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Dixon's
"Lucky" Gold Coin Found
| Dixon's gold coin
with the inscription (l.) and the Lady Liberty side (r.) that the bullet struck. (©2001
Friends of the Hunley) |
The long-awaited treasure of the H.L. Hunley
Lt. George Dixon's gold coin has been found inside the submarine.
Dr. Robert Neyland, Project Director, said, "The coin was found by Dixon's remains
and in the middle of some textiles; possibly he kept it in his pants pocket."
The coin is bent, true to the
story that a bullet hit the coin and saved Lt. Dixon's leg and life. The story goes that
his sweetheart, Queenie Bennett, gave him a 20-dollar United States gold piece for luck
that he kept in his pants pocket. On April 6, 1862, in the Battle of Shiloh, Lt. Dixon was
shot in the leg. Luckily when he was shot, the bullet hit the gold piece, in essence
saving his life. After that, Dixon always kept that lucky coin with him.
The coin was minted in 1860, and the side with the image of Lady Liberty was hit by the
bullet. The other side has the Federal shield and eagle symbol. That side appears to be
sanded and has an inscription in cursive script that reads in four lines:
"Shiloh
April 6, 1862
My life Preserver
G.E.D."
The coin has been removed from the
Conservation Center to a secured location. |
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