1715 Treasure Fleet Coins Recovered

In July 1715, a fleet of 11 ships sailing from Cuba to Spain encountered a powerful hurricane off the coast of Florida. Collectively known as the 1715 Treasure Fleet, the ships, carrying an estimated $400 million in coins and jewels from the New World, were destroyed and sank, along with 1,000 passengers and crewmembers.

Over the summer, treasure hunters recovered over 1,000 silver reales  and five gold escudos worth around $1 million from the 1715 shipwreck off Florida’s Treasure Coast. The discovery was announced by 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels LLC, which holds exclusive salvage rights to the wreck. Captain Levin Shavers and the crew of the vessel Just Right uncovered the coins during a months-long operation near Wabasso Beach.

“This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” says Sal Guttuso, the company’s operations director. Many of the coins still bear visible dates and mintmarks, indicating they were produced in the Spanish colonies of Mexico, Bolivia, and Peru.

While the recent recovery was a significant achievement, the salvors say their work is far from over. At least five of the ships that sank in 1715 have not been located, and the team is optimistic that more treasures and artifacts are waiting to be found.