Treasure discovered in Florida waters three centuries after the wreck of Spain's famous lost fleet
The wreck of one of the eleven ships of the famous “Treasure Fleet”, sunk in 1715 off the coast of Florida, was discovered more than 300 years after the shipwreck. Hundreds of silver and several gold coins, worth a total of about one million dollars, were recovered by the divers.
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Over a thousand gold and silver coins recovered from Florida waters PHOTO: Queen's Jewels LLC
The ship, which was part of the so-called “Treasure Fleet” (“Plate Fleet”, from the Spanish term plata, meaning silver), sank during a storm shortly after leaving the American colonies for Spain. Since then, all traces of her have been lost for three centuries.
The recent discovery came after researchers pinpointed the exact location of one of the wrecks. Analyzes have confirmed that it is one of the 11 Spanish ships that disappeared in 1715. More than a thousand silver coins and five gold scudi were recovered from the depths, relics with an estimated value of one million dollars, according to Corriere della Sera.
“These coins are not just precious objects, but true testimonies of history. Each piece has a story to tell, depending on its date, design or unique marks“, explained Saul Guttuso, chief operating officer of Queen's Jewels LLC, which coordinated the recovery mission.
A fatal hurricane and a treasure of 400 million dollars
The 11 ships of the “Treasure Fleet” carried gold, silver and jewels valued at approximately $400 million. All the cargo was lost in the ocean waters, along with the crews, following a devastating hurricane that hit them on their way to Spain.
For centuries, the wrecks remained hidden beneath the sand on the seabed until new evidence provided clues to the fleet's route.
This summer, the United States District Court in Florida, the legal owner of the wreck under US law, appointed Queen's Jewels LLC to handle the search exclusively.
Spectacular discovery from the depths
Divers led by Captain Levin Shavers aboard the M/V Just Right identified a promising spot on the sea floor where they spotted the outline of a wreck. After several dives, the team managed to recover all the coins – one by one.
Silver coins, called “Reales”, were minted in the imperial colonies of Peru, Bolivia and Mexico. “Each of them bears the imprint of the place and time from which it originatesGuttuso also said, emphasizing the historical importance of this exceptional discovery.
