In september 1857, the ss central america, a sidewheel steamer carrying nearly six hundred passengers returning from the california gold rush, foundered in a hurricane and sank two hundred miles off the carolina coast. Treasure hunter tommy thompson flipflops on returning. But the history of the ss central america is a celebration of american. Since the ss central america 1857s double eagles were ranked number 75 out of 100 in the 100 greatest u. As one of the premier rare book sites on the internet, alibris has thousands of rare books, first editions, and signed books available. Tommy thompson is wanted for failing to appear in court in one of the lengthy legal fights that followed his 1980s discovery on millions of dollars in gold bars and coins from the s. Treasure hunter jailed until he reveals location of 3 tons of shipwreck gold. It had been a terrifying three days for the nearly 600 passengers of the ss central america. The sinking of the ss central america and millions of other books are available for instant. Thompson made headlines in 1988 when he located the s. From bestselling author gary kinder, ship of gold in the deep blue sea is a ripping true tale of danger and discovery at sea washington post, newly updated for this special 20thanniversary edition. Treasure hunter tommy thompsons attorney resigns from.
The first story, in 1989, just after the discovery of the ss central america, was about thompsons audacity and triumph. She was originally named the ss george law, after mr. The book ship of gold in the deep blue sea 1998, by gary kinder, recounts the original sinking of the ss central america in 1857 and its consequences, and also treasurehunting efforts in the atlantic that occurred from 19861988. Sunken ship laden with gold lures treasure hunters again. It was the ss central america, a massive sidewheel steamship that sank in a. Todays article is the story of how lives are still being ruined, even in 2019. Gary kinder tells thompsons remarkable story in his book ship of gold in the deep blue sea. Tommy thompson, who salvaged the ship of gold, appears in court more than 25 years since he salvaged the wreck of the ss central america, the. He set out to find the central america in the middle of a. Tommy thompson agreed last week to deliver the coins to a courtappointed receiver by sunday to. Exploiting a certain dorkish charm, thompson in 1985 started pitching to a handful of ohio investors, over bites of lunch, a plan to find the central america, a wooden sidewheeler that went down.
Treasure hunter tommy thompson testifies that he doesnt have. There are no historic records of any other ship that was lost with a treasure so rich in precious metals and historic significance as that of the ss central america. Thompson made history in 1988 when he found the sunken s. Tommy thompson still wont say where shipwreck gold can be.
Thompson made history in 1988 when he found the sunken ss central america, also known as the ship of gold. He is also the author of the book americas lost treasure, published in 1998. What was the ss central america or ship of gold and. The tragic story of the richest shipwreck in history charles river editors on. Im speaking of salvor tommy thompson and his discovery of the ss central america, he says. Treasure hunter who found ship of gold now sought by us. Most buyers held on to them tightly a coin with an aura of romance and adventure as detailed in my 1,054page book, a california gold rush history featuring treasure from. In the late 1980s, thompson and his crew salvaged 3 tons of gold, silver and artifacts from the fabled 1857 shipwreck of the s. Treasure hunters had looked for it in shallow water, but that was wishful thinking. What in the world happened to goldhunter tommy thompson. Just like any treasure hunt, the details are sketchy, a modernday version of a deserted island map, with an x marking the spot. Us marshals pursuing tommy thompson after disappearance who had been dogged by legal disputes since finding ss central america treasure. Ship of gold in the deep blue sea by by gary kinder. Thompsons interest is in deep water, so he looks for a wreck with a lot of iron in its frame.
The gold bars found on the central america were 15 times. Titanic meets tom clancy technology in this nationalbestselling account of the ss central americas wreckage and discovery. Thompson, devoted to undersea discovery, bet his career on finding the ss central america, a gold rushera ship that sank in 1857 with up to 21 tons of gold on board. With lawyers for investors waiting for their cut of the ss central america gold standing nearby, thompsons attorney argued in federal court in columbus on. Central america, which sank in the atlantic ocean off charleston, s. Back in 2010, famed treasure hunter tommy thompson told his girlfriend to show up to. Fugitive treasure hunter arrested in florida after. His newly designed submersible first spotted it in 1988, but then came a deluge of lawsuits from entities all wanting a piece of the pieincluding 39 insurers that claimed they had insured the cargo in the 19th century. Gold treasures from 1857 shipwreck set for public display. The ss central america was on a mission to help relieve the united states from the deepening panic of 1857. It was a tragedy lost in legend for more than a centuryuntil a brilliant young engineer named tommy thompson set out to find the wreck. Tommy thompson, fugitive treasure hunter, arrested in.
The ss central america pursers safe, seen on the atlantic ocean floor in 2014, the second time much of its valuable cargo was brought to the surface. Central america, and contains an extensive photographic record of the large selection of timecapsule artifacts, such as personal belongings, and the ships bell, recovered from the shipwreck. The 180foot vessel was then renamed the rv arctic discoverer. Tommy thompson emerged out of defiance, ohio, with the same. The voyage had been peaceful, under bright blue skies. Ship of gold in the deep blue sea book by gary kinder. Browse central america for sale here on the internet. Tommy thompson disappeared in 2012 when he failed to show up for a court hearing. Thompson remains in jail while court oks sale of ss. Columbus, ohio a federal judge wants an update on the willingness of an exdeepsea treasure hunter to answer questions about the location of. Over four hundred lives and twentyone tons of california gold were lost. Thompson remains in jail while court oks sale of ss central america. Ss central america steamer sinks off the carolina coast with tons of gold aboard.
In september 1857, the ss central america, a steamer carrying nearly six hundred passengers returning from the california gold rush, was caught in a hurricane two hundred miles off the. What was the ss central america or ship of gold and why did it sink. He begins instead way back in 1857 with the ss central america, a 300foot. Central america in 1988 after convincing 161 local investors to. Seattle group helped find 15 tons of gold lost on sunken. A shipwreck off floridas coast pits archaeologists. Recovery of sunken gold only means to keep thompsons. The news of the gold discovery caused a legal firestorm. Tommy thompson has already spent a year in jail for refusing to say what he did with one of the richest treasure finds in u. How treasure hunter tommy thompson, one of the smartest. The tragic story of the richest shipwreck in history. Treasure hunter and ohio native tommy thompson found the s. In 2009 he had an off shore account in the cook islands of 4. Treasure hunter jailed until he reveals location of 3 tons.
Central america, which had sunk off the coast of south carolina in 1857. Pictured the sunken ship, ss central america, that tommy g thompson eventually found in 1989. Kane has served as the receiver of thompsons companies since 20, after thompson failed to appear at a 2012 hearing and fled to florida with. The treasure hunter headed a crew that eventually brought up. Mail steamship central america in a hurricane off the carolina coast in 1857 still ranks as the nations greatest peacetime disaster at sea 425 lives were lost most of them passengers from the california gold fields as well as an unbelievable amount of gold in the form of newly minted coins from the san francisco mint, assay ingots of many types, raw nuggets, and dust. Tommy thompson stands at the helm of the arctic explorer as bob evans. Coins book, which was recommended by the professional numismatists guild, it is an exceptional expert substantiation of the coins true numismatic legacy. Tommy thompson inset, who found it and then disappeared. It was september 1857, and the elegant steamship was heading from havana, cuba, to new york city. In 1857, the central america, a sidewheel steamer ferrying passengers fresh from the gold rush of california to new york and laden. Ss central america, known as the ship of gold, was a 280foot 85 m sidewheel steamer that operated between central america and the eastern coast of the united states during the 1850s.
The 280foot ss central america, which has been dubbed the ship of gold, sank during a hurricane off the north carolina coast in 1857. Books by tommy thompson author of americas lost treasure. The central america had sailed into the path of a furious hurricane. A contemporary account of the ss central america disaster. It was after appealing to investors totaling 160 that the obsessed engineer built an underwater robot which allowed him.
Learn why treasure hunter tommy thompson is in jail in this howstuffworks now article. The ship sank in a hurricane in september 1857, along with 425 of her 578 passengers and crew and 30,000 pounds 14,000 kg of gold. Ocean treasure hunter hiding loot a year after arrest. Tommy thompson, who salvaged the ship of gold, appears. The book records the history of the sinking of the s. The ss central america became the target of his project. The headline of the second story in 1999, by which time relations between thompson and his investors had soured, was called ship of debt, and our november 2014 cover story was headlined man overboard. As tommy thompson, who found the greatest sunken treasure in american. Buy a cheap copy of ship of gold in the deep blue sea book by gary kinder. Make offer ss central america, tommy thompson, americas lost treasure, tommy thompson, new. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. Against all odds, thompson set out in the summer of 1988 ready to find the lost treasure of the ss central america. Fugitive treasure hunter tommy thompson, the man who discovered the ss central america shipwreck, has been arrested in florida after two. The second is an associated press story out of ohio with word that a warrant has been issued for the arrest of tommy thompson not to be.
Seattle group helped find 15 tons of gold lost on sunken ship. Thompson found the ss central america in 1988 after convincing more than 100 investors to. If you find an article about this wreck and see some egravings of the ship and the wreck, they more than likely came from this issue of frank leslies illustrated newspaper. I just bought this illustrated newspaper because it has one of the best contemporary accounts of the sinking of the ss central america, along with some fantastic illustrations. Without question, the ship of gold is, as life magazine wrote in march 1992, the greatest treasure ever found. Tommy gregory thompson is known for his leading role in the rediscovery of ss central america on september 11, 1988. In kinders book, williamson says about treasure hunters, theyre generally a flash in the. How treasure hunter tommy thompson, one of the smartest fugitives ever, was caught. Feds chase treasure hunter turned fugitive usa today. Shop the latest titles by tommy thompson at alibris including hardcovers, paperbacks, 1st editions, and audiobooks from thousands of sellers worldwide.
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