1853 Double Eagle (1853 $20) Double Date, Republic, NGC AU58 CAC. Ex-SS Republic (blue tag). "Doubled Date" Fresh. Muted mint luster highlights the devices of this double dated, shipwrecked, double eagle. A slight touch of wear on the highest points, light surface abrasion marks, and a couple of small bag marks keep this coin from a mint state grade, which is confirmed by CAC. The strike is strong and sharp on both sides of the coin. The 1853 double eagle is a Type 1 Liberty Head or Liberty Head, No Motto. Made from 1849 to 1866, No Motto Liberty Heads are different from the next type in that the motto IN GOD WE TRUST has not yet been added. James B. Longacre designed the double eagle. Its obverse shows a profile of Liberty facing left wearing an inscribed coronet. Her hair is tied in the back, and two curls flow down her neck. Thirteen stars surround her and the date is below. Dentils are on both sides of the coin at the periphery. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with elaborate motto inscribed scrolls on both sides of the shield. The left one says E PLURIBUS, and UNUM is on the right. Since this design is the first double eagle, the scrolls were added to symbolize it. An oval of thirteen stars is above the eagle with an arc of rays from wing tip to wing tip behind the oval. The required inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is above the eagle and the denomination TWENTY D. is below. The mintmark is between the tail feathers and the N of TWENTY.

In 1849 the S.S. Republic was lost in a violent hurricane. While most of the passengers and crew escaped, the cargo of gold coins and other goods was lost. Almost 140 years later the Odyssey Marine Exploration discovered the Republic off the coast of Georgia. Robotics was used to excavate the wreck because it was at a depth of 1,700 feet. Over 50,000 coins were recovered from the shipwreck, including the present piece.

The coin has been encapsulated with NGCs special label, which has been used only for coins from the S.S. Republic.