Queens Jewels LLC has announced the recovery of over 1,000 silver Reales and five gold Escudos during the 2025 summer salvage season. These artifacts were found in the waters off Florida's Treasure Coast, approximately 30 miles north of West Palm Beach, and originate from the ill-fated 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet. The estimated market value of the recovered coins is over $1 million.
The 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, consisting of eleven galleons, was lost to a hurricane on July 31, 1715, resulting in the loss of an estimated $400 million in treasure. This event remains one of the most significant maritime disasters in the Americas. Sal Guttuso, Director of Operations at Queens Jewels LLC, described the recovery as extraordinary, noting that each coin provides a tangible link to the Spanish Empire's Golden Age. The retrieval of such a large number of coins in a single operation is considered exceptionally rare.
Captain Levin Shavers and the crew of the motor vessel Just Right recovered the coins, which had been preserved under centuries of sand and sea. The silver Reales, also known as “pieces of eight,” and the gold Escudos display mint marks and dates that trace back to Spanish colonial mints in Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia. Experts believe the coins were likely part of a single chest or shipment that broke apart during the hurricane.
“Each coin is more than just an artifact; it is a tangible connection to the people who lived and worked during the Spanish Empire’s Golden Age,” said a professor of maritime archaeology at the University of Florida. “Studying these objects allows us to reconstruct the economic and cultural dynamics of that period,” added a historian specializing in colonial Spain.
The recovered coins will undergo careful conservation before being displayed to the public. Selected pieces are planned for exhibition at local museums, offering both residents and visitors the chance to experience the tangible history of Spain’s maritime trade and the 1715 Fleet.
These discoveries not only shed light on the rich history of the Spanish fleet but also provide insights into the economic, cultural, and technological aspects of early 18th-century global trade, leaving an enduring legacy for future generations.