Divers discover $1m worth of treasure in most appropriately named location

More than 1,000 silver coins (‘Reales’), along with five gold coins (‘Escudos’), have been recovered off the coast of Florida, valued at more than $1 million and dating back to the 1700s.

Crew from the motor vessel ‘Just Right’, part of the 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC operation, found the coins in an area known as the ‘Treasure Coast’ – fitting, we know.

It’s said the coins are a part of 1715 Treasure Fleet, a collection of ships which were carrying money back to Spain when a storm struck on 31 July 1715, and an estimated $400 million worth of treasure went into the sea.

When it comes to this particular find, it’s believed that they were all part of the same chest or shipment which spilled during the freak weather event.

They were minted in Mexico, Peru and Bolivia, with many of them still bearing their dates and mint marks, making them invaluable to historians.

Sal Guttuso, the fleet’s director of operations said: “This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells.

“Each coin is a piece of history, a tangible link to the people who lived, worked, and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”

The coins will now have conservation work done to them before being put on public display, with plans underway for certain pieces to be shown at museums in Florida.

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