1857-S $5 S.S. Central America #2 MS66 PCGS. CAC....

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1857-S No Motto Half Eagle, MS66
The Finest Certified Example
Ex: S.S. Central America

1857-S $5 S.S. Central America #2 MS66 PCGS. CAC. The PCGS number assigned to this piece is for the 1857-S half eagle certified in a holder with a pinch of gold dust, although this example does not have the accompanying pinch. This example is also illustrated twice at PCGS CoinFacts, once for coin number 8275 and once for coin number 670803. The top 10 PCGS certified 1857-S half eagles are graded MS66 (offered here), MS65+, MS65, MS64+, and MS64 (6). The finest that NGC has graded is just MS61.

The 2014 S.S. Central America recovery operations yielded 3,136 gold coins, 11,509 silver coins, 11 copper coins, 45 gold bars, gold nuggets by the hundreds, and quantities of gold dust including several unopened "pokes" wrapped in leather, which remained unopened as recovered. The pokes might contain gold dust, or a combination of gold dust and coins. Other jewelry and artifacts were brought up. Advances in equipment and new technologies greatly enhanced the results.

We believe that this is the first time that the MS66 1857-S half eagle has been offered at auction. Records at PCGS CoinFacts indicate that the MS65+ example was offered twice, and occasional MS64 examples have been auctioned. There is no record of the MS65 or the MS64+ examples appearing in auction events.

In a word, this 1857-S half eagle is stunning. The strike is bold, and the luster is outstanding, exhibiting rose toning on its brilliant, satiny prairie-gold surfaces. Small marks over Liberty's hair, near stars 7 and 8, will identify this example. Without those trivial marks, the grade would be even higher. When the rigors of the shipwreck are considered, and the remote-controlled recovery is also considered, this coin should not exist, but here it is, destined for a world-class collection of Liberty half eagles.
From The Drumwright Family Collection.

Coin Index Numbers: (Variety PCGS# 670803, Base PCGS# 8275)

Weight: 8.36 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper

View all of [The Drumwright Family Collection ]

View Certification Details from PCGS