The RMS Republic was the pride of the White Star Steamship Company prior to the
building of the R.M.S. Titanic in 1912. The ship foundered at sea 50 miles south of
Nantucket Island on January 24, 1909. Rumors suggest that, in addition to a $265,000
US Navy Payroll (consigned to the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet at Gibraltar - 1909 value,
worth today approximately $6 million) and the personal valuables of her wealthy
passengers, she also carried a politically sensitive and secret $3,000,000 shipment of
recently minted American Gold Eagle coins, which would have a value today of
between $400 to $500 million, and possibly rising to $1.6 billion.
The ship, rammed by the ship Florida during one of the worst fog storms in U.S.
history, holds many ties to the White Star Line Titanic. DiscoverSea Museum houses one
of the largest collections of artifacts that have been recovered from this ship. We hope
that you will visit us soon to learn the stories behind this great White Star ship.