1853/2 Coronet Eagle
NGC Graded MS-61

5055474-008

The coinage of gold by the U. S. Mint and its branches was fairly heavy during the early 1850s, as they struggled to absorb the great wealth emanating from California's newly discovered mines. Philadelphia produced just over 200,000 eagles that year. Under such conditions dies were not to be wasted, and the one used to coin this ten-dollar piece had a numeral 3 punched over the existing 2. The underlying 2 is still visible within the lower loop of the 3, making this among the most highly sought of gold varieties.

Struck from an early state of the dies, all features of the design are plainly evident. Even extra punchings are visible below numerals 1 and 3 of the date. As would be expected, this coin's luster is satiny, not frosty. A few planchet striations are visible on its obverse, as made. Lustrous and bright throughout, this coin is very pretty.

The overdate variety is very rare uncirculated, and this specimen is the second finest certified by NGC (as of April 2004). Whether additional examples await discovery in Republic's sea bed is as yet unknown.

Numismatic Conservation Services and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation have been awarded the exclusive contract to conserve and grade the thousands of coins being recovered from the 1865 shipwreck of S. S. Republic. These gold and silver coins are being brought to the surface by Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. of Tampa, Florida. Some of the highlights from this ongoing operation are featured here to showcase the work performed by NCS to professionally conserve these treasures and by NGC to certify and encapsulate them for longterm preservation.

CONSULT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT COINS AND THE WRECK OF THE S.S. REPUBLIC::

shipwreck.net
www.ngccoin.com
www.ncscoin.com
www.kagins.com
www.money.org

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) rating for "outstanding eye appeal"