1852 $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle NGC AU58 Ex. S.S. Pewabic

This example is from the first 'golden era' of Philadelphia-struck double eagles; this short 'era' stretches from the crafting of the famous pattern of 1849 up to 1854, when the San Francisco Mint first opened its doors. As economic conditions would suggest, the main Mint in Philadelphia produced the bulk of double eagles during that time.

The years 1850 to 1854 saw over a million pieces struck each year, with multiple-million strikings in the middle years of 1851 and 1852. However, a large mintage does not guarantee the existence of high-grade examples today in the 21st century. The 1852 issue saw extensive circulation with no examples grading above MS64 by NGC. There are 409 graded AU58 by NGC, with 126 finer.

The SS Pewabic prior to her sinking.

A package freighter, the SS Pewabic served ports of the Upper Great Lakes. Launched in October 1863 and fitted out in Spring of 1864, she was in active duty until sinking off Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron on August 9, 1865. She sank due to a collision with a sister vehicle. The Pewabic realized significant loss of life, with estimates stretching from 100 up to 125 passengers and crew members going down with the ship. If the higher number is accepted, then the loss of life makes this the seventh-worst tragedy in Great Lakes history, as well as the worst-ever on Lake Huron. The sunken hull of the SS Pewabic is part of the present-day Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.