Numismatic

1861-O Liberty Seated Half Shipwreck Effect NGC (SS-Republic)

---

This 1861 silver half dollar carries a remarkable story of survival from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Struck at the New Orleans Mint, the coin contains 0.3599 troy ounces of silver, though its total silver weight is recorded at 0.3617 ounces. It features the classic Liberty Seated design, showing Liberty resting on a rock, holding a staff topped with a liberty cap in one hand and supporting a shield with the other. The reverse displays an eagle with a shield across its chest, clutching an olive branch and arrows in its talons. The history of this specific piece is forever tied to the maritime tragedy of the S.S. Republic, a steamship that sank during a fierce hurricane on October 25, 1865. For nearly 138 years, the vessel and its cargo rested undisturbed on the ocean floor. In August 2003, researchers finally located the shipwreck site, utilizing a specialized Remotely Operated Vehicle to carefully retrieve artifacts and coins from the deep sea. Today, the coin stands as a tangible survivor of a historic shipwreck, showing the unique physical characteristics left by decades beneath the ocean waves.