Finest Known’s Historic Acquisition, Attributed to Levi Strauss
Finest Known has purchased the earliest known pair of five-button fly, heavy-duty work pants, most likely made by or for Levi Strauss & Company in the 1850s, at the height of the California Gold Rush.
These Pants Are Exceptionally Significant
These California Gold Rush Miner’s pants went down with the SS Central America off the Carolina coast during a hurricane in September 1857 and are remarkably well-preserved, with a story to tell.
This pair of men’s work pants were recovered from the Dement trunk found in the debris field at the shipwreck recovery site.
These pants appear new, probably bought in San Francisco by John Dement, a veteran of the Mexican-American War from Oregon.
These historic Miner Pants were entombed for more than a century in the Dement Trunk 7,200 feet below the surface of the Deep Blue Sea, and are now owned by Finest Known, LLC.
Very little was known of the very important Levi Strauss Company in the 1850s until now, and we are still learning more today. These historic pants so closely resemble the Levi’s of today in so many ways that it seems highly improbable that they came from anywhere else.
The Oldest 5-Button Fly Jeans In History
The five-button fly strongly suggests these were an early manufacture of work pants sold by Levi Strauss in the 1850s. The five-button fly is nearly identical, if not technically identical, to the LEVIS of today, inclusive of the exact style, shape, and size of the buttons themselves.
California Gold Rush Miner pants most likely made by Levi Strauss seen in a warehouse in Sparks NV before the Final Auction of “THE SHIP OF GOLD,” the Greatest Treasure Ever Found.
The “Treasure” Jeans first went on display at the 2022 World’s Fair of Money near Chicago, by the American Numismatic Association (ANA) in August 2022, and was featured in “The Ship of Gold” exhibit.
Part One of the final auction of never-before-offered, historic California Gold Rush artifacts recovered from the 1857 sinking of the fabled “Ship of Gold,” the S.S. Central America, was held on December 3, 2022, in Reno, Nevada, and online by Holabird Western Americana Collections.
Finest Known Won The Bidding!
Finest Known’s President, Adam Crum, trying on his new California Gold Rush “Levis” style 5-Button white Jeans which has over a century of deep ocean patina “tie-die” effect on the canvas from the 134 years folded in the Dement Trunk, 7,200 feet under the ocean… Making for a very unique toning of the pants fabric today.
Looks Like a Good Fit!
These one-of-a-kind historic pants are now available for sale at the link below.
Shop The Ship of Gold
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SSCA DVD$7.50
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SSCA 49er Gold Rush Gold Package$89.00
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1853-1856 Chilean 50 Centavo NGC Shipwreck SS Central America$99.00
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1853-1856 CHILEAN 1 PESO NGC SHIPWRECK-SS CENTRAL AMERICA$195.00
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1857 1.5 GRAM NUGGETS SSCA GOLD-EUREKA EDITION 1 OF 933 PCGS SSCA$299.00
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1841 W 1/2 FRANC FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$300.00
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1790-99 MO 4 Reales FM MEXICO NGC SWE$490.00
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1820 Z 2 REALES AG MEXICO NGC SWE$750.00
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1791-9 LIMA 2 REALES IJ PERU NGC SWE$775.00
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1831 A 1/2 FRANC FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$798.00
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1817 1/2 CROWN GR. BRITAIN “SMALL BUST” NGC SWE$875.00
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1816 1 SHILLING GREAT BRITIAN – CTSP – “JP”/”3” NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$875.00
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1847 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$890.00
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1850 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$890.00
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1823 A 1/2 FRANC FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$890.00
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1845 B 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$890.00
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1850 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$898.00
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1819 LIMA 2 REALES JP PERU NGC SWE$898.00
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1847 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$898.00
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1850 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$925.00
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1790 LIMA 2 REALES IJ PERU NGC SWE$950.00
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1795 LIMA 2 REALES IJ PERU NGC SWE$950.00
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1804 LIMA 2 REALES JP PERU NGC SWE$950.00
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1812 LIMA 2 REALES JP PERU NGC SWE$950.00
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1818 LIMA 2 REALES JP PERU NGC SWE$950.00
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1848 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$975.00
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1849 JB 1 REALE COSTA RICA NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$975.00
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1845 W 1 FRANC FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$975.00
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1788 LIMA 2 REALES IJ PERU NGC SWE$975.00
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1845 A 1 FRANC FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$975.00
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1850 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$975.00
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1834 S 1/2 FRANC FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$975.00
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1847 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$990.00
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1852 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$990.00
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1851 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$995.00
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1851 A 50 CENT FRANCE NGC-SSCA-2 SWE$995.00
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1857 S $5 SSCA-2 Gold $5 Liberty Head PCGS MS62$17,500.00
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GOLD TWO-NUGGET DOUBLE STICKPIN, SS CENTRAL AMERICA TREASURE – Lot #1133$16,500.00
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1857 S $5 SSCA-2 Gold $5 Liberty Head PCGS MS61$15,750.00
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1857 5 oz. Union SSCA Gold Dust Package PCGS 5 OUNCE$15,000.00
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SS CENTRAL AMERICA ARTIFACT SHADOW BOX – 1ST CABIN RECEIPT, BRASS ROOM NO. FROM 1ST CLASS, 1.5 GRAM GOLD NUGGET$7,995.00
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1856 S $20 LIBERTY TYPE I NO MOTTO PCGS-SSCA-1 AU55$7,500.00
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LOT #5017 – SSCA AUCTION II – NEW YORK NEWS, STEAMER EDITION – FRAMED$4,750.00
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GOLD NUGGETS ON QUARTZ COLLECTION – Lot #2038$3,750.00
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W.G. BERRY’S COMB, INSCRIBED W/ PASSENGER NAME W.G. BERRY SEPT. 5, 1857 & W.G. BERRY STEAM SHIP GEORGE LAW$3,750.00
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MEN’S WORK SHIRT, BROOKS BROTHERS, WOOL, DEMENT TRUNK$2,950.00
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CRSTALLINE GOLD IN BRIGHT WHITE QUARTZ – BEAUTIFUL GOLD SPECIMEN$2,250.00
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A CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH HISTORY – FEATURING THE TREASURE OF THE SS CENTRAL AMERICA – by Q. DAVID BOWERS$2,000.00