Name/Title
CurrencyEntry/Object ID
2008.01.01Description
History:
The SS Andrea Doria sank on Thursday July 26,1956. For more than a quarter of a century her bounty lay undiscovered at the bottom of the ocean floor. In 1981 the "Doria Prject", an expedition led by Peter Gimbel and Elga Andersen, his wife and partner, recovered the safe and the currency it contained.
Each recovered bill was delicately separated from its pack, washed and rinsed several times, deacidified, flattened, blotted, and dried under weights for several days. The paper from the U.S. silver certificates withstood the long submersion even better than the Italian bills. However, the inks of the Italian bank notes have proven to be astonishingly stable. Hardly affected by their 28 year immersion under sea water.
Each piece of this historical currency has been placed in a Numis currency sleeve for its protection, then mounted on a conservation board and framed. There are three pieces of this currency mounted and framed in a beautiful wood 14.5x25 inch frame. This recovered currency has what museum curators and conservators call historical value: their worth derived from a momentous even of which they were a par.
Presently, the currency recovered is in museums and over 200 libraries in the U.S.
Within the Frame are the following and their condition:
An Image (photograph) of the SS Andrea Doria sailing on the open water' good condition
Italian currency
On the left side is an image of a female in a circle. At the top it reads: BANCA DITALIA
N 165 LIRE
Number: 017266
MILLE
Pagabili a vista al portatore
Governers signature
Treasures signature
On right side is the number 1000 on top and bottom
American Dollar ($1)
George Washington in the center in a circle. Starting at top it reads:
This certifies that there is on deposit in the treasury of
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Right side:
N84376129H
ONE DOLLAR
Washington, D.C.
Series 1935E
Secretary Treasures signature
Left side:
This certificate is legal tender for all debts, public and private
N84376129H
Treasure of United States signature
In middle:
ONE DOLLAR
IN SILVER PAYABLE TPO THE BEARER ON DEMAND
Last currency-unknown (bond??)
Top reads:
When countersigned below with this signature *N41*785*257* (has the crest of England on both sides of the number
American Express Company
At its paying agencies
Pay this cheque from out balance to the order of (no signature their-must of come off) $20.00
The United States Twenty dollars
In all other countries at current buying rate for bankers cheques of New York
Countersigned in Presence of person cashing
On the Left-is an image of a man in Roman attire (war attire- helmet and armor) in a circle
At the bottom of the frame is a small plaque that reads:
Recovered from the Italian Line flagship
S.S. Andrea Doria
Sun July 26, 1956 in the Atlantic
Peter Gimbel Elga AndersenCollection
S.S. Andrea Doria CollectionCondition
Overall Condition
GoodDate Examined
Jan 25, 2008Examined By
Keira GruberNotes
Frame - excellent
$-- preserved Each recovered bill was delicately separated from its pack, washed and rinsed several times, deacidified, flattened, blotted, and dried under weights for several days
Italian money:
Condition' ripped in many small areas, color is still really good, purple colorization on all sides
around the currency
American money:
Condition:
Riped on the left and right sides (Left more damage done) middle is still in good condition
Pigment is still good. Weird black/ gray strikes around the middle portion (looks like smoke fumes)
Last money:
Condition:
Worst of the Three. The Dye is fading and going towards the middle. Very dark and hard to read. Sides are in the worst condition since the pigment seemed to be bleeding into the middle (looks like a burn mark-but its not)strange area towards the left that is clear - like a bubble was formed.