WTC Ship Gives Up Lucky Coin

Discovery News ^ | Friday, September 10, 2010 | James William

[SunkenCiv]

Lucky coin? Ever since the 2nd century B.C. -- not long after Romans began minting coins -- shipbuilders have been slipping a coin into the structure of their ships. It's a tradition that continues today. In fact, the USS New York -- made partially from steel recovered from the World Trade Center towers -- did it as well (see "What is Stepping the Mast?").

For the ancient Romans it was likely a continuation of religious customs. Now it's just a tradition and done for good luck.

So we didn't find it during the five days we were actually excavating it. However, one of my curators did find it between the stern knee and the stern post while we were cleaning the timbers.

[ http://www.experts123.com/q/what-is-stepping-the-mast.html ]

[SunkenCiv]

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[JoeProBono]

[the invisib1e hand]

wuddaya mean “gives up?”

[centurion316]

I’m not sure what is meant by the “stern knee”. The stern post is scarphed into the keel upon which is fitted the deadwood. Perhaps the knee refers to vestigal deadwood for smaller vessels. However, this join would be a good place for a coin. It would not be disturbed, except for a major rebuild. The mast step, on the other hand, would expose the coin every time that the mast was replaced or reset.

[IrishCatholic]

I remember this from the news. Apparently the site of the WTC had fill dirt from the 1800’s in which they sank abandoned or wrecked ships along with anything else they could to extend the land. When excavating the site they came across one of those old ships and this is what they are talking about. Nothing to do with anything modern.

[the invisib1e hand]

ahhhhh. thx.

so, you don't think it can be leveraged for political capital?

[IrishCatholic]

Just taxed.

[the invisib1e hand]

Just taxed.

LOL!