
$50 Gold Strike from Shipwreck of S.S. Central America
In 1855 a few splendid $50 coins were minted by Kellogg & Co. using gold processed from the Sierra Nevada. These coins are legendary rarities. By pure chance the original dies have survived, and a limited number of glittering gem Proof restrikes have been produced from the tranferred dies, using California Gold Rush ingots processed by Kellogg in the 1850s.
These gold ingots were among the recovered treasure from the S.S. Central America, lost at sea on September 12, 1857.
Known today as ‘the Ship of Gold,’ the Central America sank in a hurricane in 1857 while carrying several tons of California gold from Panama to New York City. The historic coins and gold bars were discovered in the late 1980s. In an unprecedented first for numismatics, authentic California Gold Rush era ingots recovered from the fabled S.S. Central America and the original pair of assayers’ dies were used to strike special commemorative gold pieces of the famous 1855 Kellogg & Company $50 round ‘slug.’ The $50 slug is the “King of Territorial Gold.” These restrikes are a way for collectors to own a piece of Gold Rush history at a fraction of the cost of the unique ingots from the Central America.
Strictly Limited Edition of Only 5,000 Coins! Due to the limited supply of authentic ingots, a maximum of only 5,000 authorized restrikes can be made. Each 1855 restrike is struck in .887 Pure Gold, and is fitted in a custom display case with a hand-hammered copper frame and gold-imprinted purple ribbons. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and a booklet detailing the history of the coins and the gold.
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