THE SS CENTRAL AMERICA TREASURE AND THE HUNT FOR TOMMY THOMPSON

A gold bar recovered from a ship that sank during the Californian Gold Rush is up for auction - with an estimate set at 211 times it's original value.

The ingot, which weighs 40oz and is expected to sell for about $140,000, was part of a 10-ton hoard of gold that went down with the SS Central America in 1857.

At the time, the cargo was worth $2million and its loss during a hurricane contributed to the ‘Panic of 1857’ - the world’s first world-wide economic crisis. In 1987 much of the hoard was recovered from the seabed after the so-called ‘Ship of Gold’ was discovered in the Atlantic.

The epic discovery sparked a nine year legal battle after a host of insurance companies that paid out for the loss 155 years ago claimed ownership. But it was ruled that 92 per cent of the bullion should be awarded to the discovery team, led by Tommy Thompson, whose company Columbus-America Discovery Group found the ship.

Now this Kellog and Humbert ingot from the ship is to be sold at auction.

To read the complete article, see: Ingot recovered from 'Ship of Gold' which sank off the U.S. in 1857 expected to sell for $140,000 - 211 TIMES its original value (www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2188162/Ingot-recovered-Ship-Gold
-sank-U-S-1857-expected-sell-100-000--211-TIMES-original-value.html)

An Ohio judge has ordered the arrest of a man in legal trouble over ownership of shipwrecked gold from the 1850s.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus Jr. issued an arrest warrant Monday for Tommy Thompson after he failed to appear in court for charges linked to a lawsuit by seamen.

They claim they are entitled to some treasure from the S.S. Central America. The ship sank in 1857 and was located by Thompson and his crew in the 1980s.

Sargus recently ordered Thompson to disclose the whereabouts of 500 gold coins and money from a trust. Thompson has said the trust money is gone and the coins are in a trust in Belize.

To read the complete article, see: Judge orders arrest in dispute over shipwrecked gold (www.ohio.com/news/break-news/judge-orders-arrest-in-dispute
-over-shipwrecked-gold-1.327045)

Where is reclusive shipwreck salvager Tommy Thompson?

U.S. marshals were told yesterday to hunt down the former Battelle engineer, arrest him and bring him to federal court in Columbus.

Thompson, 60, did not show up at a contempt-of-court hearing yesterday. That prompted U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. to issue the arrest order.

“Today is the day of reckoning for him,” Sargus said.

Thompson has a history of ducking court appearances, Sargus said. Despite being the major defendant in a 6-year-old lawsuit in Sargus’ court, Thompson never has appeared before the judge.

The lawsuit was filed by seamen who worked for Thompson in the late 1980s when he headed an expedition to find the SS Central America, a steamer that sank along the East Coast in 1857 with tons of gold in its hold. Thompson and his company, Columbus America Discovery Group, brought up part of the treasure and were engulfed in lawsuits over its ownership.

To read the complete article, see: Salvager’s arrest ordered by judge (www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/08/14/salvagers-arrest
-ordered-by-judge.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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