1857-S Double Eagle $20 S.S. Central America, PCGS MS66. Ex-SS Central America (gold tag, box & cert). 1857-S $20 Liberty Head, Without Motto, SS Central America, Double Eagle, 20A Spiked Shield. On September 12, 1857 the SS Central America, laden with passengers and cargo including freshly minted gold double eagles, was lost to the depths in a hurricane 160 miles off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. Dubbed the “Ship of Gold”, she would slumber there for more than 125 years before her treasure trove would be recovered. Perhaps nothing in numismatics is more intriguing than shipwreck treasure coins and the romance and history they embody. That infatuation is amplified when a near perfect piece such as this is encountered.

This gorgeous double eagle, minted from California Gold Rush gold at the San Francisco Mint, was among the coins retrieved from the ocean’s floor and is in an amazing state of preservation. PCGS has encapsulated it with a special gold label denoting its pedigree and acknowledging it is the “Spiked Shield” variety (one of 8 varieties within this date). As pristine as the day it was struck, this dazzling example possesses wondrous rich satiny luster. Virtually free of marks, the surfaces are exceptionally choice and unblemished giving it astonishing eye appeal. Truly this is the very definition of a PQ+++ coin!