A Rare Piece of Great Lakes History Fetches $150K at Auction in Detroit, Exceeding Early Estimates.
In a recent auction held in downtown Detroit, a life ring and wooden plank long believed to be from the ill-fated SS Edmund Fitzgerald made headlines among maritime enthusiasts and collectors. The artifacts were sold for roughly $150,000, shattering early estimates of between $15,000 and $20,000.
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald is an American Great Lakes ship that sank in 1975 during a violent storm on Lake Superior. All twenty-nine crew members perished, leaving behind only theories about the causes of the disaster – from structural failure to weather extremes.
According to maritime history researchers, life rings and similar artifacts from famous shipwrecks such as the SS Edmund Fitzgerald are rare to find for public sale due to their preservation challenges. Most debris from shipwrecks either deteriorates over time or breaks apart before it can be preserved in a condition that makes them recognizable.
In this case, the life ring and wooden plank were discovered by Larry Orr shortly after the ship sank in November 1975. The artifacts remained on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Michigan for decades, giving visitors an authentic connection to the ship and its crew.
DuMouchelles Auctioneer and Art Gallery, founded in 1927, organized this year's sale with extensive documentation detailing how the life ring and plank were recovered and preserved. This transparency contributed significantly to their authenticity, driving up the final price beyond early estimates.
The recent sale of these artifacts coincided with the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinking. Memorial services and commemorations have been held across the Great Lakes region in recent weeks, honoring the crew members who lost their lives in the tragedy.
In a recent auction held in downtown Detroit, a life ring and wooden plank long believed to be from the ill-fated SS Edmund Fitzgerald made headlines among maritime enthusiasts and collectors. The artifacts were sold for roughly $150,000, shattering early estimates of between $15,000 and $20,000.
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald is an American Great Lakes ship that sank in 1975 during a violent storm on Lake Superior. All twenty-nine crew members perished, leaving behind only theories about the causes of the disaster – from structural failure to weather extremes.
According to maritime history researchers, life rings and similar artifacts from famous shipwrecks such as the SS Edmund Fitzgerald are rare to find for public sale due to their preservation challenges. Most debris from shipwrecks either deteriorates over time or breaks apart before it can be preserved in a condition that makes them recognizable.
In this case, the life ring and wooden plank were discovered by Larry Orr shortly after the ship sank in November 1975. The artifacts remained on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Michigan for decades, giving visitors an authentic connection to the ship and its crew.
DuMouchelles Auctioneer and Art Gallery, founded in 1927, organized this year's sale with extensive documentation detailing how the life ring and plank were recovered and preserved. This transparency contributed significantly to their authenticity, driving up the final price beyond early estimates.
The recent sale of these artifacts coincided with the 50th anniversary of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinking. Memorial services and commemorations have been held across the Great Lakes region in recent weeks, honoring the crew members who lost their lives in the tragedy.
also super interesting that they were able to preserve the life ring and plank so well - it's crazy what can be accomplished when there's passion and dedication involved! 
You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. ~C.S. Lewis
I'm not surprised that the life ring and wooden plank from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald went for so much cash... I mean, these things are super rare! The fact that they were found by Larry Orr shortly after the ship sank is pretty cool too, but you'd think it would be easier to verify their authenticity. I guess all those years on display at the museum helped? 
But seriously, $150K for a life ring and plank? That's some serious cash! It just goes to show how much people care about preserving history and remembering the crew of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald 
I just saw the most amazin news about a life ring from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald that sold 4 $150K at auction!! 
The fact that they had documentation of how they were recovered and preserved musta added to its authenticity too 
and it's even crazier that it fetched $150k+ which is insane 
I mean can you imagine having something that cool in your possession? it's like being part of the story and getting to share it with others 
and I love how the auction house gave so much info about the recovery process, it really adds to the authenticity of the artifacts 
.
But for maritime history buffs and collectors, this stuff is priceless. I've seen some documentaries about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinking, and it's such a tragic story 
. I'm glad that these artifacts are getting to see the light of day again, even if it means leaving their museum home 
. But $150k is still wild, especially considering it was below early estimates 
Those 29 people who lost their lives on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald are still remembered by us today, but it feels like they're getting more expensive with time. 
My friend went sailing last summer and they got caught in this crazy thunderstorm. They had to tie themselves down just to stay safe 
. I was thinking, what's the deal with life rings anyway? Are they really as rare as people say? 
. It makes sense though, given how hard it is to preserve these kinds of things - must be super cool to have a piece of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald right in your hands 
. Glad that the auction house did their due diligence and got all the documentation together - that's what helps set the price 