SS Central America 1857 S $20 Liberty Head Coins MS-63

Shipwreck Coins

Below is a sample of a Gold Liberty Head Coin from the S.S. Central America of 1857. This original
relic can be purchase from Austin Rare Coins.  They has been involved with every major release 
of U.S. Shipwreck Gold since the S.S. Brother Jonathan was recovered in the 1990’s.  Order now 
or if you have any questions, call one of our Rare Coin Specialists at 1-800-928-6468.

Certified by PCGS and protected by their holder.

Both Sides of this remarkable Coin!

 Obverse Side

Reverse Side

Find this coin and more Shipwreck Coins like it at AustinCoins.com.

© 2014 Austin Rare Coins, Inc.

All Rights Reserved

Shipwreck Coins Update

First Gold Recovery From SS Central America Since 1991 - CoinsWeekly – News

June 12, 2014 – Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., a pioneer in the field of deep-ocean exploration, recovered nearly 1,000 ounces of gold during the first reconnaissance dive to the SS Central America shipwreck site on April 15, 2014.

Five gold bars, totaling approximately 1,000 ounces, were recovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration during the first reconnaissance dive to the 2,200 meter deep SS Central America shipwreck site in April 2014. The bars were stamped with various assayer's marks and weights that range from 96.5 to 313.5 troy ounces. Copyright: Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., www.OdysseyMarine.com.

Recovered gold included five gold ingots and two $20 Double Eagle coins (one 1857 minted in San Francisco and one 1850 minted in Philadelphia). The gold ingots were stamped with assayer’s marks and weights that range from 96.5 to 313.5 troy ounces.

Recovery Limited Partnership's director of operations Craig Mullen (left) and chief scientist & historian Bob Evans (right) hold one of the five gold bars recovered by Odyssey's Remotely Operated Vehicle ZEUS (background) during the first reconnaissance dive to the SS Central America shipwreck in April 2014. Copyright: Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., www.OdysseyMarine.com.

The two-hour reconnaissance dive was conducted during the transit of Odyssey’s research vessel, the Odyssey Explorer, from the United Kingdom to Charleston, South Carolina, to mobilize for the project, which is being conducted under contract with the receiver of Recovery Limited Partnership (RLP). RLP director of operations Craig Mullen and RLP chief scientist/historian Bob Evans accompanied the Odyssey team for the dive operation. Mr. Evans previously served as chief scientist, historian and later as curator for the initial Central America recovery operations conducted between 1988 and 1991.

Odyssey's eight-ton Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ZEUS is launched from Odyssey's 251' archaeological platform the Odyssey Explorer. The ROV descends to the ocean floor to conduct work on a deep-ocean shipwreck sites while operation is directed by the archaeologist and project manager aboard the Odyssey Explorer. Copyright: Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., www.OdysseyMarine.com.

During the dive, Odyssey’s ROV ZEUS flew over the shipwreck to assess the current condition of the site. Gold ingots and other artifacts were clearly visible on the surface of the site during the dive and no excavation was required for their removal. Given the reconnaissance purpose of the dive, only five gold ingots, two gold coins, a bottle, a piece of pottery, a sample of the shipwreck’s wooden structure, and an element of a scientific experiment that was left at the site more than 20 years ago were recovered. The positions of the recovered artifacts were documented for archaeological purposes and will be noted in the detailed site plan that is being created. The archaeological excavation of the site will be undertaken once the pre-disturbance survey provides detailed documentation of the site.

One of the two $20 Double Eagle coins recovered in April 2014 during Odyssey's first reconnaissance dive to the SS Central America shipwreck site, which lies 2,200 meters deep and 160 miles off the coast of South Carolina. Copyright: Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., www.OdysseyMarine.com.

‘This dive confirms for me that the site has not been disturbed since 1991, when I was last there,’ said Bob Evans chief scientist/historian for RLP.
RLP director of operations Craig Mullen added, ‘The skill exhibited and results achieved during the initial reconnaissance dive reinforces our belief that the Odyssey team was the absolute best choice for this project. In addition to the cargo recovery operation, we plan to collect deep-ocean biological samples for Dr. Timothy Shank, a deep-ocean biologist and head of the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Our objective is to document and provide Dr. Shank with samples of species that have returned to the site since previous operations ended. Odyssey’s documentation capabilities will contribute significantly to scientific understanding of deep-ocean biological processes. This continues a history of supporting scientific research at the site.’

To learn more about the historical background of the SS Central America and the story of the shipwreck’s discovery read this article.

For further information on Odyssey Marine Exploration and their other projects go to the firm’s website.

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To find out more about the history of this Shipwreck go to http://shipwrecks.ws/SS-Central-America-Shipwreck.html

More Gold Found at The Site of the SS Central America

I can already bet that someone is already starting to write the "Return to the SS Central America" - The shipwreck that keep giving!  

Austin Rare Coins Offers Shipwrecked Gold
What makes this shipwreck so important to rare coin collectors are the extremely high quality, Pre-Civil War, $20 Liberty Gold coins that are now available.

It is with great pleasure that Austin Rare Coins can offer a few of the highly prized Gold coins from the S.S. Central America shipwreck. You can call a one of our Rare Coin Specialists to place your reservations or find some coins already available to purchase today.  Check our inventory here.

The 251’ Odyssey Explorer serves as Odyssey's
principal state-of-the-art deep-ocean archaeological
platform (Odyssey Facebook Photo)

It seems like a blockbuster sequel and this time it is the Odyssey Marine Exploration that is on their first reconnaissance mission in decades.  They've been exploring the shipwreck site since April 15 and yesterday on Cinco De Mayo, 2014 announced they have recovered nearly 1,000 ounces of gold on their first reconnaissance dive.  


"According to the firm's press release, the gold recovered included five gold ingots and two Coronet $20 double eagles. One dated 1850 and another dated 1857-S. "

Odyssey's remotely operated vehicle (ROV) ZEUS
returns to the surface following work on a deep-ocean
shipwreck site. (Odyssey Facebook Photo)

Unlike the exploration by the Columbus-America Discover Group of Ohio led by Tommy Thompson, who basically took the money and ran without giving the exploration team and investors their cut, the Odyssey will receive "80% of recovery proceeds until a fixed mobilization fee and a negotiated day rate are paid."  Once that is taken care of, they will divvy up the remaining 45%.

J. Childs, Painting of the sinking of the Central America,
1857. Source: National Maritime Museum, London.

The SS Central America shipwreck was first found in 1987 at a depth of approximately 7,200 feet and less than 5% of the site was investigated. The current exploration should uncover much more since the tools and techniques for extensive archaeological excavation have vastly improved since 1987. 

Greg Stemm, the CEO of Odyssey has ambitious goals of targeting "one or more shipwreck cargo recoveries each year totaling at least $50 million annually." The addition of the SS Central America should prove to be a rewarding endeavor, to say the least!    

The 1857 SS Central America Shipwreck - "Ship of Gold"

On September 11, 1857 the Central America sank in a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. It was one of the worst peacetime tragedies of not only lives, but also tons of Gold which were thought to be lost forever.

Amazingly, on September 11, 1988, exactly to the day 133 years later, the S.S. Central America was located by the Columbus-America Discover Group of Ohio led by Tommy Thompson. It took another year for some of the Ship of Gold's cargo of San Francisco Gold coins to finally be retrieved from the bottom of the ocean. Estimates of how much gold was on the ship when it went down have ranged as high as 10 tons. 

It wasn't an easy task retrieving the Gold and it was even harder to keep the treasure that they found. Thirty-nine insurance companies filed law suits to be re-paid the damages lost to insure the ship. To make matters even worse Thompson, who sold salvaged gold bars and coins to a California mint for $52 million before going on the lam, remains a wanted man after failing to appear in an Ohio court in 2012. The 62-year-old seasoned sailor and diver is accused of cheating his team of nine technicians of at least $2 million, and they have been fighting for their cut.  No one can find Thompson, but the U.S. marshals are eagerly looking to do it. 

Now "a contract has been awarded to Odyssey Marine Exploration, which is allowed to conduct more archeological recovery and conservation of the remaining shipwreck." [1]

According to Coin World the "Odyssey Marine Exploration announced on May 5, 2014, that it has recovered nearly 1,000 ounces of Gold during the first reconnaissance dive to the SS Central America shipwreck site on April 15. According to the firm's press release, the gold recovered included five gold ingots and two Coronet $20 double eagles. One dated 1850 and another dated 1857-S." [2}

Now, some 157 years later, you can own an authentic, historic piece of California Gold Rush history with these Shipwreck Gold Coins and Shipwreck Silver Coins. 

Click Here to see current inventory.

 References:

1. www.columbia.edu/SS_Central_America
2. www.coinworld.com/news/more-gold-emerges-from-ss-central-america-shipwreck-site

Go To Shipwreck.ws to find out more about the SS Central America and other Shipwrecks!