This is a coin I bought late last night on eBay from a trusted dealer. I likely overpaid, but I thought the coin was pretty neat so I bought it, anyway. I know absolutely nothing about these types of coins and was wondering if there were any CT experts that might have some insight to share...positive or negative. This coin is from the Admiral Garner shipwreck...sunk in 1809 and recovered in 1985. The first picture is what the coins looked like immediately after recovery and the last two are of the coin after it was "restored" (cleaned).
Thats pretty darn neat. Are you gonna have the others restored? Corrosion is like cancer, it keeps spreading.
I hope I didn't give the impression I bought ALL of the coins in the first picture...I just bought three (3) of them...two "X Cash" and one "XX Cash"...after they were cleaned. The group of corroded coins in the first picture is what the coins looked like when they were first recovered. I don't know how many the seller has...total, but I'm guessing there were quite a few recovered. The "X Cash" coins are about the size of quarters and the "XX Cash" coin is about the size of a half dollar. The Obv/Rev pictures are of one of the cleaned up "X Cash" coins I bought. The Seller also cautioned that shipwreck coins will continue to degrade unless properly restored and cared for. Thanks for your comments!
These coins from the Admiral Gardner wreck have an interesting story and are pretty common because there were so many of them found. I have one myself. Here's a good link: http://www.eicships.info/ships/s815/s815_index.html
Great information! Thanks!! I can look at my coin and imagine the guy getting his fingers chopped off just yards away. I bought some of the 1/2 and 1/4 Anna coins a few years back...now I need one of those silver Madras Rupees to round out the collection. I shared a beach house a few years ago with some friends in Rohobeth Beach, DE. There are stories of coins washing up on the beach between there an Dewey Beach. I never found one, but the local historical society has some on display...pretty neat.
Very Interesting! Thanks for sharing your buy. I really like the idea of having coins with a "history" and love reading about coins that were found after being under water for so long or in unusual places. Its also amazing just how great the coin looks after some "cleaning".
I've seen them in the Littleton Catelogs for a while now. For something from 1808 to be so inexpensive they must have recovered TONS of them! I know everybody says that you should never ever clean coins but in some instances I think it would be warrented, IE, in a case like this where if they were not cleaned they would eventually dissovle away (or at least into little round unidentifiable lumps) Is it just me or does that look like a lion with a face of a monkey? LOL
