How I Transformed My Capped Bust Half Dollar Expertise Into a $57,000 Online Course Business
October 20, 2025The Hidden Battle Beneath the Waves: What the USS Yorktown Coin Recovery Reveals About Maritime Law and Cultural Stewardship
October 21, 2025My Unexpected Journey Solving a Naval History Puzzle
Let me take you back to that spring afternoon when five small coins turned my quiet Chicago coin shop upside down. As both a Navy veteran and longtime coin dealer, I’ve handled rare finds before – but nothing prepared me for discovering looted USS Yorktown artifacts in a routine estate purchase. What followed became a masterclass in historical detective work. Stick with me, and I’ll show you exactly how I verified and returned these stolen naval treasures.
The Coin That Started It All
Picture this: bags of mixed world coins spilling across my sorting table, the familiar routine of separating wheat from chaff. Then – five handwritten coin flips stopped me cold. Each label read: “From USS Yorktown 1850.” My hands actually shook holding that 1840 Seated Liberty half dollar. The coins themselves told a story:
- Two U.S. halves (1830 Bust, 1840 Seated Liberty)
- Mexican 8 Reales (1840s) with crusty surfaces
- Bolivian 8 Soles covered in pitting
- 1690 Brazilian 200 Reis looking like it fought Poseidon himself
That moment changed everything. These weren’t just old coins – they were time travelers from one of the Navy’s most dramatic shipwrecks.
What Made Me Suspicious
Three details screamed “investigate now”:
- Handwritten labels claiming specific warship provenance
- Coins spanning 160 years of history in one group
- Distinct crust patterns only saltwater creates
Step 1: Playing Historical Matchmaker
Before calling the Navy, I needed ironclad proof. Here’s how I connected these coins to the Yorktown’s tragic final voyage:
Nights With Navy Records
Coffee-fueled research sessions revealed this timeline:
- 1839: USS Yorktown launched as a 16-gun sailing ship
- 1840s: Patrolled the Pacific hunting slave ships
- September 6, 1850: Wrecked off Cape Verde during storm
The dates matched perfectly – these coins likely sailed aboard during her anti-slavery missions.
Reading the Coins’ Battle Scars
Under my microscope, the truth emerged:
- Chloride pitting on silver surfaces
- Sand abrasion grooves
- That distinctive “crystallized” look shipwreck silver gets
The Brazilian coin even had tiny shell fragments cemented to its edge – undeniable proof of ocean burial.
Step 2: Navigating Legal Minefields
Here’s where many collectors get tripped up. Military shipwrecks aren’t your typical salvage operation. Key facts I uncovered:
The Warship Rule
Sunken Navy vessels remain U.S. property forever. One Navy attorney told me:
“Imagine if another country salvaged the Arizona at Pearl Harbor. That’s how seriously we take these cases.”
This meant:
- My coins were stolen government property
- Keeping them = federal offense
- Zero legal claim for current holders
Respecting Sacred Sites
While Yorktown had no casualties, most wrecks are protected as:
- Military graves
- Underwater memorials
- Protected historical sites
Step 3: The Delicate Art of Returning History
Contacting the Navy required careful preparation. My exact process:
Building the Evidence File
Before hitting send, I gathered:
- Macro photos of every corrosion detail
- Side-by-side coin and service record comparisons
- Signed affidavits from previous owners
Finding the Right Navy Contacts
The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) runs a tight ship:
- Emailed underwater archaeology team with subject line: “URGENT: Possible Yorktown Artifacts”
- Followed up with certified mail package
- Provided full chain of custody documentation
To their credit, the NHHC team responded within three days – faster than my local DMV!
When the Road Got Bumpy
No repatriation goes perfectly. Two major hurdles I faced:
Issue: Sketchy Ownership History
My Fix: Became a paperwork detective:
- Tracked auction records to 1990s Cape Verde
- Found customs forms with suspicious “gift” declarations
- Interviewed heirs (with legal counsel present)
Issue: Profit vs. Ethics Debate
My Approach: When consignors complained about losing value, I:
- Printed relevant federal statutes
- Shared NHHC’s museum display plans
- Suggested tax deduction angles
The Moment That Made It All Worthwhile
Handing those coins to the NHHC curator brought unexpected tears. As a former sailor, I imagined the young powder monkeys who might’ve touched these same coins. The Navy confirmed they’ll use them to:
- Rebuild Yorktown’s exhibit with new artifacts
- Study long-term ocean corrosion patterns
- Teach about anti-slavery patrols in schools
Your Turn: What To Do With Suspect Artifacts
If you find potential historical items:
- Don’t Clean Anything: Patina is evidence
- Photograph Like a Crime Scene: Include rulers for scale
- Call Before Selling: NHHC’s hotline is 202-433-7883
- Document Conversations: Who/when you called
- Think Legacy Over Cash: What story do you want attached to your name?
Three Truths That Changed My Perspective
This experience taught me:
- Trust But Verify: Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof
- Laws Have Teeth: Maritime theft prosecutions are real
- History Isn’t Ours to Keep: Some artifacts belong to everyone
More Than Just Metal
Those five coins weren’t relics – they were teachers. They reminded me that ethical collecting protects our shared history. Now when dealers ask why I bothered returning valuable coins, I smile and say: “Because they were never mine to keep.” The Navy’s gratitude letter hangs behind my counter – the best authentication paperwork I’ve ever received.
Related Resources
You might also find these related articles helpful:
- How I Transformed My Capped Bust Half Dollar Expertise Into a $57,000 Online Course Business – From Coin Collector to Six-Figure Course Creator: How I Turned My Passion Into Profit I never imagined my decades-old co…
- How Specializing Like a Rare Coin Dealer Can Skyrocket Your Tech Consulting Rates to $300+/hr – Want to Charge $300+/Hour? Think Like a Rare Coin Expert Let me share how specializing transformed my consulting busines…
- Building Better Cybersecurity Tools: A Developer’s Guide to Threat Detection & Ethical Hacking – The best defense? Building smarter tools before attackers strike. Let’s talk about crafting cybersecurity tools th…