1857-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle, 20D PCGS MS61 (CAC) Ex.SS Central America

Here is a dramatic survivor from the tragic wreckage of the SS Central America. Encased in the PCGS "Gold Foil Label" holder, this piece is the 20D “Bold 7, Faint S" variety. In total, PCGS has graded 483 of the 20D variety. Of those, 39 carry the grade of MS61 with 125 finer. In CAC, there are 6 in MS61 with 24 finer. CAC gives this variety a price of $8,660.00 in MS61.

This haunting image of a young woman was found among the wreckage of the SS Central America. She has come to be known as the “Mona Lisa of the Deep.” Photo: Wikipedia.

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.