Treasure Hunters Unearth More Than $1 Million in Silver and Gold Coins Off the Florida Coast
Beneath the clear blue waters of an region known as the “coast of treasures”, a group of underwater explorers representing a marine recovery firm has located a missing Spanish fortune estimated to be worth around $1 million.
A Historic Find
More than 1,000 silver and gold coins believed to be minted in former Spain's colonies—in areas that are now Bolivia, Mexican, and Peruvian lands—were found this summer off the Atlantic coast of Florida.
As stated by accounts, the wealth was on its way back to Spain when a powerful storm destroyed the fleet's ships on July 31, 1715, scattering the treasures into the sea.
Details of the Recovered Currency
Dates and mint marks are clearly legible on a number of the coins, offering valuable insight for researchers and collectors looking to gain knowledge about the lost treasure.
“This discovery is not just about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” said a spokesperson for the salvage company. “Each coin is a piece of history, a physical connection to the people who lived, worked, and sailed during the golden age of the Spanish monarchy. Discovering 1,000 of them in a one salvage operation is unusual and remarkable.”
Legal Considerations
According to Florida legislation, any “buried treasure” or additional historic artifacts considered “abandoned” on public lands or in state waters belong to the government, although salvage teams can be issued authorization to conduct “retrieval operations”.
The law require that roughly twenty percent of the recovered artifacts be retained by the state for research collections or exhibition in museums.
