Far off, in the North Atlantic’s most treacherous area, just a few years before the almighty Titanic proved that nothing was unsinkable; another passenger went under near Nantucket, the RMS Republic. Down, almost 300 feet into the shark infested ocean she sank and took with her an unimaginable treasure, one that would surpass the dreams of any man.
The RMS Republic was a beautiful luxury liner, especially for her time. She departed in late January 1909 and was headed to the Mediterranean ports despite being caught up in a very dense fog. She held her own throughout the night but in the morning hours of the next day she collided with the SS Florida. The furious slam that the RMS Republic took from the SS Florida was fierce and demolished the engine room which ceased all power to the liner.
Unbelievably, most passengers and crew were rescued, but three lives were lost from each ship. The SS Florida was salvageable but the RMS Republic sank deep to the ocean floor. At this point the Titanic has not yet sunk and this ship was the most technologically advanced of that time and too, was considered unsinkable. While the lives were spared during this catastrophe, none of the cargo was as fortunate. Everything was lost to sea and there was no way to retrieve it.
Viable rumors quickly spread and are still present to this very day about the lost treasures that were on board that fatal cruise ship. Lost treasure folk lore has it that the US Navy Payroll was on board that ship in the sum of some $265,000, today worth millions and thousands that was headed to Italian earthquake survivors, a multi hundred thousand dollar silver ingots as well as all of the passengers personal jewels were also tossed to the bottom of the sea that morning. The biggest secret was that there was three million dollars worth of gold aboard that ship and five tons of mint American Gold Eagle coins that belonged to the Czar of Russia.
The question remains, is there a lost treasure worth billions of dollars on the floor of the North Atlantic that has been there since the RMS Republic sunk in 1909?