Last updated on June 26th, 2020 at 03:02 am

Last Updated on June 26, 2020 Posted by Colonial Acres Coins

Throughout history, there have been many events we should always remember. Some of them brought joy, like tearing down the Berlin Wall, while others are mentioned even today as the greatest tragedies of all time. One of them happens to be the sinking of the Princess Sophia. This was a dreadful event during which many lives were lost with no reported survivors. In the honour of the Princess Sophia and the people who died on it, the Royal Canadian Mint has made a coin that commemorates the 100 anniversary of this tragedy.

The Lethal Vanderbilt Reef

This reef is actually a large submerged rock about 7 miles long located in the Lynn Canal off the coast of Alaska. What is tricky about it is the fact that Vanderbilt Reef is as little as 12’ above the surface. This is something that does not change, no matter what time of the year it is. Here, tides can reach up to 20’ during spring, which means that this is a highly dangerous area to sail around. In the case of the Princess Sophia, the reef was visible only during the day. There was a request from the Canadian Pacific to have a light installed there, but it was wartime and the US Government needed the funds to be allocated elsewhere. Unfortunately, this reef is exactly where the ship Princess Sophia was stranded and where many lives were lost.

The End of the Princess Sophia

The departure of the Princess Sophia was quite a festive event – the night before all the men and women sang and danced. The ship departed from Skagway at night, although it happened three hours behind schedule. The weather was fine when it left, but only an hour later there was heavy snow that caused zero visibility. The navigational technology on the ship could not do much, so the ship was blown off course. There was a blind storm and after a few hours, the Princess Sophia hit the Vanderbilt Reef. The crew wanted to wait for the storm to pass, so that all of the passengers could go to the vessels that were there, waiting to help. But alas, the storm ended up lasting for over 40 hours and unfortunately, the Princess Sophia sank before it ended.

100th Anniversary of this Tragedy

A tragedy like this should never be forgotten. It is estimated that between 343 and 370 people lost their lives that day. In order to commemorate this unfortunate event, the Royal Canadian Mint has made a beautiful coin that depicts the Princess Sophia at the moment of impact. The colourful scene that showcases the ship at impact also features the nearby shores in a beautiful engraving. In addition to the value “20 dollars,” there is also the word “Canada” and the year “2018” engraved on both of the shores. The reverse is framed by a nautical rope motif engraved on the edge. The coin represents a combination of selective colour and engraving, with the colour highlighting the sense of tragedy- it conveys icy wind and waves crashing against the boat.

A Good Collectors’ Item

This unique, valuable item depicts one of the greatest tragedies that ever happened at sea. As a matter of fact, the Princess Sophia is sometimes referred to as the “unknown Titanic of the West Coast.” Since 2018 is the year that commemorates the 100th anniversary of this event, the Royal Canadian Mint has decided to craft a coin that will honour the victims of this dreadful accident. This would be a valuable addition to your collection, especially if you keep in mind that this series is limited to only 6,000 pieces. Act swiftly and add this work of art to your collection not only because of the value it holds now, but also because of the value, it is guaranteed to fetch in the future.