Lot # 

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 Lot title and description

Estimate (low-high)

51. Small cut gold “coin,” fineness XIX: (19½K). 14.2 grams, approx. 3/4" x 5/8" x 1/8". From this wreck we have seen many “finger bars” (gold ingots), which were cut down to make small, coin-like pieces as needed, effectively the first gold “coins” made in the Americas. Each piece was cut so that the original fineness marking could be seen, eliminating the need for another assay and giving some sort of official approval to the erstwhile coin. This piece, one of the smallest found, has approximately the same pure-gold weight as a 4 escudos. The chisel cuts on both ends are nearly clean, with a minimum of breaking required to separate this “coin” from its original cast bar. With Sedwick photo-certificate. Estimate: $3,750-$5,250

52. Small gold piece. 43 grams, about 1" radius and almost 1/4" thick in center. A thick, heavy, chunky “pancake” of gold, its flatter side adorned with patches of gray and white coral. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/853. Estimate: $3,500-$5,000

53. Small gold piece. 32 grams, approx. 1-1/4" x 7/8" x 1/8". Odd shape (basically an unfinished round puddle), smooth on top, minimal encrustation. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1039. Estimate: $2,500-$3,750

54. Small gold piece. 19 grams, about 3/4" radius and 1/4" thick. Flattened sphere with small void near edge, no encrustation. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1004. Estimate: $1,500-$2,250

55. Small gold piece. 19 grams, roughly 1" x 7/8" x 1/4". Irregular lump with white and gray encrustation in crevices. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1009. Estimate: $1,500-$2,250

56. Small gold piece. 16 grams, about 1-1/8" x 3/4" x 3/16". Approximately one-third cut of a small disk, with coral on the cut sides, gray color. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/951. Estimate: $1,200-$1,800

57. Small gold piece. 14 grams, about 1-1/4" x 1/2" x 3/16". Peanut-shaped and very gray in color due to encrustation. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/982. Estimate: $1,000-$1,500

58. Small gold piece. 12 grams, about 11/16" radius and 3/16" thick. Round “pancake,” fairly smooth, with some encrustation. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1035. Estimate: $900-$1,350

59. Small gold piece. 11 grams, roughly 7/8" x 3/8" x 1/4". Very irregular nugget with whitish encrustation. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1012. Estimate: $850-$1,250

60. Small gold piece. 10 grams, about 5/8" x 1/2" x 3/16". Roundish lump, uneven surface with sheen of encrustation, stress fracture on one side. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1003. Estimate: $800-$1,200

61. Small gold piece. 10 grams, about 7/8" x 5/8" x 3/16". Approximately one-third cut of a small disk, with coral on the cut sides, stress crack on one side. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/931. Estimate: $800-$1,200

62. Small gold piece. 8 grams, about 5/8" radius and 1/8" thick. Round “pancake” with piece of edge cut away and void in metal at cut. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/932. Estimate: $650-$975

63. Small gold piece. 8 grams, about 13/16" x 7/16" x 1/8". Ovoid lump with irregular surfaces. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1007. Estimate: $600-$900

64. Small gold piece. 8 grams, about 5/8" x 7/16" x 1/4". Gourd-shaped droplet, very irregular in shape, with patches of white coral. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1014. Estimate: $600-$900

65. Small gold piece. 8 grams, about 5/8" x 1/2" x 1/4". Odd-shaped lump with one smooth side and one side very uneven, the former with several stress cracks and the latter with encrustation. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1116. Estimate: $600-$900

66. Small gold piece. 7 grams, about 1/2" radius and 1/4" thick. About 1/6-cut pie-wedge, the two cuts with light red toning. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/855. Estimate: $550-$850

67. Small gold piece. 7 grams, about 1/2" x 7/16" x 1/4". Rectangular lump with rough surfaces lightly coated with bits of gray. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/961. Estimate: $550-$850

68. Small gold piece. 7 grams, about 1/2" radius and 3/16" thick. Approximately 1/4-cut of a small disk, with whitish encrustation on the cut edges. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/968. Estimate: $550-$850

69. Small gold piece. 7 grams, about 5/8" x 5/16" x 3/16". Irregular lump with rough surfaces harboring bits of encrustation. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1107. Estimate: $550-$850

70. Small gold piece. 6 grams, about 3/4" x 1/2" x 1/8". Natural nugget (irregular shape) with one piece chiseled off, bits of encrustation here and there. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1005. Estimate: $500-$750

71. Small gold piece. 6 grams, about 1/2" radius and 1/4" thick. Approximately 1/6-cut of a thick “pancake,” one of the cut edges adorned with white coral. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1032. Estimate: $475-$700

72. Small gold piece. 5 grams, about 1/4" radius and 1/4" thick. A half-cut of a sphere, with red and gray encrustation on surfaces. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/966. Estimate: $400-$600

73. Small gold piece. 4 grams, about 3/4" x 1/4" x 1/8". Very irregular lump with black encrustation all over. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/862. Estimate: $350-$500

74. Small gold piece. 2 grams, about 1/4" square and less than 1/8" thick. Small, squarish cut from a “pancake” with bits of encrustation. With Arqueonautas certificate #IDM-002/02/1031. Estimate: $200-$300

75. Box of placer gold. Approx. 20 grams. This is a rare “raw” box of gold dust, as most of its brethren from this wreck were sold piecemeal in promotional packages (see the next three lots, for example), which could happen to this lot eventually! The small flakes are all sealed inside a clear hard-plastic box (about 2" x 2") that bears the original Sotheby’s auction-lot sticker on top, and it also comes with a blue cloth drawstring bag printed with SOTHEBY’S. With Sotheby’s auction sticker and bag. Estimate: $1,250-$1,750

76. Pinch of gold dust, officially encapsulated, with wooden presentation box. 1.5 grams. This is a promotional package, but in effect it is the only affordable way to get a piece of this well-known shipwreck, and at least it is something valuable: gold! In addition to the many gold coins, this ship was carrying quite a lot of gold nuggets and dust, straight from the panners in California known as “49ers”! The gold dust is safely contained in a typical plastic “slab” from PCGS printed with “California Gold Rush / Pinch 1.5 grams / S.S. Central America 1857” inside. Housed in a 10" x 4½” x 3¼” wooden box with sliding lid imprinted with “DESTINATION: NEW YORK” containing a small booklet and certificate #5333 (also with unapplied foil seal for the outside). Estimate: $200-$250

77. Gold nugget inside 1 oz. silver medal, officially encapsulated by Global Certification Services, Inc. Medal about 1½” in diameter, gold about 1/8". Interesting promotional item with small bit of placer gold displayed in the pan of a Gold Rush panner depicted on a silver medallion that says “SS CENTRAL AMERICA GOLD” and “California Gold Rush” on the front and shows the ship underway with “SS CENTRAL AMERICA 1857” at top and “SHIP OF GOLD” at bottom on the back, plus a brief history of the California Gold Rush and the shipwreck printed inside the capsule, the medallion a perfect proof but the gold itself just a round dot. Estimate: $100-$150

78. Gold nugget inside ¼ oz. silver medal, officially encapsulated by Global Certification Services, Inc. Medal about 1" in diameter, gold about 1/16". As above but with “49er GOLD FROM THE SS CENTRAL AMERICA” on front and different picture (sinking scene) on the back, both the medal and gold smaller (the gold piece irregular in shape), same capsule. Estimate: $75-$100

79. Big, flat, rectangular bar #M-133. About 15" x 7" x ½”, 13.82 lb. One of the biggest and most impressive of the “tumbaga” ingots, with FULL assayer-mark INo/DeCBA (which seems the most likely of all the marks to be deciphered and attributed to a known assayer) plus two partial tax stamps plus fineness (?) YB13 and iUB (1500?) on marked side, a few small chips in the edge (one of which could be the assayer’s “bite,” whereby he got paid for his services) but otherwise in great shape and quite presentable. Photographed in Armstrong’s book and pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000

80. Large, round disc #M-96. 8" in diameter and 2" thick in the middle, 18.03 lb. Massive hemisphere of silver with nearly full tax stamp and part of another next to bold fineness marking IULXVI (1066) below assayer MS (a relatively scarce mark on these bars) on the rounded side, the flat side a wonderful terrain of bubble holes and ripples, no sign of an assayer’s bite anywhere. Photographed in Armstrong’s book and pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $5,000-$7,000

81. Neat, flat, rectangular bar #M-105. About 12½” x 4" x ½”, 7.92 lb. Most of the topside is smooth and features a full assayer B~Vo next to serial number (?) R C above fineness IVCCL (1250) plus two partial tax stamps, very grainy texture on other side of bar, clean square-cut bite in one corner, lots of dark toning. Pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $4,000-$5,500

82. Neat, flat, rectangular bar #M-106. About 12½” x 4" x ½”, 6.51 lb. A mold-mate to the last lot, with the same markings (but even more complete and bolder) except the fineness, which is IVCCLXXX (1280), same texture and similar bite in corner, some toning. Pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $4,000-$5,500

83. Typical flat, rectangular bar #M-115. About 10" x 3½” x 3/4", 7.08 lb. Probably the most common shape in the shipment (mold mate to several others), with two different sets of assayers and finenesses (IVIIII with boxes above and below for 1400 in one place, YB13 and S and iUB for 1500 in another), two partial tax stamps, neat diagonal bite in corner, striated texture on top and dimpled “basketball” texture on bottom, some toning. Photographed in Armstrong’s book and pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $4,000-$5,500

84. Typical flat, rectangular bar #M-119. About 10" x 3½” x 3/4", 7.62 lb. Mold mate to last lot (common shape), with old fineness curiously erased next to bold markings YB13 and S and IUIIIIXXV (1425), one partial tax stamp, neat diagonal bite in corner, similar texture to last but no toning. Photographed in Armstrong’s book and pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $4,000-$5,500

85. Typical flat, rectangular bar #M-125. About 11½” x 3-3/4" x ½”, 6.43 lb. A very clean and neat bar with bold markings for assayer B~Vo, serial number (?) RC and fineness iVeLX (1560) plus two partial tax stamps on smooth topside, crude but distinct bite in corner, no toning. Pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $4,000-$5,500

86. Long, rectangular bar #M-92. 13-3/4" x 3¼” x 3/4", 8.07 lb. Narrow ingot with rippled texture on top, grainy dimpled “basketball” bottom with two sets of markings: iVIIXL with boxes (1240 fineness) to left and RC, B~Vo, and IVCCCLX (1360 fineness) to right, two partial tax stamps (one on top and one on bottom), crude diagonal bite in corner, some toning. Pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $4,000-$5,500

87. Flat, rectangular bar #M-137. About 13" x 3-3/4" x 3/8", 4.86 lb. Curious bar with rough, unmarked top but mostly smooth bottom with several bubble-pits and hammered spots in addition to markings YB13 iUB (1500 fineness) and partial tax stamp, clean diagonal bite in corner, interestingly fractured nearly in half in the center (seems to be stable now). Estimate: $3,000-$4,000

88. Typical flat, rectangular bar #M-114. About 10" x 3½” x 3/4", 6.74 lb. Another mold mate with #M-115, with mostly smooth top with striations near edge and two partial tax stamps, rough bottom with IVIIILXX and boxes (1370 fineness), neat diagonal bite in corner, very darkly toned all over. Photographed in Armstrong’s book and pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000

89. Small, flat brick #M-19. About 7" x 3" x 3/4", 5.25 lb. A typical shape for most of the smaller bars in the shipment, very neatly formed, with rough-textured top but relatively smooth bottom with markings RC, B~Vo and 9CCCCLXX (970 fineness, which seems impossible since it is very silvery in color) and two partial tax stamps, neat diagonal bite in corner, no toning. Pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000

90. Small, flat brick #M-51. About 7" x 3" x 3/4", 5.23 lb. Same shape as last lot, with very bold and full markings RC, B~Vo and iVCLX (1160 fineness) on top, very clear tax stamp (about half of it) on the bottom, relatively smooth surfaces with pronounced craters, lightly toned. Photographed in Armstrong’s book and pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000

91. Typical flat, rectangular bar #M-59. About 10" x 3½” x 3/4", 6.55 lb. The usual shape and size, rough-textured, with two partial tax stamps on top and fineness iV@XXX with boxes (1530) on bottom, diagonal bite in corner, some toning. Pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000

92. Wide, flat, rectangular bar #M-63. About 9¼” x 4" x ½”, 4.59 lb. Clean bar with smooth top that features a bold fineness marking IVIIIILXXX and boxes (1480) plus one partial tax stamp, slightly rough bottom with thin “snail tracks” that could have been from strings used to lift out the bar from the mold (?), clean diagonal bite in corner, toned at edge only. Photographed in Armstrong’s book and pedigreed to the Michael Goldston collection. Estimate: $3,000-$4,000