1863-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle NGC AU55 Ex.SS Republic

Writes gold specialist Doug Winter, "I’d rank Civil War gold as one of the more popular ultra-specialties in American numismatics."

We are offering a very special coin for you to consider adding to your collection. This piece is rich with American history, both from the tragic Civil War and the shipwreck of the SS Republic. NGC has graded 359 as AU55 with 503 finer.

Winter writes, “Before the discovery of the S.S. Brother Jonathan and S.S. Republic shipwrecks, the 1863-S was one of the rarest Civil War era double eagles from the San Francisco mint. Today it is relatively easy to locate in all circulated grades. It can be located in the lowest Uncirculated grades with just a bit of effort but it remains rare in Mint State-62 and very rare above this.”

The S.S. Republic rendered in a painting. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

The S.S. Republic left New York on October 18, 1865, bound for New Orleans with passengers and a cargo of $400,000 in coins, which was primarily gold $10 and $20 pieces. The Big Easy needed hard currency after the end of the Civil War. New Orleans was a busy, thriving city, but due to the war, "hard money" was in short supply. It was on the fifth day of the voyage that a hurricane off the coast of Georgia prevented the SS Republic from continuing. That evening saw her hull leaking, resulting in the fire in the boiler being snuffed out. The ship stalled in the heavy seas, taking on water at an alarming rate. At 4 p.m. on October 25 she sank. All passengers and crew had taken refuge in four lifeboats and a rough and ready raft. Two days later, the desperate survivors were found by the sailing ship Horace Beals.