1857-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle, 20A PCGS MS62 Ex.SS Central America with Pinch

Here’s a gold piece that is rich with history: the history of the tragic S.S. Central America, the history of the California Gold Rush, and the history of San Francisco and its Mint.

PCGS has graded 27 examples of the 1857-S twenty (20A, Spiked Shield) from the S.S. Central America as MS62 with 452 finer. Collectors Universe gives this variety (20A, Spiked Shield) a price of $7,500.00 in MS62. Plus this coin comes with an original pinch of gold dust from the Gold Rush.

Wreck of the SS Central America. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Some may wonder how a coin, such as the current offering, could be so well preserved after sitting at the bottom of the ocean for a good 130 years. The vessel landed under 8,000 feet of water: a dark, freezing, and unwelcoming place where there was no current or disturbance whatsoever. Additionally, gold is a stable metal and contact with salt water has little effect. Even more, and most importantly, the vast majority of the coins retrieved from the ship were packed in wooden boxes that were tightly stacked, giving them even more protection from the elements.