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Gold and silver coins worth $1 million recovered from 1715 shipwreck off Florida coast
Florida shipwreck: The coins, known as pieces of eight, were reportedly minted in the Spanish colonies of Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia.
Over 1,000 silver coins and five gold coins, worth around $1 million, have been recovered from a 300-year-old Spanish shipwreck off the coast of Florida, according to a shipwreck salvage company. A news release from salvage company Queens Jewels LLC claimed that the discovery site is located within a stretch of ocean often referred to as Florida’s ‘Treasure Coast.’ More than 1,000 silver coins known as ‘Reales’ were recovered by Captain Levin Shavers and the crew members of the M/V Just Right. The organization possesses the exclusive salvage rights to the 1715 Treasure Fleet.
The coins were part of a massive fortune carried by the fleet. The ship was taking "New World riches" back to Spain when it was stuck by a disaster on July 31, 1715, as per the release.
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Florida shipwreck: Recovered items
Apart from these, five gold coins called ‘Escudos' and some other rare gold artifacts were also recovered during the summer salvage season in 2025, claimed the company.
“This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” said Sal Guttuso, Director of Operations, as per the news release.
Guttuso explained that each coin was a tangible link to the people who lived and sailed in the the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. He called the discovery of 1,000 coins in a single place as "both rare and extraordinary,”
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Historical background
The coins, known as pieces of eight, were reportedly minted in the Spanish colonies of Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia. The recovered coins will go through conservation before being displayed to the people.
USA Today noted that Queen Jewels is a shipwreck salvage operation in Sebastian, a coastal city located 95 miles north of Palm Beach. It works with treasure hunters, underwater archaeologists as well as museums.
FAQs
What are the recovered items?
Over 1,000 silver coins were found. Five gold coins were also recovered.
Where is the discovery site located?
The items were recovered off the coast of Florida.
What are the silver coins known as?
More than 1,000 silver coins, also known as ‘Reales’, were recovered.
