Recovered and Repatriated

Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. is proud to announce the discovery and repatriation of coins recovered from the wreckage of the USS Yorktown. Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. purchased these coins as part of a large estate in 2024. Following provenance research, the firm identified the coins as part of a trove looted in 2000 from the Yorktown wreck. After confirming the coins’ origin, Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. quickly arranged their return with the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command (NHHC). Their collaborative efforts ensure that these historic coins will now be preserved for the education of future generations.

The USS Yorktown

The USS Yorktown was a U.S. Navy sloop-of-war commissioned in 1839, and the vessel played a key role in anti-slavery patrols. After striking a reef off the coast of Cape Verde in 1850, the Yorktown sank, taking with it the ship’s stores and equipment. All the crew on the ship survived.