1859 50¢ Seated Liberty Half-Dollar from the SS Republic Shipwreck with Wooden Display Case (NGC Authentic - Shipwreck Effect)

Graded NGC Authentic. Please see the images for further details regarding the condition of the coin. Also includes the Republic Odyssey Marine Exploration booklet shown.

Bound for New Orleans from New York with passengers and commercial cargo, the sidewheel steamship SS Republic was lost in a violent hurricane on October 25, 1865. In August 2003 Odyssey located the shipwreck at a depth of approximately 1,700 feet in the Atlantic Ocean about 100 miles east of Savannah Georgia.

The Seated Liberty portrait designs appeared on most regular-issue silver United States coinage during the mid and late-nineteenth century, from 1836 through 1891. The denominations which featured the Goddess of Liberty in a Seated Liberty design included the half dime, the dime, the quarter, the half dollar, and until 1873 the silver dollar. Another coin that appeared exclusively in the Seated Liberty design was the twenty-cent piece. This coin was produced from 1875 to 1878, and was discontinued because it looked very similar to the quarter. Seated Liberty coinage was minted at the main United States Mint in Philadelphia, as well as the branch mints in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Carson City.

Due to the uniqueness of each item, please refer to the photos provided in this auction. We offer high resolution images of each item rather than a written description of condition.

This item is being shipped from the Pristine Auction warehouse.