Treasure hunters find US$4.5m in Spanish gold, exactly 300 years after ships sank

Florida treasure hunters have found a trove of US$4.5 million worth of Spanish gold coins, 300 years to the day after the fleet of ships carrying it sunk in a hurricane while en route from Havana to Spain, the salvage owner said.

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Published: 2:15pm, 20 Aug 2015Updated: 3:24am, 21 Aug 2015

A group of treasure hunters with their haul of Spanish gold coins from the 18th century discovered off the coast of Florida. Photo: EPA

Florida treasure hunters have found a trove of US$4.5 million worth of Spanish gold coins, 300 years to the day after the fleet of ships carrying it sunk in a hurricane while en route from Havana to Spain, the salvage owner said.

The 350 coins found on July 30 include nine rare pieces, known as royal eight escudos, which were being transported to the King of Spain, according to Brent Brisben. His company, 1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels, owns the rights to the wreckage.

Only 20 such coins were known to exist prior to the recovery of the nine royals, Brisben said on Wednesday.

“The gold looks like it fell into the water yesterday,” said William Bartlett, 51, the diver who spotted the haul.

Bartlett was part of a three-man crew aboard Brisben’ boat S/V Capitana when it found coins in shallow waters off Vero Beach, Florida. The search site was picked because it was close to a previous discovery.

On the same day in 1715, a hurricane tossed 11 treasure-laden Spanish galleons on to reefs off Florida’ East Coast, sinking them in the early hours the following morning. Today, the wreckage is scattered over a wide area.