Treasure hunters dig up Spanish gold off Florida coast
Friday, August 21, 2015 @ 12:50 PM
Treasure hunters off the coast of Florida have found a trove of Spanish gold coins dating back to the 18th century and worth some 4.5 million dollars (over 4 million euros).
"More than 350 gold coins, including nine Reales, were recovered from the seabed between July 30th and 31st. This incredible discovery coincides exactly with the 300th anniversary" of when the Spanish fleet went down in July 1715, said 1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels LLC on their Facebook page.
The discovery is particularly valuable because of nine Reales, a very rare coin minted on the orders of King Philip V of Spain, each of them worth in the region of 300,000 dollars, said the president of 1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels LLC, Brent Brisben.
"These Reales are perfect examples of the minting of the era and were produced by royal order of the King of Spain", said Brisben.
The coins are part of haul of treasure being carried in a fleet of eleven ships which went down in a hurricane off Florida when sailing from Cuba to Spain and were found buried in the sand in just a metre of water.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com