A family of divers were stunned when they discovered £600,000 worth of buried treasure in the wreck of a ship that sank almost 300-years-ago to the day.
The Schmitt family, from Florida, retrieved 51 gold coins, a 40 foot ornate gold chain and a single coin, called "Tricentennial Royal", thought to have been made for King Phillip V of Spain.
All together, the family's plunder totals a whopping $1million (or £638,000), with the Royal coin alone thought to be worth about half that amount.
Even more unbelievably, their haul was found by diving in water just 15 feet deep.
The treasure, which has been verified by 1715 Fleet - Queen Jewels LLC, is from a ship that sank on July 30, 1715, during a hurricane, which killed the entire crew.
The vessel was en route from Havana, Cuba, to Spain and was one of 11 to sink in the terrible weather.
It is thought that more than 3.5 million pesos worth of treasure were being carried on board - including the queen of Spain's jewels.
Brent Brisben, a spokesperson for the 1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels LLC, said: "The treasure was actually found a month ago."
But keeping the news quiet has been "particularly hard for the family that found it. They've been beside themselves."
The Schmitts are subcontractors of Brisben's company, and have had success in their searches in each of the past two years. In 2013, the family found several pieces of a solid gold chain that ultimately measure more than 60 feet. Last year Schmitt found the back portion of a handcrafted gold-filigree pyx, a vessel used to hold the Eucharist during the observance of Holy Communion.
Under federal and Florida law, up to 20 percent of the treasure will be turned over to the state for display in a museum, while Brisben's company and the Schmitts will split the remainder.
The Schmitt family, from Florida, retrieved 51 gold coins, a 40 foot ornate gold chain and a single coin, called "Tricentennial Royal", thought to have been made for King Phillip V of Spain.
All together, the family's plunder totals a whopping $1million (or £638,000), with the Royal coin alone thought to be worth about half that amount.
Even more unbelievably, their haul was found by diving in water just 15 feet deep.
The treasure, which has been verified by 1715 Fleet - Queen Jewels LLC, is from a ship that sank on July 30, 1715, during a hurricane, which killed the entire crew.
The vessel was en route from Havana, Cuba, to Spain and was one of 11 to sink in the terrible weather.
It is thought that more than 3.5 million pesos worth of treasure were being carried on board - including the queen of Spain's jewels.
Brent Brisben, a spokesperson for the 1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels LLC, said: "The treasure was actually found a month ago."
But keeping the news quiet has been "particularly hard for the family that found it. They've been beside themselves."
Under federal and Florida law, up to 20 percent of the treasure will be turned over to the state for display in a museum, while Brisben's company and the Schmitts will split the remainder.
0 comments:
Post a Comment