The Battle of the Atlantic ‘For all Seafarers’ coin

Metal: 99.9% British WWII silver | Quality: Brilliant uncirculated | Weight: 7.77 grams | Diameter: 27 mm | Denomination: £20 | Year of issue: 2016 | Mintage limit: 185,000 | Obverse: Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II | Reverse: An anonymous Merchant Navy sailor and scenes from typical Battle of the Atlantic convoy.

Remembering the forgotten fourth service

In February 1941, during the Battle of the Atlantic, a Merchant Navy vessel, the SS Gairsoppa, was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-101 off the Irish coast. On board, she had up to 7 million ounces of silver, destined to be minted into British coins. Silver, crew and ship sank to the bottom of the ocean 4,700 metres below sea level. In 2012, after more than 70 years on the seabed the WWII silver was located and brought to the surface – thanks to advanced modern technology it is one of the deepest successful shipwreck recovery operations ever! After 75 years the lost British WWII silver is now available in a unique coin issue remembering the forgotten fourth service. This unique commemorative provide a fitting tribute to not only the lost crew of the SS Gairsoppa but to the 30,000 Merchant Navy sailors who sacrificed their lives during the Battle of the Atlantic .