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Article: California gold from the wreck of the S. S. Central America.
- Article from:
- The Mineralogical Record
- Article date:
- January 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Mineralogical, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A treasure ship laden with gold coins, ingots and specimen gold fresh from the California Gold Rush was on its way to the bank vaults of New York City when it sank in a hurricane off the coast of North Carolina--in over 7,000 feet of water. In sat undisturbed on the deep ocean floor for 130 years before being discovered and salvaged, a unique time capsule of the gold rush that has been disturbed by dealers and auction houses to the collector community.
INTRODUCTION
By 1857 the California gold rush was in its mature era, the output of precious metal having peaked in 1853. Coins from the San Francisco Mint (which had opened in 1854) and from several ...