S.S. REPUBLIC SIDEWHEEL STEAMSHIP 1865 SHIPWRECK SALVAGED CIVIL WAR TREASURE
3 SILVER SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLARS MINTED IN NEW ORLEANS
1860 FEDERAL ISSUE; 1861 CONFEDERATE STATE OF LOUISIANA ISSUE; 1861 CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA ISSUE
ALL CERTIFIED BY NGC SHIPWRECK EFFECT (C) UNCIRCULATED
COMMON OBVERSE: ALLEGORICAL FIGURE OF LIBERTY, SEATED ON A ROCK AND LOOKING BEHIND, WITH U.S.A. HERALDIC SHIELD WITH BANNER "LIBERTY" ACROSS FACE AND HELD IN RIGHT HAND AND WITH POLE WITH CAP ON TOP IN LEFT HAND; 13 SIX-POINTED STARS ENCIRCLING WITH DATE AT BOTTOM.
COMMON REVERSE: AMERICAN BALD EAGLE ARMS WITH SHIELD ON BREAST AND CLUTCHING OLIVE BRANCHES AND ARROWS IN TALONS; DENOMINATION BELOW AND COUNTRY NAME "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" ABOVE.
KM # A68
ORIGINALLY NAMED THE TENNESSEE (AND THEN THE MOBILE), THE BALTIMORE BUILT SIDEWHEEL STEAMSHIP WAS RENAMED THE S.S. REPUBLIC IN 1865.
BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR, SHE SAW SERVICE FIRST AS A MERCHANT SHIP TRAVELLING BETWEEN MARYLAND AND CHARLESTON, THEN SAW TRANSATLANTIC SERVICE TO EUROPE AND WAS THE FIRST REGULAR PASSENGER STEAMSHIP BETWEEN NEW YORK AND CENTRAL AMERICA.
THE SHIP FERRIED CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH "49'er" PROSPECTORS TO NICARAGUA AND PANAMA, WHO THEN TRAVELLED BY LAND TO CALIFORNIA. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR, SHE WAS A PASSENGER AND GOLD AND SILVER TRANSPORT VESSEL FROM VERA CRUZ TO NEW ORLEANS, AND SHE WAS IN THE LATTER CITY WHEN THE WAR BEGAN.
IN THE CIVIL WAR, SHE WAS USED AS A CONFEDERATE BLOCKADE RUNNER, AND AFTER THE UNION CAPTURED NEW ORLEANS, WAS IMPRESSED INTO ARMED SERVICE IN THE FEDERAL NAVY, AND WAS THE FLAGSHIP OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT AT THE END OF THE MISSISSIPPI CAMPAIGN. SHE SAW USE AS A FAST BLOCKADE SHIP AND A POWERFUL GUNSHIP.
AFTER BEING DAMAGED IN A HURRICANE IN 1864, SHE WAS DECOMMISSIONED AND SOLD AT AUCTION IN 1865, WHEN THE STEAMSHIP WAS RENAMED S.S. REPUBLIC. ON HER FIFTH VOYAGE BETWEEN NEW YORK TO NEW ORLEANS, SHE RAN INTO A HURRICANE OFF THE COAST OF GEORGIA. SHE WAS CARRYING $400,000 IN $10 AND $20 GOLD PIECES TO SUPPLY HARD TO COME BY "HARD MONEY" TO THE VANQUISHED BUT THRIVING SOUTHERN PORT.
THE HURRICANE BATTERED THE POOR VESSEL AND BY THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 24th, THE BOILER HAD BEEN EXTINGUISHED BY WATER AND THE ENGINE STALLED. BY 4 PM THE NEXT DAY, THE SHIP SANK, THE CREW AND PASSENGERS ESCAPING INTO FOUR LIFEBOATS, AND LEFT TO BATTLE 40 FOOT SEAS.
REMARKABLY, MOST OF THE PASSENGERS AND CREW SURVIVED, BUT THE COINS WERE LOST.
THE COINS IN THIS NGC CERTIFIED SET WERE MINTED IN NEW ORLEANS. LOUISIANA SECEDED FROM THE UNION IN 1861 AND JOINED THE CONFEDERACY. THE U.S. MINT THERE CONTINUED TO PRODUCE LIBERTY SEATED HALF DOLLARS USING FEDERAL DIES. THE MINT WAS TURNED OVER TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA (CSA) BY LOUISIANA, WHICH STRUCK EVEN MORE U.S. SILVER HALF DOLLARS USING THE SAME DIES.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR, THESE COINS ENDED UP IN NEW YORK AND WERE LOADED ON BOARD THE DOOMED S.S. REPUBLIC, BOUND FOR NEW ORLEANS, THE CITY THEY HAD BEEN STRUCK IN, BUT FATED NEVER TO RETURN TO.
IN 2003, A COMMERCIAL ARCHAEOLOGY COMPANY OUT OF TAMPA DISCOVERED THE WRECK SITE. THE SHIP LAY IN 1,700 FEET OF WATER ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTH OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. $75 MILLION DOLLARS, ABOUT A THIRD OF THE RARE GOLD AND SILVER COINS, WERE RECOVERED. EXCAVATION OF THE COINS USED STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY TO DELICATELY AND INDIVIDUALLY RECOVER EACH COIN FROM THE SITE. THE COINS WERE CONSERVED AND ENCASED BY NGC, AND THESE PARTICULAR 1860-1861 O SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR EXHIBIT NEARLY FULL DETAIL FROM LYING IN THE ORIGINAL KEGS THEY WERE FOUND IN, UNDISTURBED FOR 138 YEARS, REMARKABLY ENHANCED BY THE "SHIPWRECK EFFECT".
THIS STUNNING BOXED EDITION COMES IN A CUSTOM HARDWOOD DISPLAY BOX WITH GOLDEN BRASS FITTINGS AND INSET WITH AN OVAL FAUX WHALEBONE SCRIMSHAW PLAQUE ETCHED WITH AN IMAGE OF THE SIDEWHEEL STEAMSHIP S.S. REPUBLIC. INSIDE IS A HARDWOOD INNER DISPLAY NESTLING THE NGC HOLDERS, WHICH CAN BE REMOVED AND CAN STAND ALONE AS A DISPLAY FRAME. ALSO INCLUDED IS A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY AND A STURDY GOLD LETTER EMBOSSED OUTER PROTECTIVE BOOKCASE SLEEVE.
EACH COIN CONTAINS 12.44 GRAMS OF .900 FINE SILVER (.36 OZ ASW)
EACH COIN IS 30 MM IN DIAMETER
NEW ORLEANS MINT
DESIGNER CHRISTIAN GORBRECHT
