This book traces the dramatic history of the SS Republic, a paddlewheel steamship that sank in 1865 in a hurricane off the coast of Georgia with a reported $400,000 in gold and silver coins on board. Lost to history for 138 years, in 2003 the ship was located in deep water by Odyssey Marine Exploration of Tampa, Florida. The find has led to the recovery of more than 50,000 precious coins, worth an estimated $75 million to collectors today, plus thousands of fascinating artifacts reflecting the reunited nation just after the end of the Civil War. The story of the ship and its colorful past is mirrored by the story of the arduous search for the lost ship and the development of Odyssey, a shipwreck recovery company pioneering a new model for deep-sea archaeology.