A splendid example of this historic double eagle issue. Lustrous surfaces exhibit a bold satin to softly frosted finish. The color is beautiful, predominantly golden-apricot with deeper orange halos at the borders. With a full strike and solid Gem Mint State quality there is much to recommend this coin to discerning gold enthusiasts.

A simply lovely double eagle irrespective of type or date, this 1857-S hails from the Central America treasure, the primary source of high grade Mint State specimens. Unlike in the East where paper money was readily accepted in commerce, gold and silver were the preferred coin of the realm out in the West. The coins struck at the San Francisco Mint, especially in its early years, entered circulation and remained there. This was especially true for double eagles which served as one of the principal denominations for larger transactions for generations. For many years, the best example of a Type I double eagle struck at the San Francisco Mint would be in the AU range. That all changed with the discovery of the wreck of the S.S. Central America in the late 1980s. When the Central America sank off the coast of North Carolina on September 12, 1857, the loss was so great that it helped precipitate the Panic of 1857 and led to thousands of bank failures. Among the huge numbers of gold ingots, nuggets, and other coins, the steamship was also carrying a shipment of some 5,400 freshly struck 1857-S double eagles in its hold. Once the find was made available for sale, numismatists could not only acquire a Mint State example of this issue, but could entertain the possibility of Gem specimens. In fact, the majority of the recovered specimens are at the Choice to Gem Mint State level of preservation. That said, only a distinct minority have been certified MS-65 or finer, all of which are eagerly sought not only by double eagle specialists, but also keen enthusiasts of Gold Rush history and shipwreck lore. A radiant example of an historic issue that will certainly please the successful bidder.

This lot includes the original presentation case and box for the coin, as well as a Standard Edition copy of Q. David Bowers' popular reference A California Gold Rush History (2002). The supporting items are available to the winning bidder upon request to Stack's Bowers Galleries at the close of the auction. (Total: 1 coin; 1 book; 1 case/box)

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

All winning lots will be shipped domestically via FEDEX, United States Postal Service, or DHL. Please note: A delivery confirmation shipment will be required for all orders. Delivery methods depend on the value of the shipment (for insurance purposes). All orders sent via Priority or Express require a signature confirmation. Please refer to the chart below to see how your winning lots will be shipped. Once your order has shipped, we will send you an email containing the order tracking information.

Total Value of Shipment Shipping Method
$1-$299 First Class
$300-$24,999 Priority or 2-Day
$25,000-$199,999 Express or Overnight
$200,000+ Contact us for Special Arrangements
Chart applies to U.S. addresses only -- items shipped to international addresses from the United States will be delivered via Fed Ex and items shipped from our Hong Office will be delivered via EMS with the exception of countries that EMS service does not cover.

If you would like your order shipped domestically via FedEx, please contact our Client Services department at (800) 458-4646. Additional charges may apply.

• How much do you charge for shipping and handling?

Within the United States: All orders are shipped via USPS. All orders will have the following postage and insurance charges in addition to a $.50 handling charge per lot added to the purchase price:

Invoice Amount Postage & Insurance
Up to $299 $12.00
$300- $499 $17.00
$500- $999 $20.00
$1000- $2499 $24.00
$2500- $4999 $27.00
$5000- $9999 $30.00
$10000- $14999 $40.00
$15000- $19999 $45.00
$20000- $24999 $50.00
$25000- $49999 $75.00
$50000- $74999 $100.00
$75000- $99999 $125.00
$100000- $249999 $250.00
$250000+ $400.00


All international orders (including Canada and Mexico) shipped from the United States will be shipped via Fedex or UPS depending on the destination country. All orders will have an international insurance fee of 1/2% of the subtotal of the invoice (hammer price plus buyers fee), with a minimum insurance fee of $10 plus a $.50 handling charge per lot in addition to the postage below. For shipments from our Hong Kong office via EMS, please refer to the Hong Kong Auction section.

Invoice Amount Postage
Up to $2,500 $50.00
$2,501-$10,000 $60.00
$10,001-$100,000 $75.00
$100,001-$200,000 $125.00
$200,001+ $500 or Contact us for Special Arrangements


All orders shipped from the Hong Kong, China Office are shipped via EMS with the exception of countries that EMS service does not cover. All orders will have an international insurance fee of 1/2% of the subtotal of the invoice (hammer price plus buyers fee), with a minimum insurance fee of $10 plus a $.50 handling charge per lot in addition to the postage below. The following countries have EMS coverage: Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand. Our international shipping rates will apply to countries not covered by EMS. If you have special shipping requests from our Hong Kong, China Office, please contact [email protected].

Invoice Amount Postage
Up to $300 $35.00
$301-$1,000 $40.00
$1,001-$2,000 $45.00
$2,001-$3,000 $50.00
$3,001-$5,000 $55.00
$5,001-$10,000 $60.00
$10,001-$25,000 $70.00
$25,001-$50,000 $80.00
$50,001-$75,000 $90.00
$75,001-$100,000 $100.00
$100,000-$200,000 $125.00
$200,000+ $500.00 or Contact us for Special Arrangements

by Stack's Bowers Galleries
June 16, 2026 12:00 PM PDT
1550 Scenic Ave
Suite 150
Costa Mesa, CA, US 92626

Stack's Bowers Galleries

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 27% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $20
$100 $199 $20
$200 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $200
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $20,000
$500,000 $999,999 $50,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000