1861-O Seated Liberty Half Dollar 50c LOUISIANA - NGC SS Republic Shipwreck

Description

1861-O SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR 50C (LOUISIANA)
In 1865 the sidewheel steamship SS Republic was on route to New Orleans with a treasure trove of gold and silver to help rebuild the war torn South after the Civil War. Tragically the ship was overcome by a hurricane off the coast of Georgia and sank to the bottom of the ocean where it rested untouched for 139 years until its discovery in 2004. This coin was recovered from that ship. An outstanding coin for any collection.
In 1861, three different governments (the United States Government, the Louisiana government and the Confederacy) had control of the New Orleans Mint and struck silver half dollars there. By thoroughly examining the subtle variations caused by the use of different dies,
coin experts were finally able to determine which coins were minted by each government thus for the first time ever has allowed the 1861-O Seated Liberty half dollars to be certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) as being minted by each of the three governments operating in Louisiana in 1861.
This example was minted by the Republic of Louisiana after seceding from the Union and stood as an independent state. Certified NGC
New Orleans Mint
Civil War Era
NGC Certified Authentic
Excellent Eye Appeal