April 12, 2024
1859-O Seated Liberty SS Republic Shipwreck Rcvry NGC!!
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1859-O Liberty Seated Half Dollar recovered from the SS Republic. This coin is certified by NGC and is an error coin (9 in the border) Here's the story: The Republic left New York on October 18, bound for New Orleans. According to her captain, she was carrying passengers and a cargo of $400,000 in coins, mostly in gold $10 and $20 pieces, intended for use as hard currency after the Civil War. The city of New Orleans, captured largely intact by the Union in 1862, had been the southern hub of Federal war efforts and was a thriving, busy city - but due to war, "hard money" (or gold and silver coin) was in very short supply. On the fifth day of her voyage, a hurricane off the coast of Georgia proved too strong for the ship. By evening, her hull was leaking so badly that the fire in the boiler was extinguished, and she stalled in heavy seas, taking on water faster than her crew and passengers could bail her. At 4 pm on October 25, 1865, she sank. In August 2003, the wreck of the Republic was located by Odyssey Marine Exploration , Inc., a commercial archaeology company in Tampa, Florida . She was found about 100 miles (160km) southeast of Savannah, Georgia in about 1,700 feet (500 meters) of water. The coin is presented in a beautiful wooden box with COA and CD. The outside plate still has protective plastic coating in tact. A wonderful
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