A captivating salvage operation in Florida’s famed Treasure Coast has unveiled an extraordinary trove of gold and silver coins hidden for over 300 years. The 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, devastated by a hurricane off the eastern shore of Florida, sank carrying a vast fortune estimated at $400 million in precious metals and jewels.
This summer, Captain Levin Shavers and his crew, working under the salvage rights owned by Queens Jewels, LLC, recovered more than 1,000 silver coins known as “Reales,” alongside five gold “Escudos” and other valuable artifacts. Remarkably, the centuries-old coins, minted in Spanish colonies including Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia, still display legible dates and mint marks.
Experts believe the coins were housed in a chest that ruptured as the ship was torn apart, causing the treasure to scatter beneath layers of sand and sea. The exceptional condition provides a rare glimpse into the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire.
Sal Guttuso, Operations Director at Queens Jewels, described the discovery as much more than treasure: “Each coin is a piece of history, linking us to the lives of sailors from centuries past.” The artifacts are now undergoing conservation to eventually be displayed in museums across Florida, giving the public a chance to connect with this maritime heritage.
