Rare Piece of Great Lakes Maritime History Sells for $150K at Detroit Auction
A life ring and wooden plank believed to have originated from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, one of America's most infamous shipwrecks, has been sold at auction in Detroit for a staggering $150,000. The artifacts, which had been on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum for decades, drew significant attention from collectors, historians, and the general public.
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald, built in the mid-1950s, was once the largest ship to sail the Great Lakes, transporting iron ore from Minnesota to steel mills across the region. Its ill-fated voyage on November 9, 1975, ended in tragedy when the ship sank in Canadian waters near Whitefish Bay, claiming the lives of all twenty-nine crew members.
The life ring and wooden plank were recovered shortly after the disaster and have since become an integral part of Great Lakes maritime history. Despite efforts to preserve them, they remained on display at the museum for years before being put up for auction.
DuMouchelles Auctioneer and Art Gallery, with expertise in fine art, antiques, and historical materials, played a crucial role in bringing these artifacts to market. By providing detailed documentation of their provenance, including where and how they were recovered after the sinking, the auction house helped build confidence among bidders in the authenticity of the items.
The sale of the life ring and plank exceeded early estimates by a significant margin, with experts citing the rarity of such artifacts from famous shipwrecks being made available for public purchase. Maritime history researchers and curators emphasized that such items are often preserved by museums and historical societies, but rarely appear at auction due to their fragile nature.
The sale comes as the fiftieth anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking approaches, with memorial services and commemorations taking place across the Great Lakes region. Communities continue to gather each year to honor the mariners who worked tirelessly in conditions that could turn treacherous without warning.
As one of the most storied events in American maritime history, the sale of the life ring and plank serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who ventured onto the Great Lakes. The artifacts now have a new chapter in their long story, having been acquired by an anonymous buyer willing to pay top dollar for a piece of history.
A life ring and wooden plank believed to have originated from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, one of America's most infamous shipwrecks, has been sold at auction in Detroit for a staggering $150,000. The artifacts, which had been on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum for decades, drew significant attention from collectors, historians, and the general public.
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald, built in the mid-1950s, was once the largest ship to sail the Great Lakes, transporting iron ore from Minnesota to steel mills across the region. Its ill-fated voyage on November 9, 1975, ended in tragedy when the ship sank in Canadian waters near Whitefish Bay, claiming the lives of all twenty-nine crew members.
The life ring and wooden plank were recovered shortly after the disaster and have since become an integral part of Great Lakes maritime history. Despite efforts to preserve them, they remained on display at the museum for years before being put up for auction.
DuMouchelles Auctioneer and Art Gallery, with expertise in fine art, antiques, and historical materials, played a crucial role in bringing these artifacts to market. By providing detailed documentation of their provenance, including where and how they were recovered after the sinking, the auction house helped build confidence among bidders in the authenticity of the items.
The sale of the life ring and plank exceeded early estimates by a significant margin, with experts citing the rarity of such artifacts from famous shipwrecks being made available for public purchase. Maritime history researchers and curators emphasized that such items are often preserved by museums and historical societies, but rarely appear at auction due to their fragile nature.
The sale comes as the fiftieth anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking approaches, with memorial services and commemorations taking place across the Great Lakes region. Communities continue to gather each year to honor the mariners who worked tirelessly in conditions that could turn treacherous without warning.
As one of the most storied events in American maritime history, the sale of the life ring and plank serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by those who ventured onto the Great Lakes. The artifacts now have a new chapter in their long story, having been acquired by an anonymous buyer willing to pay top dollar for a piece of history.
$150k is straight up insane! I mean, I get it, it's a piece of history from one of the worst maritime disasters in American history... but come on, can't people just donate these kinds of artifacts to museums instead? It feels like we're just gonna see more of these types of sales popping up and they're not being preserved for future generations. What's the deal with that? 
Like, the original artifact is gone, what's the point in selling it for millions? It's like they're profiting off someone else's tragedy. And what about the museum? They must've been raking it in with the sale too... 
I wonder what it is about artifacts from shipwrecks that speaks to us on such a deep level... It's not just the monetary value that's being placed on these pieces, but also the emotional and historical significance they carry. Like, can you imagine holding something in your hands that once belonged to someone who didn't make it out of the Great Lakes? The life ring and plank are more than just relics of a tragedy - they're a connection to the past, a reminder of the human cost of exploration and discovery. And now, they've been sold to someone who's willing to carry on that legacy... but what does that mean for them, exactly? 
But is it really worth $150k? I'd rather see these artifacts being used to educate people about the actual risks of working on the Great Lakes or something. This feels like just another fad to me... 
It's crazy to think that they were just chillin' on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum for decades and nobody knew about 'em. The fact that it took experts to verify their authenticity and provide proof of where and how they were recovered is pretty cool, tbh. I mean, can you imagine bein' able to own a piece of history like this? It's like, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you know? 
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I mean, can you even believe how much that life ring and plank sold for?! Like, $150K is insane! 
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... can't believe another piece of that ship is gone for good. $150k might sound like a lot but it's just a drop in the bucket compared to what these people went through. 29 lives lost, you know? And for what? So some rich collector can own a tiny part of history 
. Don't even get me started on how museums and historical societies protect these kinds of artifacts... it's like they just disappear into thin air 
. The fact that people are willing to pay top dollar for this stuff just shows how little we care about the past 
. And now it's gone, lost forever in some collector's vault 
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it makes you wonder what kind of person would be willing to take something like that off your hands... is it just about the monetary value or is there more to it?
I think it's pretty crazy that something as simple as a life ring and wooden plank can be worth $150k! It just goes to show how valuable our maritime history is to people, especially when it comes to tragic events like the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinking. The fact that it was on display at the museum for decades already tells you how significant it is, but seeing it go up for auction and sell for such a high price really drives the point home. It's like we're all connected to history in some way, even if it's just through something as small as a piece of wood or a life ring 
. I mean, can you even imagine what it must've been like on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald back in '75? The crew had no idea they were sailing into fate... so many lives lost at sea 
. It's a great reminder to respect and preserve our maritime history, because who knows what other secrets these old ships might be hiding?
I gotta say, $150k is a small price to pay for a piece of history like that. I mean, can you imagine being the one who gets to own something that's been on display at a museum for decades? It's like winning the lottery, but instead of cash, you get a life ring and plank from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald 
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I mean, $150K for a life ring and plank? That's just priceless... said no one ever