Recovered from the wreck of the SS Republic, this 1858-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar carries a story that few coins can match. The Republic, a paddle-wheel steamship, sank in a hurricane off the Georgia coast in October 1865, taking its cargo of newly minted coins to the ocean floor. This coin bears NGC's Shipwreck Effect designation, confirming its oceanic provenance and the surface character imparted by more than a century beneath the sea.

The obverse presents the classic Seated Liberty figure, draped in flowing robes and resting against a shield inscribed LIBERTY. She holds a pole topped with a Liberty cap in her right hand, while thirteen stars ring the field and the date 1858 appears below. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle with spread wings, clutching an olive branch and a bundle of arrows, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcing above and HALF DOL. inscribed below. The New Orleans mint mark O is visible beneath the eagle. Device detail is bold throughout, with the legend fully legible despite the coin's history.

NGC certified this coin with a Shipwreck Effect designation tied directly to the SS Republic recovery. The surfaces show the distinctive matte-like character and even patina associated with extended ocean exposure. For collectors of shipwreck coinage or mid-19th-century American silver, this coin offers a tangible connection to a documented maritime disaster. We have three examples available for this date, similar the one pictured here.

For questions about this coin or to confirm availability and pricing, call us at 800-928-6468.

Wire or Check

Credit Card