, government-issued, and astonishingly preserved—were hoisted from extreme depth using advanced ROV technology.
Today, these bars represent a finite, historically significant class of shipwreck bullion. Their size, purity, markings, and documented wartime purpose place them among the most desirable silver ingots ever brought to market.
The example offered by GreatCollections displays deep ocean toning across its industrial surfaces, with crisp markings and a commanding visual presence that immediately signals authenticity and survival under extraordinary conditions.
Auction Highlights
- Auction Date: November 30, 2025, 8:07:30 PM Pacific
- Ingot Weight: 1,069.5 oz. (ASW: 1,057.29 oz. of fine silver)
- Purity: .999 fine silver
- Ingot Number: JZ459-5
- Mint Origin: Bombay, India
- Shipwreck Source: S.S. Gairsoppa, sunk February 17, 1941
- Recovery: 2012–13 by Odyssey Marine Exploration
- Population: One of only 462 recovered silver ingots
- Documentation: Includes signed Certificate of Authenticity from Odyssey Marine
- Visual Appeal: Deeply toned, shipwreck surfaces with bold industrial markings
As GreatCollections brings this monumental ingot to the auction block, collectors of shipwreck artifacts, WWII history, and large-format bullion will be watching closely. Opportunities to acquire a bar of this scale—and this level of documented historical significance—are exceedingly rare.
The post Historic 1,069-Ounce S.S. Gairsoppa Silver Ingot Surfaces at GreatCollections Auction appeared first on CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors.
