A significant historical find has been made off Florida's Treasure Coast, where salvage crews have recovered over 1,000 gold and silver coins valued at approximately $1 million. The coins were discovered within the wreck of the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, a fleet of ships that met its demise over three centuries ago.
Captain Levin Shavers and his team aboard the "M/V Just Right," operating under exclusive salvage rights for the fleet, made the discovery during the summer salvage season. The salvage operation is based in Sebastian and operates under state supervision and archaeological guidelines. The recovered cache includes 1,051 silver "Reales," commonly known as "pieces of eight," and five gold "Escudos." The gold escudos weigh approximately 27 grams each, and the silver reales, particularly the 8 reales coins, also have significant value due to their rarity and historical importance in global trade. These coins, minted in Spanish colonial territories that now encompass Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia, offer a direct link to the economic and cultural landscape of the Spanish Empire's Golden Age. Many of the coins still display clear mint markings and dates, providing invaluable insights for historians and numismatists.
Sal Guttuso, director of operations for Queens Jewels, highlighted the importance of the find, stating, "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." He also noted the rarity of recovering such a substantial number of coins in a single operation. The discovery occurred in the region known as Florida's Treasure Coast, which spans Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin counties and has a rich history of yielding artifacts from the 1715 fleet.
The 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, consisting of 11 of 12 ships, was en route from Havana to Spain when it was destroyed by a hurricane on July 31, 1715. The storm sank the vessels and scattered an estimated $400 million worth of treasure across approximately 50 miles of coastline, resulting in the loss of 700 to 1,000 lives. At least five of the eleven ships from the 1715 fleet remain undiscovered. Evidence suggests the recently discovered coins may have originated from a single chest or shipment that broke apart during the 1715 storm. Captain Shavers indicated that previous discoveries have hinted at the potential for more large coin caches in the vicinity, citing past salvage operations that uncovered chests containing numerous burlap sacks, each holding around 1,000 coins. The recently discovered coins were found near Ambersand Beach in northern Indian River County. This scale of discovery is comparable to a significant find made in 1990, according to Michael Perna, a professional salvor with Queens Jewels.
In accordance with Florida law, the recovered coins will undergo a thorough conservation and cataloging process before being presented to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The state is entitled to 20% of the treasure, with the remaining 80% distributed among the salvage crews. Queens Jewels plans to exhibit selected artifacts in local museums, providing the public an opportunity to connect with Florida's maritime history and the enduring legacy of the 1715 fleet.