The Odyssey Explorer is a 251-foot state-of-the-art, dynamically positioned ship owned and operated by Odyssey Marine Explorations. Odyssey calls it a “deep ocean archaeological platform” and while the company has done some first rate marine archeology, the real purpose of the Odyssey Explorer is to search for and recover sunken treasure; and so far she’s doing a pretty good job.

When the sidewheel steamer SS Republic left New York in October of 1865, she was carrying 62 passengers and a cargo of $400,000 (1865 face value) in gold and silver coins. She was headed for New Orleans where the money would be used to help pay for reconstruction of the South after the Civil War.