The romantic legend of Lt. George Dixon and his gold coin has existed for many years. According to the story, Lt. Dixon was given a gold coin by his sweetheart, Queenie Bennett. She asked that he take the coin for good luck, and as a token of her love. Lt. Dixon always kept the coin with him, as promised, and at the Battle of Shiloh it was in his pants pocket. As the battle waged on, Lt. Dixon was shot in the leg. As he examined the wound he discovered that the bullet struck the coin directly in the center, bending the coin but saving his leg, and possibly even his life.

During the excavation of the H.L. Hunley, this legend has been verified by the discovery of the coin with the remains of Lt. Dixon. The $20 gold coin was minted in 1860 and is indented by the impact of a bullet. Both the coin itself and a wound on the femur of Lt. Dixon were found to have traces of lead. The back of the coin is inscribed with the following four lines:

Shiloh
April 6, 1862
My life Preserver
G. E. D.

The coin can currently be seen on display with many other artifacts and the Hunley itself at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, Charleston, SC.