Faithful Steward
Merchant Sailing Ship · United Kingdom · Lost 1785 · Delaware Bay & the Approaches
An immigrant ship that ran aground near Cape Henlopen in 1785, its lost cargo of coins still washing ashore after storms today.
Dale W Clifton
See Shipwreck on Map
The Vessel and Her Loss
Faithful Steward departed Londonderry, Ireland in 1785 bound for Philadelphia with 249 passengers and crew, along with barrels of British copper and gold coin. After 53 days at sea, she ran aground on a shoal near the mouth of the Indian River, close to Cape Henlopen, Delaware. With no lifesaving service in the area, the ship capsized in the surf and broke apart, killing 181 people, most of them women and children. Her scattered cargo of coins gave the nearby shore the name Coin Beach, where they are still found after storms.
Vessel
- Not established
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- Wood
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- Sail
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Loss
- September 1, 1785
- Grounding
- Shoal off Indian River Inlet, near Cape Henlopen, Delaware
- Atlantic Ocean
- Londonderry, Ireland → Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 400 barrels of British copper halfpennies and gold guineas, along with immigrant passengers' belongings
- 249
- 181
- Not established
The Wreck Today
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- Broke apart on the shoal; coins from her cargo continue to wash ashore after storms.
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Position
- 38.61° N 75.06° W
- Approximate position
- Indian River Inlet, Delaware
Position reflects the general area of the historic marker and commonly cited wreck location near Coin Beach.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (78/100)
The vessel's builder, launch year, and precise physical dimensions are not established in the sources reviewed.
Delaware Public Archives, State of Delaware
Loss date, casualty count, cargo, and location.
Narrative detail of the grounding and aftermath.
