Numismatic

1854 Liberty Seated Half w/Arrows SS-Republic Shipwreck NGC

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This silver half dollar from 1854 carries a remarkable journey that links the pre-Civil War era to a dramatic maritime disaster. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, the coin was lost at sea when the steamship S.S. Republic sank during a powerful hurricane on October 25, 1865. The vessel and its cargo remained undisturbed in the depths of the ocean for nearly 140 years, until the shipwreck was finally located in August 2003. This certified genuine specimen was successfully retrieved from the underwater site, preserving a tangible connection to that fateful voyage. The coin features the classic artwork of Christian Gobrecht. On the obverse, Liberty is depicted in a seated position, holding a shield in one hand and a pole topped with a Liberty cap in the other. The reverse displays an eagle with a shield emblazoned across its chest, clutching an olive branch and a bundle of arrows in its talons. Struck in 0.900 fine silver with a weight of approximately 0.3599 troy ounces, this piece offers a fascinating window into mid-nineteenth-century American coinage and the perils of early steamship travel.