I'm not sure why Wikipedia listed the Lady Elgin as PS instead of SS.
As important of a shipwreck as the Lady Elgin is, the discoverer and owner of the shipwreck, Harry Zych says he can't find a museum willing to spend the money for preservation of the artifacts and an exhibit.
Now, it comes to light that gold and silver coins, valued at $300 at the time of the sinking, but worth much more now, have been discovered.
The 150th anniversary of the sinking has caused a book to be written, a play and seminars. Valerie van Heest, a shipwreck diver, has led a diving expedition to document the site and has written a book "Lost on the Lady Elgin" and spoke September 9th at the Evanston History Center.
She has experience with exhibits and says one for the ship would be in the $50,000 to $100,000 range, but the cost of conserving the artifacts would be much higher.
During the 1990s, there was a long legal battle in Illinois courts over the ship's rightful owner. The Illinois Supreme Court finally declared Harry Zych the owner.
In the meantime, the site is continually picked over by divers so much of it is already gone.
I have to wonder what shape the artifacts already taken from the wreck are in if they have not been preserved?
More to Come. --Cooter
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