$1 Million in Spanish treasure Recovered Off Florida Coast
Florida – A shipwreck salvage company, 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC, has recovered over 1,000 silver and gold coins estimated to be worth $1 million from a site off the Atlantic coast of Florida, dubbed the ‘treasury Costa.’ The revelation, announced this week, adds to the rich history of treasure recovered from the 1715 Spanish fleet disaster.
The coins are believed to have been minted in Spanish colonies of Bolivia, mexico, and Peru. This isn’t the first treasure found at this location; in 1715, a hurricane sank a fleet of Spanish ships returning to Spain laden with riches from the New world, scattering their cargo across the seabed.
For decades, treasure hunters and salvage teams have recovered millions of dollars worth of gold coins from the area stretching from Melbourne to Fort Pierce. The recently recovered coins still bear visible dates and markings from the CECA (Casa de Moneda – Royal Mint), offering potential new insights for historians and collectors.
“This discovery is not just about the treasure itself, but about the stories that it tells,” said Sal Guttuso, director of Operations for the salvage company, in a statement. “Each currency is a piece of history, a tangible bond with the people who lived, worked and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”
The salvage operation utilizes diving crews, ships, underwater metal detectors, and both manual sifting and suction methods to examine the seabed.
The recovery comes after Florida authorities recovered stolen gold coins last year from a former employee of 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC. Florida law dictates that any “hidden treasure” or historical artifacts found in state lands or waters belong to the state, though salvage companies are permitted to conduct recovery services, with approximately 20% of recovered archaeological materials retained by the state for research and public display.
