The deep sea has captivated the imagination of mankind for centuries with incredible tales of lost civilizations, shipwrecks, and treasures hidden in the ocean’s darkness. To this day, many mysteries lie beneath the waves, preserved in silence for years, and in many cases, hundreds of years. According to the LiveScience report, Divers have retrieved over a thousand coins from a shipwreck off Florida’s east coast. The coins were found this summer within the historically significant “Treasure Fleet” of Spanish ships sunk in July 1715, taking with them hundreds of sailors and more than $400 million worth of gold and silver to the depths of the ocean.
Who discovered the treasure? What was found in the shipwreck?
The find has renewed focus on the tragedy 300 years ago when the storm sank 12 ships and killed hundreds of sailors. Divers have now brought back a portion of the treasure, which consisted of gold and silver coins and a few rare gold items. The salvage company, 1715 Fleet – Queen’s Jewels, was recently issued the rights to dive on those wrecks. This group recently recovered over 1,000 silver reales (pieces of eight) and five gold escudos from the ocean floor.
Who minted the coins?
“Each coin is a piece of history, a tangible link to the people who lived, worked, and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire,” Sal Guttuso, director of operations for 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, was quoted as saying by LiveScience.
According to the report, these coins were likely minted in Spanish colonies of Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia, and many of the coins show mint marks and dates. Their excellent condition indicates that they were probably all part of a single collection that dispersed into the sea as the ship was falling apart, and that they were quickly buried under sand thereafter.
The 1715 fleet, which was also referred to as the “Plate Fleet,” was filled with coins and other goods from Spanish colonies and departed Cuba for Spain on July 24, on its annual voyage. A few days after their departure, the fleet met a strong hurricane off of the east coast of Florida. Eleven ships sank and their wrecks were dispersed over a distance of 50 miles (80 kilometers). Some of the treasure was recovered shortly after the sinking, but much of it remained at the bottom of the ocean for centuries.
