$1 million in gold and silver coins discovered from historic 1700s Florida shipwreck
Plans are underway for select pieces to be exhibited at local museums, offering both Floridians and visitors a chance to witness firsthand the treasures of Florida’s maritime past.
FILE: Australia's Tropical Cyclone Alfred reveals part of 130-year-old shipwreck
Severe erosion caused by Australia's Tropical Cyclone Alfred revealed parts of a ship that was washed ashore along a beach about 130 years ago.
VERO BEACH, Fla.– More than 1,000 gold and silver coins were found along Florida's Treasure Coast in the 1715 Treasure Fleet shipwreck.
The historic shipwreck salvage operation which found the coins, 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC, said they were valued at $1 million.
PHOTOS SHOW POSSIBLE TREASURE FROM 300-YEAR-OLD 'HOLY GRAIL' OF SHIPWRECKS OFF COLOMBIA
The coins found from the 1715 Treasure Fleet shipwreck in summer 2025. (1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels, LLC / FOX Weather)
The 1715 Treasure Fleet was shipwrecked by a hurricane on July 31, 1715, causing the ships to crash into the reefs along Florida's eastern coast.
Historians estimate that $400 million in treasure went down with the ships.
Pieces of history from the shipwrecks have been discovered over the course of nearly 100 years, according to the salvage company.
This most recent recovery of treasure was made by by Capt. Levin Shavers and the crew of the M/V Just Right, the company said.
Photos showed the coins as they were discovered and prior to conservation efforts.
SHIPWRECKS DATING BACK TO 1700S UNCOVERED ALONG NORTH CAROLINA SHORELINE
"This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells," said Sal Guttuso, director of operations for 1715 Fleet – Queen Jewels. "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."
Five gold coins known as Escudos and 1,000 silver coins known as Reales were found.
The coins were minted in Mexico, Peru and Bolivia, the salvage operation said. Many of the coins still bear their mint markings, making them an important discovery for historians.
$1 MILLION IN STOLEN GOLD COINS FROM 1715 FLORIDA SHIPWRECK RECOVERED
Some of the silver coins after being conserved. (1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels, LLC / FOX Weather)
"The condition of the coins suggests they were part of a single chest or shipment that spilled when the ship broke apart in the hurricane’s fury," the company said.
The coins will undergo conservation before being displayed to the public.
A log of the coins found in the shipwreck by Capt. Levin Shavers and his crew. (1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels, LLC / FOX Weather)
"Every find helps piece together the human story of the 1715 fleet," said Guttuso. "We are committed to preserving and studying these artifacts so future generations can appreciate their historical significance."
1715 Fleet says plans are underway for select pieces to be exhibited at local museums, offering both Floridians and visitors a chance to witness firsthand the treasures of Florida’s maritime past.