Two-pound gold ingot tops final SS Central America sale at Holabird

32.15-ounce Kellogg & Humbert assayer’s California Gold Rush gold ingot, recovered from the 1857 sinking of the S.S. Central America, $138,000. Image courtesy of Holabird Western Americana Collections
32.15-ounce Kellogg & Humbert assayer’s California Gold Rush gold ingot, recovered from the 1857 sinking of the S.S. Central America, $138,000. Image courtesy of Holabird Western Americana Collections
32.15-ounce Kellogg & Humbert assayer’s California Gold Rush gold ingot, recovered from the 1857 sinking of the S.S. Central America, $138,000. Image courtesy of Holabird Western Americana Collections

RENO, Nev. – From lumps of coal and crewmembers’ keys to tableware and exquisite jewelry, collectors bid $1.1 million to acquire 422 lots of California Gold Rush-era artifacts recovered from the 1857 sinking of the fabled “Ship of Gold,” the S.S. Central America. The two-day auction took place March 4 and 5, and was conducted in Reno, Nevada and online by Holabird Western Americana Collections.

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Last call for S.S. Central America treasures at Holabird, March 4-5

Large 18K Gold Rush ore engraved brooch, estimated at $10,000-$100,000, which California’s first millionaire, San Francisco businessman Samuel Brannan, was sending to his son in Geneva, Switzerland as a gift to the son's teacher. Photo credit Holabird Western Americana Collections
Large 18K Gold Rush ore engraved brooch, estimated at $10,000-$100,000, which California’s first millionaire, San Francisco businessman Samuel Brannan, was sending to his son in Geneva, Switzerland as a gift to the son's teacher. Photo credit Holabird Western Americana Collections
Large 18K Gold Rush ore engraved brooch, estimated at $10,000-$100,000, which California’s first millionaire, San Francisco businessman Samuel Brannan, was sending to his son in Geneva, Switzerland as a gift to the son’s teacher via the S.S. Central America, which sank in 1857. Photo credit Holabird Western Americana Collections

RENO, Nev. – The second and final auction of never-before-offered, historic California Gold Rush artifacts recovered from the 1857 sinking of the fabled Ship of Gold, the S.S. Central America, will be held on Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5 by Holabird Western Americana Collections LLC. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Hermann Historica offers jewelry, swords & Willi Engelhardt art, Jan. 31-Feb. 1

Dragonfly-shaped gold brooch, est. €600-€1,200
Dragonfly-shaped gold brooch, est. €600-€1,200

Dragonfly-shaped gold brooch, est. €600-€1,200

MUNICH – A cornucopia of art, antiques and magnificent showpieces will come under the hammer in the online-only auction of Hermann Historica, taking place from January 31 to February 4. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

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