1857-S $20 SS Central America A4-3 Spiked Shield NGC MS66+ CAC
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1857-S $20 SS Central America A4-3 Spiked Shield NGC MS66+
CAC Superb Example
Great Value - MS67 Examples Trading at $200,000 +
Pop 9/17 Finer
NGC Presents the Last Great Mystery of the SS Central America Shipwreck
Unseen since 1857, 123 incredibly well-preserved $20 gold coins from the height of the California Gold Rush are finally revealed.
On September 3, 1857, the SS Central America began a voyage from Panama to New York carrying very important cargo: thousands of freshly minted gold coins from California, desperately needed by New York banks that were facing an economic crisis. Six days later, the ship found itself in the grips of a Category 2 hurricane off the coast of the Carolinas. After three days of struggling with high winds and waves, the ship’s crew lost its battle with the storm and the Central America sank, resulting in the loss of more than 400 lives and more than 9 tons of gold.
For more than 130 years, treasure hunters dreamed of discovering the wreck of the SS Central America, which quickly became known as the “Ship of Gold.” When the wreck was finally discovered in the late 1980s, the process of retrieving its treasure began.
Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) is thrilled to reveal to the public the final mystery of the ship’s recovered cargo — a box containing $20 gold coins from the height of the California Gold Rush, now certified, preserved and ready to be studied and appreciated by collectors around the world. The video below shows the treasure’s journey to the NGC grading room.
The coins graded by NGC consist of 123 US Liberty Head $20 gold coins, known as Double Eagles. The San Francisco Mint Box that contained the coins had been transformed into a “concretion” by the conditions that it endured during its time on the seafloor. The contents of the box were identified as coins, but their condition was unknown prior to its recent opening. After professional conservation, many of the coins were found to be of exceptional quality.
Mark Salzberg, NGC Chairman, praised the condition of the coins, describing some of them as “fresh off the die.”
The coins certified by NGC were minted with gold mined at the height of the California Gold Rush. It was hoped that their arrival in New York would bolster confidence in the US financial industry, which had been shaken by the announcement of the collapse of the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company in August 1857. When the gold failed to arrive, it sparked what has come to be known as the Panic of 1857, which is considered the first worldwide economic crisis.
The discovery of the shipwreck after more than a century of searching resulted in numerous expeditions to reclaim the lost cargo. Bob Evans, Chief Scientist of the SS Central America recovery efforts, was instrumental in locating artifacts from the legendary ship, including the box of coins. Once the mineralization was removed from the coins, Evans says that they look “exactly the way they looked in 1857” with Prooflike coins even stacked together in the box.
As the coins were extracted from the concretion, each coin’s location in the box was cataloged according to row, stack and the coin’s place in the stack. These “coordinates” (appropriate for shipwreck coins) are indicated on the NGC certification label: first, “A” or “B” for the row; next is the number of the stack; and the third number identifies the coin’s place in the stack. Collectors will also appreciate that the NGC certification number for these coins includes the year 1857.
The certification of the coins from the SS Central America is another example of the role that NGC has been privileged to play in the certification of significant historical artifacts, from coins retrieved from the bottom of the ocean to medals flown to the surface of the moon as well as many others that have captured the hearts of numismatists and earned a place in the history of coin collecting.
“You’re talking about the end of a great, great story,” concludes Salzberg. “It’s a world-renowned collection and to have it come here is just fantastic.”
NGC-certified coins from the SS Central America are now available through select retailers.
If you have any questions about any of our products please call us at 800-830-5578, email us at info@lcrcoin.com or submit an online product enquiry. Our inventory changes daily, so please check back often. Thank you for shopping with LCR Coin.
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Our Return Policy:
At LCR Coin, your satisfaction is important to us. If there’s ever an issue with your order, we’re here to help and will do our best to make it right. We offer a 7-day return window for certified graded coins, starting from the date you receive your order. If you would like to return or exchange an eligible certified coin, simply contact us within 7 days by phone at 800-830-5578 or email info@lcrcoin.com to request a Return Authorization Number (RMA).
Returns must meet the following conditions:
- Items must be returned in their original, untampered certified holders
- All original packaging and paperwork must be included
- The return must be received within 7 business days of RMA issuance
- Return shipping must be insured, tracked, and require a signature
Once we receive the item and verify its condition, a full refund will be issued. Returns received after the 7-day window, or without a return authorization, may be subject to a 20% restocking fee, or in some cases, may not be eligible for return.
Refund Policy:
Refunds are processed within 24–72 hours after the returned item has been received and inspected.Your refund will be issued using the same method as your original payment:
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Please allow up to 7 business days for credit card and PayPal refunds to appear on your account.
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Bullion orders cannot be canceled at any time, make sure you are certain what you are buying when you place your order and complete the check-out process. Special orders of products we don't carry or special labels requested by customer cannot be canceled. Non-bullion items can be canceled by calling 800-830-5578. All non bullion orders may be canceled if canceled before the order has shipped. Order cancellations are required to be initiated by phone or email prior to shipping. If you need to cancel an order, you are required to call 1-800-830-5578 or email info@lcrcoin.com between 8am and 5pm PST within 24 hours of placing the order. Not all items are able to be canceled and a 20% Restocking fee may apply. Once an item has shipped, we cannot cancel the order.
Shipping Policy:
We offer FREE Insured Shipping with Tracking on all domestic orders over $249. We do not ship to Minnisota or Internationally at this time. Most orders will be shipped within 1-7 business days of order placed, unless Pre-Orders or otherwise discussed with customer. Bullion Order shipping times vary due to market demand and conditions. Some bullion items can take up to 2 weeks to deliver. You will receive an email with your tracking number once shipped. We ship all items insured via FedEx 2-Day, FedEx Overnight, USPS Priority Mail, USPS First Class Mail, or Registered Mail. All orders over $1000 will require a signature for delivery. We will determine the shipping method based on the value of the order, day of the week being shipped, and customer requests.
*If you pay for Overnight or 2-Day shipping, your order will NOT ship same day. Your order will be processed as normal, but will ship the exact service you paid for. Please note, we do not ship on weekends or holidays.
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We understand that discretion and security is key when shipping valuable precious metals. All items are securely wrapped in protective packaging and then placed inside the shipping parcel. Our address labels are discrete and do not give any indication of valuable content inside. You can rest assured of your privacy and your packages will arrive safely.
Shipment Tracking:
After your online order is placed through LCR Coin, you can track your order’s status through the MY ACCOUNT page. If you choose not to set up an account we will email you your tracking number with your invoice when your items(s) is ready to ship. At LCR Coin, we keep our customers fully informed from order status to shipping process. We never leave you hanging and wondering when your order shipped and when it will arrive. You will always have peace of mind.
Shipping Insurance:
For Peace of Mind every single package we ship is sent with fully insured. This means that in the extremely unlikely case your package is lost or damaged in transit, you will receive a full refund of the purchase price. Please note that our insurance policies only extend to packages IN transit – once the carrier obtains a signature or completes the proof of delivery confirmation, we are no longer responsible, our coverage ceases. With LCR Coin you can be rest assure that your products are fully covered from our doorstep to yours. Please CONTACT US if you have any questions about our shipping or insurance.
Customer Service:
Call us at 800-830-5578 Monday through Friday 8am – 5pm PST or email us 7 days a week at info@lcrcoin.com.
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At LCR Coin, we specialize in certified rare coins, modern collectibles, Pre-1933 gold, and precious metals backed by over 35 years of industry experience. Whether you are building a collection, investing in gold and silver, or searching for sought-after modern releases, we focus on offering quality products backed by respected grading services and professional customer support.
We specialize in certified coins from leading grading companies including NGC, PCGS, and CAC, along with premium U.S. Mint releases, low-mintage issues, and advanced designation coins. Every order is handled with care, secure packaging, and a commitment to transparency from purchase to delivery.
- Certified coins from industry-leading grading services
- Family-owned with over 35 years of industry experience
- Competitive pricing with no hidden fees
- Secure insured shipping and professional packaging
- Collector focused customer service and support
- Carefully curated inventory of rare and modern coin
"Excellent customer service and fast shipping! I ordered a rare coin and it arrived securely packed. Will be buying from here again soon!"
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes.
- Orders $349 and over ship FREE with full insurance within the United States.
- Orders under $349 are charged a minimum $16.95 insured shipping fee.
Pre-order pricing is locked in and charged in full at the time of purchase. As precious metals prices and U.S. Mint issue prices change, future inventory is often higher. Your pre-order secures both your price and your allocation.
You may cancel your pre-order at any time prior to fulfillment for a full refund. However, if you choose to place a new order later, it will be subject to current market pricing and availability.
Estimated delivery dates are provided on each product page and are subject to change based on U.S. Mint, grading service, or supplier release schedules.
Yes. LCR Coin proudly offers a wide selection of coins certified and graded by the industry’s leading third-party grading companies, including PCGS, NGC, and CAC.
LCR Coin has been a trusted rare coin and precious metals dealer for over 30 years, offering certified rare coins, modern releases, and gold & silver bullion from the industry’s leading grading services.
As an Authorized Dealer for PCGS, NGC, and CAC, we are committed to providing collectors and investors with high-quality certified coins, competitive pricing, secure shipping, and exceptional customer service.
Estimated delivery dates are provided on the product page and are subject to change based on U.S. Mint or supplier release schedules.
