A Legendary Piece of Maritime History from the Mount Everest of Shipwrecks

This listing offers an extremely rare and historic piece of numismatic memorabilia. It is a 1947 Italian 1000 Lire banknote salvaged from the wreck of the Italian ocean liner SS Andrea Doria. This note was recovered from the Banco di Roma, or Bank of Rome, safe, which rested on the ocean floor for over 25 years following the ship's tragic sinking on July 26, 1956.

The note has been professionally authenticated and encapsulated by PCGS Currency as Genuine with a shipwreck designation, confirming its authentic origin from the legendary 1956 sinking. It is displayed in an acrylic mount with the PCGS label and is accompanied by its original presentation box and care instructions.

Historical Significance: The SS Andrea Doria

The SS Andrea Doria was an icon of Italian national pride, a luxury ocean liner that was Italy's largest, fastest, and supposedly safest ship following World War II. On the night of July 25, 1956, while approaching the coast of Nantucket bound for New York City, it collided with the MS Stockholm of the Swedish American Line in heavy fog. The Stockholm's icebreaking bow pierced the Andrea Doria's starboard side, ripping open several of its watertight compartments.

The ship immediately began to list severely, leaving half of its lifeboats unusable. Through heroic rescue efforts by nearby ships, including the Ile de France, over 1,660 passengers and crew were saved. However, 46 people died in the collision, and the ship capsized and sank the following morning on July 26, 1956. The disaster remains the worst maritime catastrophe in United States waters since the sinking of the SS Eastland in 1915.

The Treasure Recovery: The Banco di Roma Safe

On August 27, 1981, during Hurricane Dennis, marine explorer and department store heir Peter Gimbel and his team recovered the Banco di Roma safe from the wreck, 250 feet below the Atlantic. The 650-pound safe had been submerged for 25 years. When it was finally opened during a live television broadcast three years later on August 3, 1984, it revealed stacks of United States One Dollar Silver Certificates and Italian bank notes in 50, 100, and 1,000 Lire denominations.

In 2006, PCGS Currency made the first public inventory of the remaining 3,606 notes from the safe. The inventory confirmed 878 undated Banca d'Italia notes from the 1947 to 1951 series, the type that would have been in general circulation in Italy in 1956.

Design and Condition

This note was issued by the Banca d'Italia and features the distinctive design of Italian currency from the post-war era. It exhibits significant deterioration consistent with prolonged submersion in seawater for over 25 years. It shows authentic seawater exposure, including tears, edge irregularities, discoloration, and toning, all of which are desired characteristics of a genuine shipwreck salvage. No artificial restoration has been performed. These characteristics are confirmed by the PCGS Genuine designation, which is assigned to currency that cannot receive a straight numerical grade due to environmental damage but is authenticated as genuine.

Product Specifications

Ship: SS Andrea Doria, sank July 26, 1956 off Nantucket, Massachusetts
Country: Italy
Denomination: 1000 Lire
Year: 1947
Issuing Authority: Banca d'Italia
Grading Service: PCGS Currency, Genuine designation
Recovery Date: Safe recovered August 27, 1981; opened August 3, 1984
Recovery Depth: 250 feet
Included: Acrylic display mount, PCGS label, original presentation box, care instructions

Why This Note Deserves a Place in Your Collection

This is a piece of history from a historic event, the final major transatlantic passenger ship to sink before aviation dominated travel. It carries certified authenticity, having been encapsulated and verified by PCGS Currency with the Genuine designation, confirming its origin from the Andrea Doria wreck. It is one of only 878 Italian banknotes from the 1947 to 1951 series recovered from the Banco di Roma safe, making it a rare and desirable acquisition. It is offered as a complete collector's set, including the authenticated note, acrylic display, PCGS label, and original presentation box. Most of all, it carries direct provenance from the Peter Gimbel expedition that recovered the safe in 1981, connecting it to one of the most famous maritime treasure recoveries of the twentieth century.

This note is more than currency. It is a piece of maritime history, offering a rare glimpse into the tragedy of the Andrea Doria and the daring salvage operation that brought this currency back to the surface after 25 years beneath the sea. For the discerning collector, it represents a truly significant and desirable acquisition.

The auction is live. Notes of this caliber do not appear often. Place your bid and secure this rema

• Low Estimate: 1500.00
• High Estimate: 3000.00