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A plan by RMS Titanic Inc. to auction more than 100 artifacts recovered from the Titanic wreck is facing opposition from the U.S. government, according to recently unsealed court documents. The company, which holds exclusive salvage rights to the North Atlantic wreck, seeks to sell these items for the first time, despite prior agreements to exclusively display them in museums and traveling exhibitions.

RMS Titanic proposed a global tour in four undisclosed cities to showcase the artifacts before their auction. Court filings in the U.S. detail items slated for sale, including a bronze cherub, a gold nugget necklace, and a heart-shaped pendant. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), representing U.S. interests and oversight of the wreck site, contends that such a sale would breach RMS Titanic's legal commitments.

The government's argument, outlined in documents ordered unsealed this month, is that the company "does not seek the Court’s approval, does not believe that approval is required, and asserts that it is not restricted in its ability to sell" the artifacts. Representatives for RMS Titanic did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Their attorneys have previously argued in federal court that the proposed auction would not violate existing court orders or agreements concerning the artifacts.

This is not the first attempt by the company to sell Titanic artifacts. Since 1987, thousands of items and even hull fragments have been retrieved. RMS Titanic generates revenue by exhibiting these artifacts and has previously sought to sell them to fund future explorations or address financial difficulties. However, these efforts have consistently been met with opposition from U.S. courts, preservation groups, and victims' relatives. Some items salvaged belonged to passengers, while items recovered by survivors or rescuers are generally permissible for sale and can command high prices, such as a life jacket sold for over $900,000 and a gold pocket watch sold for nearly $2 million.

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does not seek the Court’s approval, does not believe that approval is required, and asserts that it is not restricted in its ability to sell