The Faithful Steward: Coins Still Found?

are coins still found at faithful steward

The Faithful Steward was an 18th-century merchant ship that was wrecked off the coast of Delaware in 1785. The ship was carrying 400 barrels of copper coins, most of which washed up on the shore following the wreck. The beach near the shipwreck became known as Coin Beach due to the large number of coins that washed up on the shore. Even today, after storms, it is still possible to find coins from the Faithful Steward on the beach.

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Coins from the shipwreck are still being found on the beach

On the night of September 1, 1785, the Faithful Steward, a merchant ship carrying 249 immigrants, 11 crew members, and 400 barrels of half pennies and gold-rose guineas, ran aground near Delaware's Indian River Inlet. The ship broke into pieces the following evening, and only 68 of the passengers survived.

The beach near where the ship was wrecked became known as Coin Beach, as coins from the ship would wash up on the shore during storms. Even today, more than 200 years later, coins are still being found on the beach.

Most of the coins discovered are counterfeit British and Irish half-pennies, but occasionally, someone will find a golden guinea. In the 1980s, a man from Northern Virginia would make regular trips to Coin Beach after storms to search for coins.

In recent years, beachgoers have used metal detectors to search for coins, and some have had success. One person found a small piece of copper plating with the number 10 stamped on it, which was identified as a piece of copper sheeting from the hull of the Faithful Steward. Another person found a coin and a button, believed to be from the shipwreck, encased in an encrusted object.

The Faithful Steward wreck and Coin Beach lie north of Indian River Inlet, Delaware.

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The ship ran aground on a shoal off the coast of Delaware

On the night of September 1, 1785, the Faithful Steward, a merchant ship, ran aground on a shoal off the coast of Delaware. The ship had embarked on its journey from Londonderry, Ireland, 53 days earlier and was en route to Philadelphia with 249 immigrants, Captain Connolly McCausland, two mates, 10 crew members, and 400 barrels of half pennies and gold-rose guineas on board.

The ship was surprised by an intense squall and, despite efforts to free the 350-ton vessel, it remained stuck in four fathoms of water, just a few hundred feet from the shoreline. The following morning, the ship was found to be about 100 yards from the Delaware shore. That evening, the ship broke into pieces, and longboats were launched to carry the passengers to safety. However, the boats drifted away before they could be manned, leaving passengers with no choice but to swim to shore or use pieces of the broken ship as makeshift rafts.

By the morning of September 3, 181 passengers had perished, with only 68 survivors. The tragedy resulted in the beach near the shipwreck being named "Coin Beach," as the barrels of coins on board the Faithful Steward washed up on the shore for years after the incident. Even today, during strong storms, coins can still be found on the beach, particularly after the Indian River Inlet was dredged in 1930, altering the offshore currents and causing more coins to wash up.

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181 passengers and crew died, leaving 68 survivors

The Faithful Steward was an 18th-century merchant ship that embarked on a fateful journey in 1785. The ship departed from Derry, Ireland, carrying 270 passengers and crew, as well as 400 barrels filled with copper coins. After 53 days at sea, the ship arrived near the coast of Delaware. However, tragedy struck on the night of September 1, 1785, when the ship ran aground on a shoal off Cape Henlopen, near the Indian River.

Despite being just a few hundred feet from the shoreline, the passengers of the Faithful Steward faced a dire situation. The coast was not monitored by any lifeguard or rescue services, leaving them to build makeshift rafts from the remains of the ship. Unfortunately, by the morning of September 3, 181 passengers and crew had perished, leaving only 68 survivors. The ship eventually broke apart, and the beach near the wreck became known as Coin Beach due to the large number of copper coins that would wash ashore, especially after storms.

The survivors of the wreck included seven women and children, who had to swim ashore or use the makeshift rafts to reach safety. The bodies of those who perished were washed up on the shoreline and were plundered of their valuables by the inhabitants of the local town. The coins from the 400 barrels continued to wash up on Coin Beach for years, and even into the mid-20th century, attracting beachcombers, treasure hunters, and collectors.

The story of the Faithful Steward is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by early immigrants to the United States. The ship's passengers were predominantly Scots-Irish, with a large percentage being Presbyterians who had experienced religious and political persecution in their homeland. The wreck also highlighted the lack of rescue services along the Delaware coast at the time, which could have potentially saved many lives. Today, the Indian River Inlet Lifesaving Station stands as a reminder of the importance of such services.

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The ship was carrying 400 barrels of copper coins

On the night of September 1, 1785, the Faithful Steward, an 18th-century merchant ship, ran aground near Delaware's Indian River Inlet. The ship was carrying 249 immigrants, 11 crew members, and 400 barrels of half-pennies and gold-rose guineas.

The ship had been travelling for 53 days from Londonderry, Ireland, to Philadelphia when it was blown off course by a storm. After the crew cut down the mainmast and rigging and tossed them overboard, the 350-ton vessel was freed. However, as it headed for deeper waters, it was driven inshore by gale-force winds and ran aground on a shoal.

The ship was now at the mercy of the storm, and longboats that were launched to carry passengers to shore capsized in the heavy seas. The passengers were forced to swim ashore or use pieces of the broken ship as makeshift rafts. By the morning of September 3, 181 passengers and crew had perished, leaving only 68 survivors.

The ship eventually broke into pieces, and the barrels of coins were either broken open or left to rot, casting millions of coins across the sandy ocean floor. The beach near the shipwreck became known as Coin Beach, and even today, over 225 years later, coins continue to wash up on the shore after storms.

Most of the coins discovered are counterfeit British and Irish half-pennies, but occasionally, someone will find a golden guinea. The coins are mostly from the period 1780-1783, although some date back as far as 1740.

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The beach where the ship was wrecked became known as Coin Beach

The Faithful Steward was a merchant ship that set sail from Derry, Ireland, in 1785, bound for Philadelphia. On board were 249 immigrants, 10 crew members, and 400 barrels of half-pennies and gold-rose guineas. After 53 days at sea, the ship arrived at the Delaware coast. However, on the night of September 1, 1785, the ship ran aground on a shoal off Cape Henlopen, near the Indian River.

The ship was stuck in four fathoms of water, just a few hundred feet from the shoreline, but there was no rescue service on that part of the coast. The passengers and crew were forced to build rafts from the remains of the ship. By the morning of September 3, 181 passengers and crew had perished, leaving only 68 survivors. The ship eventually broke apart, and the coins from the 400 barrels washed up on the beach.

The beach near where the ship was wrecked became known as Coin Beach due to the large number of copper coins that washed ashore, particularly after storms. Over the last 225 years, thousands of coins have been discovered by beachgoers, including counterfeit British and Irish half-pennies, as well as the occasional gold guinea. Even today, after strong easterly storms, it is still possible to find coins from the Faithful Steward along the Delaware Coast near the Indian River Coast Guard Station.

Frequently asked questions

The Faithful Steward was an 18th-century merchant ship that was wrecked off the coast of Delaware in 1785.

The Faithful Steward was carrying 270 passengers and crew, along with 400 barrels filled with copper coins.

After 53 days at sea, the ship arrived off the Delaware coast. However, on the night of September 1, 1785, the ship became stuck on a shoal off Cape Henlopen, near the mouth of the Indian River. The ship eventually broke apart, and by the morning of September 3, 181 passengers and crew had died, leaving just 68 survivors.

Following the tragedy, the beach became known as Coin Beach due to the large number of copper coins that would wash ashore during storms.

Yes, coins are still found at Faithful Steward. After a storm, people often head to the beach with metal detectors in the hopes of finding some of the coins.

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