1865-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle PCGS MS64 Ex.SS Brother Jonathan

The S.S. Brother Jonathan is quite possibly THE most popular shipwreck treasure for collectors of $20 gold pieces - and it's also the most elusive.

The S.S. Brother Jonathan was lost in the Pacific off Crescent City, California, on 30 August 1865. The ship carried an unknown quantity of coins, but it yielded slightly more than a thousand pieces when the wreck was found in the 1990s. Most were double eagles of the 1865-S variety and a lesser number of 1864-S and 1863-S twenties, along with some other varieties which are prohibitively rare and in many cases uncollectable since they are held in strong, private hands (collections). Most were sold at auction in 1999. The market value was in the $5 million range.