S.S. REPUBLIC SIDEWHEEL STEAMSHIP 1865 SHIPWRECK SALVAGED TREASURE
NEW ORLEANS MINT 1860 U.S. SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR
CERTIFIED BY NGC SHIPWRECK EFFECT
OBV: LIBERTY SEATED ON A ROCK RIGHT, HEAD TURNED BEHIND LEFT, RIGHT HAND RESTING ON SHIELD WITH AMERICAN ARMS AND DIAGONAL MOTTO BANNER "LIBERTY" AT HER SIDE AND HOLDING POLE WITH PHRYGIAN CAP ON IT IN LEFT HAND; 13 SIX-POINTED STARS ENCIRLING FIGURE AROUND EDGE WITH DATE BELOW.
REV: AMERICAN BALD EAGLE ARMS WITH AMERICAN HERALDIC SHIELD OF ARMS ON BREAST AND CLUTCHING ARROWS AND OLIVE BRANCHES IN TALONS; DENOMINATION BELOW.
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, AND THEN TRANSATLANTIC SERVICE TO EUROPE. SHE 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 NEW ORLEANS 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. SHE WAS THE FLAGSHIP OF NAVAL HERO ADMIRAL DAVID FARRAGUT (1801-1870) (FIRST REAR ADMIRAL AND ADMIRAL IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY)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, IT WAS THEN THAT THE STEAMSHIP WAS RENAMED S.S. REPUBLIC. ON HER FIFTH VOYAGE BETWEEN NEW YORK TO NEW ORLEANS, SHE RAN INTO ANOTHER 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, ESCAPING ONLY TO BATTLE 40 FOOT SEAS.
REMARKABLY, MOST OF THE PASSENGERS AND CREW SURVIVED, BUT THE COINS WERE ALL LOST.
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 THIS PARTICULAR 1859 O SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR EXHIBITS NEARLY FULL DETAIL FROM LYING IN THE ORIGINAL KEG IT WAS FOUND IN, UNDISTURBED FOR 138 YEARS, REMARKABLY ENHANCED BY THE "SHIPWRECK EFFECT". IN ADDITION, THIS STUNNING BOXED EDITION COMES IN A CUSTOM HARDWOOD DISPLAY BOX WITH A METAL PLAQUE ETCHED WITH AN IMAGE OF THE SIDEWHEEL STEAMSHIP S.S. REPUBLIC. INSIDE IS A SEALED BOUND BOOKLET ABOUT THE WRECK AND ITS RECOVERY, AND A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.
COIN CONTAINS 12.44 GRAMS OF .900 FINE SILVER (.3599 OZ ASW)
29 MM IN DIAMETER
NEW ORLEANS MINT
DESIGNED BY CHRISTIAN GORBRECHT
