For the first time in six years, the “Ship of Gold” display of California Gold Rush-era sunken treasure recovered from the 1857 shipwreck of the S.S. Central America again will highlight the Long Beach Coin, Stamp and Collectibles Expo Feb. 4-6.The three-day show also will feature an exhibit of the all-time finest set of early U.S. half dollars in the Professional Coin Grading Service Set RegistrySM.
The “Ship of Gold” display is housed in a specially constructed 40-foot long representation of the famous ship’s hull. This will be its first public appearance anywhere in the country in six years.
The exhibit is courtesy of Monaco Rare Coins of Newport Beach, Calif., and it features gold ingots and California Territorial coin issues that Adam Crum, Monaco vice president, values at $10 million.
Bob Evans, the chief scientist on the 1980s mission by the Columbus-America Discovery Group that located and recovered the sunken treasure, will be at the display each day.
The early U.S. half dollar set features 101 coins from the collection of Dale Friend of Nevada, and 20 of the coins are either the finest or tied for the finest ever graded by PCGS.
Friend’s basic collection of circulation strike early half dollars, 1794-1839, has been ranked number one in the PCGS Set Registry the past six years.
Public hours of the Long Beach Expo are Thursday and Friday, Feb. 4 and 5, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $6 (good for all three days); $4 for members of any coin or stamp club who display a valid membership card; and $3 for seniors 65 and older. Admission for children ages seven and younger is free. Discount coupons are available online at www.LongBeachExpo.com.
A free gold coin door prize will be awarded daily to a lucky, registered visitor.
A children’s treasure hunt will be held on Saturday, Feb. 6. Educational programs and collectors’ clubs meetings will be conducted during the show and are open to the public.
Source: numismaticnews.net
