Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 59

Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

S.S. Central America Gold

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1935		Kellogg & Humbert Gold Ingot. #941. 104.47 ounces .853 Fine. $1842.12. This historic gold bar, measuring 112.43 mm height, 56.22 mm wide, 32.0 mm thick, is from the famous treasure recovered from the 1857 shipwreck of the S.S. Central America. The total number of ingots recovered from Kellogg & Humbert is 343 of which 69 were melted for production of the $50 Kellogg Commemorative Restrikes. This ingot is from Mold KH-04 and is plated on page 444 of Q. David Bowers' A California Gold Rush History featuring the treasure from the S.S. Central America. The impressive bar offers much in terms of overall eye-appeal. The entire surface is almost entirely brilliant with all of its original patina intact. The face is stamped with the weight, fineness, and face value, which are nicely centered and complete. The back side is marked a second time with the ingot's number, 941. The back features a shallow cooling depression at the center. There is one corner cut, as made for assay purposes, on the lower right corner. The bar is particularly sought-after since it is marked by the assayer, Kellogg & Humbert (some of the bars found with this shipwreck are not marked by the assayer.). Handling the $20 gold coins from this famous shipwreck is always a treat, but it is immeasurably more enjoyable to handle and offer at auction one of the fabulous gold ingots recovered from the S.S. Central America treasure. The opportunity to buy an incredibly fine specimen such as this, and a truly historic Western artifact with wide appeal, should not be missed. Between 1852 and 1857, the S.S. Central America was responsible for transporting approximately one third of the gold found during the California Gold Rush, amounting to an estimated $150 million. This bar was part of the ship's three-ton gold cargo that left Panama, en route for New York, on September 3, 1857, and was lost on September 11, 1857, when the ship sank during a hurricane off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. With the loss of the gold cargo, New York banks began to fail and businesses closed, causing a financial crisis, not only in the United States, but also in Europe. It was called "The Panic of 1857" Kellogg & Humbert were government-supervised assayers in San Francisco, but until the recovery of the wreck of the S.S. Central America in the 1980s, no bars by these important California Gold Rush participants were known. In fact, it is because Kellogg & Humbert were such important participants in the California Gold Rush history, that these bars best represent the California Gold Rush era. In addition, this bar is accompanied by a special leather bound edition of A California Gold Rush History plublished by The California Gold Marketing Group, #13 of 400. This massive edition features gold tipped pages with authentic 1857 gold dust from the S.S. Central America displayed inside the miner's pan on the inside cover. The value of this bar at the time of its issue would have purchased many city blocks in downtown Los Angeles or acreage in Beverly Hills. This bar will be the centerpiece and the conversation piece of your gold collection. Estimated Value $200,000 - 250,000. Ex: SS Central America. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 1936		California Gold Rush Nugget from the S.S. Central America 7.0 grams. 1857. In a blue label PCGS holder. Housed in a special presentation box as sold by David Hall's North American Trading Co. Together with: 2 gold nuggets 1.5 gr. each (orgin uncertain). Lot of 3 nuggets. Estimated Value $400 - 500. The S.S. Central America "Ship of Gold" 1857. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $1,208
Lot 1937		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. Each holder contains 1.5 grams. Each in an authentic PCGS gold label holder. Lot of 5 holders. Estimated Value $500 - 600. From the shipwreck site. View details	Realized $776
Lot 1938		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. Each holder contains 1.5 grams.Each in an authentic PCGS gold label holder. Lot of 4 holders. Estimated Value $400 - 500. From the shipwreck site. View details	Realized $690
Lot 1939		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. Each holder has 1.5 grams.Each in an authentic PCGS gold label holder. Lot of 4 holders. Estimated Value $400 - 500. From the shipwreck site. View details	Realized $690
Lot 1940		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. Each holder contains 1.5 grams. Each in an authentic PCGS gold label holder. Lot of 3 holders. Estimated Value $300 - 375. From the shipwreck site. View details	Realized $437
Lot 1941		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. Each holder contains 1.5 grams. Each in an authentic PCGS gold label holder. Lot of 2 holders. Estimated Value $200 - 250. From the shipwreck site. View details	Realized $328
Lot 1942		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. 1.5 grams. In an authentic PCGS gold label holder. Estimated Value $100 - 125. Found on the shipwreck site. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $184
Lot 1943		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. 1.5 grams. In an authentic PCGS gold label holder. Estimated Value $100 - 125. Found on the shipwreck site. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $184
Lot 1944		S.S. Central America Gold Dust. 1.5 grams. In an authentic PCGS gold label holder. Estimated Value $100 - 125. Found on the shipwreck site. View details	Realized $184