SS Republic Half Dollars
SS Republic Half Dollars are historic U.S. silver coins that were recovered from the wreck of the SS Republic, a sidewheel steamship that sank off the coast of Georgia in 1865 during a hurricane. The ship was carrying a vast amount of silver and gold coins intended to aid the post-Civil War reconstruction. In 2003, the wreck was discovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration, and thousands of coins were retrieved from the ocean floor in remarkably well-preserved condition.
These half dollars, primarily minted between 1838 and 1865, typically feature the Seated Liberty design, showing Lady Liberty seated with a shield, symbolizing freedom and defense. The reverse depicts an eagle with a shield, symbolizing strength. Due to their rich history, these coins are highly sought after by collectors and investors alike, not only for their rarity and silver content but also for their connection to a significant moment in American history.
Out of stock
Graded SSR Half Dollars
$475.00
Graded SSR Half Dollars
$498.00
Out of stock
Graded SSR Half Dollars
$500.00
Shipwreck Effect
$750.00
Shipwreck Effect
$750.00
Buried Civil War History
During and just after the Civil War, in both the North and especially in the South, gold and silver coins were highly valued but extremely scarce. Rampant inflation, caused by both sides financing huge war costs through
the near-nonstop printing of paper fiat currency, resulted in the widespread hoarding of “hard money” – real gold and silver coins. At the end of the war, the South, for all practical purposes, was broke . . . its fiat paper money was worthless, its hard money virtually gone.
Accordingly, savvy bankers and businessmen from the North were shipping keg-loads of hard money – and especially silver coins – to the South to take ad- vantage of their inflated purchasing power. In fact, most coins shipped on the last fateful voyage of the Republic were U.S. Seated Liberty silver half-dollars.
Own a Piece of Civil War History
Silver coins can be adversely affected by salt water. Unless careful preventive steps are taken, long exposure to salt water can cause extensive corrosion and pitting. In the case of the silver coins recovered from the SS Republic shipwreck, however, great care was taken to ensure that the effects of their 140-year-long exposure to salt water was painstakingly minimized.
Each of the SS Republic silver half dollars offered here have been professionally conserved by Numismatic Conservation Services, a globally recognized leader in the field, and then certified and encapsulated by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.
The result is a remarkably clear and stable finish on the silver coins. . . many look as bright and new as the day they were minted. These amazing and historically significant treasures from the Civil War era are sure to please any history buff, coin collector or investor.