The Untold Story of the WTC Building 4 Underground Vaults
We've all heard of the World Trade Center complex, the two towers and building seven which were all destroyed on September 11, 2001. But the WTC complex consisted of more buildings surrounding the towers. Some were left partially intact.
WTC Building Four Was Destroyed
Building Four was completely destroyed when the towers fell on September 11, 2001. However despite the destruction above, the basement floors remained intact.
Most notably, the bank vaults in the basement remained intact. The basement vault was about 70 feet underground, sitting on the bedrock of Manhattan.
The Scotia-Mocatta Depository
Every bank vault in use is going to be filled with treasures. Although we don't know exactly what was in the vaults, we have some knowledge of some of the treasures buried deep in the bowels of WTC 4.
- About 30,000 silver bars (1,000 Troy oz each) or 1000 tonnes (!) This is about 1/4 of the world supply of silver
- About 3,800 registered gold bars (100 Troy oz each) or 12 tonnes
- Unknown quantity of US minted Gold and Silver Eagles
- Unknown quantity of platinum and palladium
- Caches of drug
- Boxes of FBI evidence, including firearms
- Thousands of Godiva chocolates
Evidence of an Attempted Theft
Scorch marks around the basement door to the vaults suggests that there was an attempt to break in and steal the metals belonging to the Bank of Nova Scotia. Although the bank denies any attempt, police have gone on record saying that a blowtorch and crowbar was used at the vault's entrance, sometime prior to October 30th. Because of the difficulty of getting on site and down to the vault, it is suspected that it was an inside job. Yes, you read that right... inside job.
Relocation
It has been estimated that it would take full 50 tractor trailers to transport the 30,000 bars weighing 1,000 Troy oz per. NYBOT and Scotia-Mocatta said that the metals had been relocated:
All of the silver, gold, platinum and palladium stored in the vaults at 4 WTC had been successfully relocated in an Exchange approved carrier to a newly Exchange licensed Brink's Inc depository in Brooklyn.
Emergency workers uncovered the vaults on October 30th, 2001 and got the first glimpse at the gleaming booty worth at that time an estimated $230 million. All this treasure sat in the rubble for over a month. One has to wonder... is thermite hot enough to melt chocolate?
Silver Angels of Courage
Arthur Piccalo, The chairman of the Manhattan neighborhood betterment group, contacted the Bank of Nova Scotia who owned the silver and made a request: could he purchase some of the 935 tonnes of recovered silver to make Christmas ornaments as tribute to the fallen?
Scotia bank provided 38 silver bars (237lbs), valued at about $17,000 for the ornaments. Morvillo & Sons of North Providence, melted the silver bars into a sheet, buffed it into a mirror finish and stamped angel shapes to make ornaments. They are about as long as a brick and about an inch thick, each weighing about 2 Troy Oz.
The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations and the Bank of Nova Scotia donated the silver used to create the 427 angels that honor the fallen uniformed officers who served on September 11th. Each officer's name has been engraved on an angel and the ornaments will be later given to the family members. At this time, the Angels of Courage memorial is the only authorized use of metal recovered from Ground Zero.
In all 427 Angles were made for the New York Christmas Tree near Ground Zero. Additionally, 50 were made for each US State, which were presented to President Bush for the White House Christmas tree. 5 were presented to the Mayor of New York, 5 for the police commissioner of New York and 5 for the fire commissioner of New York. 13 were presented to Prime Minister Jean Chretien, one for each province and territory as a gift to the people of Canada.
There has been a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the northern end of Bowling Green Park in the financial district every year since 1986. Last night's ceremony was unlike any other, though. Members of the Bowling Green Association decorated the 75-foot evergreen with 427 angels made from silver retrieved from a vault in the World Trade Center. The silver, worth $17,000, belonged to Scotiabank, which donated it for the angels, said David Scott, a spokesman for the bank. The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations Foundation made up half the bank's expense. The volunteers also decorated the tree with 4,000 white lights, to represent the victims at the twin towers, and 2,000 red, white, and blue ribbons. Eighty-eight flags were put around the tree for the victims' nationalities. A choir from the Marymount School in Manhattan sang carols. ROBERT F. WORTH
WTC Building 4 Recovery: 2001 Silver Eagle
My personal connection to this story:
I enjoy collecting objects with historical value. When I heard that 911 recovery silver and gold coins were available for sale for a short time, I jumped on the opportunity. I didn't know there was any silver or gold recovered from the WTC site. When the items arrived, I was presented with the story of the The Scotia-Mocatta Depository, the attempted theft and the transportation of the riches from the scene. After that I began researching more about what was in the vault and other uses for the silver and gold from the vaults. I was given no details about how these became available to purchase, or how it went from the vault of WTC5 to sale to me.
This is one of the most interesting items in my collection allowing me to hold a piece of American history in my hand.
Conclusion
This is one of the untold stories of 911 as a part of the recovery. Buried 70 feet under the rumble of WTC sat 1/4th of the world's silver supply along with gold, silver, drugs, weapons and fine chocolate.
I hope you've found this article interesting and fitting during this time of remembering the events of September 11th, 2001.
Sources:
http://www.rense.com/general16/inside.htm
https://www.dawn.com/news/6748
https://www.nycgovparks.org/news/media-advisories?id=11738
https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/11/nyregion/a-nation-challenged-notebooks-silver-bells-silver-angels.html
Bless the Most High!
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