2014 Canada 50-cent Lost Ships - RMS Empress of Ireland Silver Plated

2014 Canada 50-cent Lost Ships - RMS Empress of Ireland Silver Plated

It was the greatest maritime disaster in Canadian history – a tragedy unparalleled by the loss of life and the speed at which the events unfolded. The sinking of RMS Empress of Ireland made headlines around the world in 1914; sadly, the onset of the First World War would quickly overshadow the events that transpired in the waters near Rimouski, Que.

Built in Scotland by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Empress of Ireland was launched on January 27, 1906. Measuring 172 metres long and 20 metres wide, the Canadian Pacific Railway steamship was widely regarded at the time as one of the fastest and most comfortable passenger ships for the transatlantic journey between England and Canada.

On the afternoon of May 28, 1914, the Empress left its berth in Quebec's harbour for its first summer voyage to Liverpool. In the early morning hours of May 29, the liner was steaming down the St. Lawrence River near Pointe-au-Père when at 1:40 a.m., the Norwegian collier Storstad was sighted at about eight miles to starboard. Both crews attempted to anticipate one another's course as a thick fog engulfed both ships, forcing Captain Henry George Kendall to bring the Empress to a stop. But minutes later, the Storstad emerged from the fog at a mere 30 metres from the Empress – it was too late for either ship to alter its course and at 1:55 a.m., the Storstad's reinforced hull ploughed into the centre of the Empress.

The Empress could not withstand such damage to its compartments. Water rushed into the Empress, trapping many passengers inside their cabins. The ship listed sharply on its starboard side, allowing water to pour in through the portholes and rendering it impossible to close most of the watertight doors. The tragedy was further compounded when only a few of the lifeboats were able to be launched before the ship turned over completely on its side. In the span of a mere 14 minutes after the collision, RMS Empress of Ireland had sunk to its final resting place.

Of the 1,477 passengers onboard RMS Empress of Ireland, 1,012 perished including 134 children. For most, the Empress will be forever linked with its tragic end, but it is also remembered for the thousands of immigrants who boarded this great liner to make their journey to a new life in Canada. In 1999, the wreck site was classified as a historical and archaeological property, and it has since earned a protected status as a National Historic Site.

Specifications:
Item Number: 130544
Composition: Silver plated copper
Mintage: 15,000
Weight (g): 32.82
Diameter (mm): 42
Face Value: 50 cents
Finish: Matte Proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist: Yves Bérubeé (reverse), Susannah Blunt (obverse)

Special Features:
- This silver-plated copper coin pays tribute to the 100th anniversary of the loss of R.M.S. Empress of Ireland, including a hauntingly beautiful portrait of the ill-fated ship, double-dated commemoration and engraved rendition of her bell.
- First coin in a 3-coin series.
- Matte proof finish with colour recreates the conditions leading up to the worst disaster in Canadian maritime history.
- Limited mintage of 15,000.
- A prestigious addition to any Canadiana, History-themed or Commemorative collection.

Packaging:
Maroon clamshell with black beauty box