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1996 New Zealand TEN DOLLARS - Aluminium Bronze - Sinking of General Grant |
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Obverse: | Queen Elizabeth II - Design by Raphael Maklouf. Legend: ELIZABETH. II. NEW ZEALAND 1996 |
Reverse: | Sinking Ship - Design by Maurice Conly. Legend: SINKING OF THE GENERAL GRANT $10 |
| Edge: | Reeded - fully milled. |
| Weight: | 7.25 grams |
| Size: | 27.00 mm (diameter) |
| Composition: | Aluminium-Bronze |
| Mintage: | Llantrisant: 6,000 |
| Mintmarks: | None. |
Valuation : |
| Semi- Proof | |
| 1998 | 20 |
Notes:
On the night of 13 May, 1866, the perpendicular cliffs of the Auckland Islands claimed the clipper ship General Grant. Travelling from Melbourne with 83 passengers and crew, the 1200 tonne, three-masted barque, foundered on that dark and stormy night. With the ship sinking, the longboats were launched at first light. The first boat and its passengers were never seen again. Two boats carrying 14 survivors finally made it to Disappointment Island, some six miles distant from where the General Grant went down.The remaining 69 passengers and crew perished. Life was severe for the survivors. Tools and implements were crafted from found relics and messages requesting rescue were dispatched in seal bladders and wooden floats. Of the 14 who reached shore, five later died and only nine survived the ordeal.
Various attempts have been made over the years to locate and raise the sunken treasure. In the period up to 1916, a further 29 people lost their lives in salvage attempts, including three of the original survivors. The General Grant is thought to be lying in only 14 metres of water, but is in a treacherous underwater cavern, up against one of the islands.
 | To add to the mystery surrounding the vessel, the ship's manifest recorded 2,576 ounces of gold, but it was rumoured to be carrying much more in the form of gold bars disguised as zinc ballast. The vessel was believed to be carrying booty bound for Confederate supporters in the U.S.A. Gold miners travelling home were also carrying an unknown amount of gold. Located far to the south of New Zealand, remote and rugged, the Auckland Islands have provided the bleak setting for many epic human dramas. Of all the places to be shipwrecked, these islands must surely be among the worst. It rains on more than 300 days of the year, giving an annual rainfall of about 2,000 mm. Weather changes are sudden and erratic. Snow falls are frequent, fogs persistent and humidity is constantly between 80 and 90 percent. |
Source: Certificate accompanying the 1996 Ten Dollar Semi-Proof 'Sinking of the General Grant' coin, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, 1996.
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