This group of 123 Double Eagles was recovered from the SS Central America, known today as the "Ship of Gold." When the ship sank during a hurricane in 1857, more than 9 tons of gold went with it, causing panic on Wall Street. The treasure was eventually recovered over the last few decades, and the gold was conserved, graded and sold. However, one great mystery remained — a box of gold coins from the San Francisco Mint, its contents lost to time, unseen since it was packed in 1857. NGC had the honor to examine and grade these coins for the first time.
1857-S $20
NGC MS 67
1857-S $20
NGC MS 67 PL
1857-S $20
NGC MS 67
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As the coins were extracted from the box that contained them, each coin's location in the box was cataloged according to row, stack and the coin's place in the stack. These "coordinates" (appropriate for shipwreck coins) are indicated on the NGC certification label: first "A" or "B" for the row; next is the number in the stack; and the third number identifies the coin's place in the stack.
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