Gold Treasure Worth Over $1M Recovered from 1715 Spanish Shipwreck off Florida

An mentation of a shipwreck. Credit: GreekReporter Archive

More than 300 years aft 1 of the worst maritime disasters successful the Americas, divers person recovered golden and metallic coins valued astatine much than $1 cardinal from the wreck of the famed 1715 Treasure Fleet disconnected Florida’s eastbound coast.

The betterment includes 1,051 metallic reales, wide known arsenic “pieces of eight,” and 5 uncommon golden escudos. Many of the coins inactive amusement mint marks and dates, offering historians penetration into Spanish assemblage mints successful Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia.

Discovery during the 2025 salvage season

The find was made during the 2025 summertime salvage play by Captain Levin Shavers and his unit aboard the M/V Just Right. They run nether 1715 Fleet–Queens Jewels, LLC, the institution with exclusive salvaging rights to the shipwrecks.

Salvage unit uncovers $1M treasure from a 1715 Spanish shipwreck mislaid successful a hurricane, coins untouched for 310 years.

The coins were discovered by Capt. Levin Shavers and his unit disconnected Florida’s Treasure Coast. pic.twitter.com/IhzdVwg0rs

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) October 2, 2025

According to the company, the information of the coins suggests they whitethorn person spilled from a azygous thorax erstwhile the vas broke apart. Such concentrated recoveries are rare, since centuries of storms and currents usually scatter artifacts crossed the seabed.

A catastrophe that shaped history

The 1715 fleet, besides known arsenic the “Plate Fleet,” acceptable sail from Havana connected July 24, 1715, bound for Spain. The 12 ships carried immense riches from the New World—silver bars, golden coins, and royal jewels. Less than a week later, a hurricane struck Florida’s seashore with afloat force, sinking 11 ships crossed a 50-mile agelong of ocean.

Historians estimation the tempest claimed treasure worthy astir $400 cardinal and arsenic galore arsenic 1,000 lives. Survivors struggled to enactment adjacent present-day Vero Beach, wherever immoderate tried to salvage what they could. Centuries later, the country became known arsenic Florida’s “Treasure Coast.”

Largest find successful decades

The caller haul is 1 of the largest coin recoveries successful decades. Shavers and his unit located the cache adjacent Ambersand Beach successful Indian River County. On their 12th time of work, they uncovered much than 1,000 coins, immoderate inactive fused with burlap fibers.

🚨🇺🇸 $1M TREASURE HAUL FOUND OFF FLORIDA’S “TREASURE COAST”

A salvage unit uncovered much than 1,000 golden and metallic coins worthy an estimated $1 cardinal from a 300-year-old Spanish shipwreck disconnected Florida’s Treasure Coast.

The fleet sank successful a 1715 hurricane portion carrying riches… pic.twitter.com/X6EtieCkAt

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 2, 2025

“In the past, there’s grounds of them uncovering a thorax which contained 3 burlap sacks and each sack had astir 1,000 coins,” Shavers said. “We could perchance beryllium looking astatine a thorax of coins.”

Michael Perna, a seasoned salvor with the vas Mighty Mo, called the betterment extraordinary. “The past find of ample coins similar this was successful 1990,” helium said.

What happens to the treasure

Under U.S. admiralty law, Queens Jewels controls salvaging rights to the fleet’s wrecks. Florida law requires permits for underwater exploration, and the authorities claims 20 percent of each recovered treasure. The remainder is divided among salvors aft conservation and cataloging.

The institution said the coins volition acquisition cautious preservation earlier being displayed successful museums. “Each coin is simply a portion of history,” said Sal Guttuso, manager of operations for Queens Jewels. “Finding 1,000 of them successful a azygous betterment is some uncommon and extraordinary.”