What an incredible find!
A salvage team recently recovered over 1,000 gold and silver coins valued at an astonishing $1 million from the wreck of a Spanish fleet that tragically sank more than 300 years ago, as reported by officials.
These coins were unearthed during the summer months by Captain Levin Shavers and his team from the wreckage of a fleet that succumbed to a hurricane in July 1715 off the coast of Florida, specifically known as the Treasure Coast, according to a news release from Queens Jewels, LLC, the company holding the salvage rights to this historical fleet.
Specifically, the recovery included roughly 1,000 silver coins known as “Reales,” five gold coins referred to as “Escudos,” along with various rare gold artifacts, all preserved beneath layers of “centuries of sand and sea,” as indicated by the company.
Experts have estimated the total worth of this treasure to be around $1 million.
The artifacts are part of an estimated $400 million in gold, silver, and jewels that were lost when the Spanish fleet sank during its ill-fated journey to return New World wealth back to Spain, which is recognized as “one of the greatest maritime tragedies,” according to the statement.
This trove, hidden along Florida’s eastern coastline during the storm, earned the region its name “Treasure Coast.”
“This discovery goes beyond just the treasure; it represents the stories behind it,” stated Sal Guttuso, Director of Queens Jewels, in a press release.
“Each coin serves as a piece of history, a tangible connection to the individuals who lived, worked, and navigated during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Recovering 1,000 of them in one expedition is both rare and remarkable,” Guttuso added.
The coins, minted in the Spanish territories of Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia, remarkably still display their dates and mint marks after more than three centuries.
The preserved condition of these coins leads experts to believe they may have belonged to a single chest or shipment that spilled when the vessel was torn apart by the fierce hurricane.
Now, these recovered coins will undergo “careful conservation” before they are showcased to the public in various local museums across Florida.
“Every discovery contributes to understanding the human narratives surrounding the 1715 fleet,” Guttuso concluded.
“We are dedicated to preserving and studying these artifacts so that future generations can recognize their historical importance.”
