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Coat your portfolio and collection with strength and history with the 2024 1/4 oz SS Tilawa Shipwreck Remembrance: Sinking Fate Silver Round!
| Quantity | Cash/Check | Credit Card | Paypal/Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - 9 | $21.16 | $22.05 | $22.32 |
| 10 or more | $20.66 | $21.53 | $21.80 |
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The 2024 1/4 oz SS Tilawa Shipwreck Remembrance: Sinking Fate Silver Round is struck from silver recovered from the wreck of the SS Tilawa, a British passenger liner sunk during World War II.
On November 23, 1942, the SS Tilawa was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-29 while sailing through the Indian Ocean. The attack claimed 280 lives and sent 2,391 silver bars to the ocean floor. For seventy-five years, the wreck remained undisturbed nearly 2.5 kilometers beneath the surface.
In 2017, a deep-sea salvage operation recovered 2,364 of those original silver bars. That silver was later refined and used to create the SS Tilawa Shipwreck Silver Series, giving each piece a direct connection to one of the most remarkable maritime recoveries of the modern era.
The Remembrance: Sinking Fate edition honors the night the ship was lost. Struck in 1/4 oz of .999 fine silver, it is the smallest denomination in the series and offers an accessible way to own a piece of documented World War II history.
Built in 1924 by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. in Hebburn-on-Tyne, England, the SS Tilawa served the British India Steam Navigation Company as a passenger liner operating throughout the Indian Ocean.
The vessel measured 137.5 meters in length, displaced 10,006 gross registered tons, and could accommodate up to 3,290 passengers. Its routes connected India, East Africa, and Southern Africa, making it an important part of regional maritime transportation.
In November 1942, amid the growing conflict in the Indian Ocean during World War II, the Tilawa departed Bombay (now Mumbai) bound for Durban, South Africa, with onward stops planned for Mombasa and Maputo.
On board were 732 passengers, 222 crew members, 600 tons of cargo, and a shipment of 2,391 silver bars destined for the South African Mint. The silver was intended for future South African and Egyptian coinage and would be worth approximately £35 million in today's terms.
Near the Seychelles Islands on November 23, the vessel was intercepted by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-29. After the first torpedo struck, passengers and crew rushed to launch lifeboats. A second torpedo followed, ultimately sending the ship to the bottom of the Indian Ocean.
Rescue efforts began two days later when HMS Birmingham arrived and saved 678 survivors. RMS Carthage later rescued four additional survivors.
The scale of the tragedy, combined with the valuable cargo lost at sea, led historians to refer to the SS Tilawa as the "Indian Titanic." In 2022, a memorial event in Bombay commemorated the eightieth anniversary of the sinking.
The wreck of the SS Tilawa remained undiscovered for decades before being located by Argentum Exploration during a deep-sea recovery mission in 2017.
Working at a depth of approximately 2.5 kilometers, the salvage team successfully recovered 2,364 of the original 2,391 silver bars, an extraordinary achievement given the location and conditions of the wreck.
The recovery later became the subject of a significant legal dispute between Argentum Exploration and the Republic of South Africa regarding ownership of the silver cargo. In May 2024, the United Kingdom Supreme Court ruled in favor of South Africa.
Because the SS Tilawa silver series was produced from the recovered bullion before the final legal resolution, each round remains connected not only to a wartime shipwreck but also to one of the most closely watched maritime salvage cases in recent years.
The Remembrance: Sinking Fate design focuses on the final chapter of the SS Tilawa's story and commemorates the events of November 23, 1942.
Where the companion Glory: Voyage Edition celebrates the ship during its years of service, this release reflects the dramatic circumstances surrounding its loss during wartime.
The 2024 1/4 oz SS Tilawa Shipwreck Remembrance: Sinking Fate Silver Round is struck from silver recovered from the wreck of the SS Tilawa, a British passenger liner sunk during World War II.
On November 23, 1942, the SS Tilawa was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-29 while sailing through the Indian Ocean. The attack claimed 280 lives and sent 2,391 silver bars to the ocean floor. For seventy-five years, the wreck remained undisturbed nearly 2.5 kilometers beneath the surface.
In 2017, a deep-sea salvage operation recovered 2,364 of those original silver bars. That silver was later refined and used to create the SS Tilawa Shipwreck Silver Series, giving each piece a direct connection to one of the most remarkable maritime recoveries of the modern era.
The Remembrance: Sinking Fate edition honors the night the ship was lost. Struck in 1/4 oz of .999 fine silver, it is the smallest denomination in the series and offers an accessible way to own a piece of documented World War II history.
Built in 1924 by Hawthorn Leslie & Co. in Hebburn-on-Tyne, England, the SS Tilawa served the British India Steam Navigation Company as a passenger liner operating throughout the Indian Ocean.
The vessel measured 137.5 meters in length, displaced 10,006 gross registered tons, and could accommodate up to 3,290 passengers. Its routes connected India, East Africa, and Southern Africa, making it an important part of regional maritime transportation.
In November 1942, amid the growing conflict in the Indian Ocean during World War II, the Tilawa departed Bombay (now Mumbai) bound for Durban, South Africa, with onward stops planned for Mombasa and Maputo.
On board were 732 passengers, 222 crew members, 600 tons of cargo, and a shipment of 2,391 silver bars destined for the South African Mint. The silver was intended for future South African and Egyptian coinage and would be worth approximately £35 million in today's terms.
Near the Seychelles Islands on November 23, the vessel was intercepted by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-29. After the first torpedo struck, passengers and crew rushed to launch lifeboats. A second torpedo followed, ultimately sending the ship to the bottom of the Indian Ocean.
Rescue efforts began two days later when HMS Birmingham arrived and saved 678 survivors. RMS Carthage later rescued four additional survivors.
The scale of the tragedy, combined with the valuable cargo lost at sea, led historians to refer to the SS Tilawa as the "Indian Titanic." In 2022, a memorial event in Bombay commemorated the eightieth anniversary of the sinking.
The wreck of the SS Tilawa remained undiscovered for decades before being located by Argentum Exploration during a deep-sea recovery mission in 2017.
Working at a depth of approximately 2.5 kilometers, the salvage team successfully recovered 2,364 of the original 2,391 silver bars, an extraordinary achievement given the location and conditions of the wreck.
The recovery later became the subject of a significant legal dispute between Argentum Exploration and the Republic of South Africa regarding ownership of the silver cargo. In May 2024, the United Kingdom Supreme Court ruled in favor of South Africa.
Because the SS Tilawa silver series was produced from the recovered bullion before the final legal resolution, each round remains connected not only to a wartime shipwreck but also to one of the most closely watched maritime salvage cases in recent years.
The Remembrance: Sinking Fate design focuses on the final chapter of the SS Tilawa's story and commemorates the events of November 23, 1942.
Where the companion Glory: Voyage Edition celebrates the ship during its years of service, this release reflects the dramatic circumstances surrounding its loss during wartime.
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