A rare ticket granting access to the launch of the Titanic was sold at auction for £46,000, significantly exceeding its initial estimated value. The small, 3-inch by 5-inch ticket, numbered 683 and bearing the White Star Line logo, provided entry to the ship’s launch event held in Belfast on May 31, 1911. The Titanic famously sank 11 months later in the North Atlantic after striking an iceberg, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,500 people.

The ticket was part of a lot that also included an admission pass to view the RMS Olympic, Titanic’s sister ship. Both items had belonged to Billy Herriott, a Belfast resident who passed away in 1942. Auctioneers Duke’s of Dorchester, Dorset, initially anticipated the lot to sell for between £3,000 and £5,000. However, competitive bidding drove the final price up to £46,000 before additional buyers’ fees raised the total to £57,500.

According to the auction house, the listing attracted interest from around the world, resulting in vigorous competition among bidders. The sale highlights continued fascination with the Titanic and its historical artifacts nearly 115 years after the ill-fated vessel’s launch.