1854-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle PCGS MS60 Ex. S.S. Yankee Blade?

This coin shows all of the characteristics of coming from the wreck of the S.S. Yankee Blade, which sank off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, in October of 1854. There is very little surviving documentation, but apparently several 1854-S double eagles were recovered from that vessel in the 1970s.  We share some images with you of similar 1854-S $20 gold coins encrusted within rock courtesy of a prominent San Francisco dealer and avid collector.  Daniel Sedwick expands upon the S.S. Yankee Blade shipwreck in this article here: Link

The side level engine that powered the SS Yankee Blade.

Writes Doug Winter, “The 1854-S is a numismatically significant issue due to its status as the first double eagle struck at the recently-opened San Francisco mint …. The 1854-S is one of the better-struck Type One double eagles from this mint. The obverse is well-detailed with sharp hair curls, stars, and denticles.”

PCGS has graded 3 pieces as MS60 with 57 finer. Collectors Universe prices this important issue at $35,000.00. Heritage Auctions wrote of this piece in 2018, “This attractive Mint State specimen exhibits sharply detailed design elements, with the Large S mintmark touching the tailfeathers. The colorful orange-gold surfaces are lightly marked for the grade, but the mint luster is slightly subdued.”

Evidence suggests this piece was on the SS Yankee Blade

Continues Winter, “Most high(er) grade 1854-S double eagles have a granular semi-matte texture from exposure to seawater. Many of these coins can be quite attractive as they were Uncirculated when they were lost in the 1850’s. Additionally, the granular texture tends to make the fields look smooth and even. Otherwise, coins tend to have very heavily abraded surfaces. Many are well-worn and bright from cleaning.” This offering from AUCM indeed has “a granular semi-matte texture from exposure to seawater,” providing evidence suggesting that it is a survivor of the SS Yankee Blade.