1852-O $20 AU58 NGC....

Description

Vibrant Near-Mint 1852-O Double Eagle From the S.S. Republic

1852-O $20 AU58 NGC. The loss of the S.S. Republic, one of the most significant American maritime disasters in the years just after the end of the Civil War, was not that ship's first encounter with a hurricane. In October 1864, the vessel, then the U.S.S. Mobile, was damaged in a storm near the border between Texas and Mexico. The Union government considered repairs too costly, and after its sale at auction, it sailed as a passenger ship and cargo transport between New York and New Orleans, and it was on this route that a second hurricane overwhelmed it.
With the route it traveled, it is unsurprising that double eagles from New Orleans were among the coins recovered in the excavation of the wreck. This desirable double eagle combines the cachet of New Orleans gold with one of the most desirable treasure pedigrees of modern times. The sun-gold surfaces offer distinct reflectivity on each side, an atypical but known finish for the issue. The obverse fields show numerous abrasions, though the well struck portrait displays only minor friction. Of the 17 examples of this issue certified by NGC and pedigreed to the S.S. Republic, only one has received a finer grade (8/07). The coin comes with an informative, still shrink-wrapped DVD in an attractive brass-accented wooden case with book-style slipcover.(Registry values: N1793)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 268L, PCGS# 8907, GSID# 9845)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 33.44 grams
AGW: 0.9675oz
Mintage: 190,000

Note for clients in the European Union: This lot is considered by the European Union to be “investment gold”. We believe that it meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. Any questions or concerns about VAT should be addressed to your accountant or local tax authority.

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