Salvagers recover $1M in 1715 Fleet coins
A salvage team led by 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC announced Oct. 2, 2025 that excavators recovered more than 1,000 silver and gold coins—dated and minted in Spanish colonies such as Bolivia, Mexico and Peru—off Florida’s Treasure Coast. The coins were found this summer near wreckage from the 1715 Fleet (lost in a hurricane July 31, 1715); the company estimates the haul is worth about $1 million and Florida law gives the state ownership rights and requires roughly 20% of archaeological material be retained for research or public display.
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🔍 Key Facts
- More than 1,000 silver and gold coins recovered; some retain visible dates and mint marks.
- Salvage company: 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC; quote from Sal Guttuso calling each coin a 'piece of history.'
- Estimated value: $1 million; discovery took place this summer off Florida’s Treasure Coast (Melbourne to Fort Pierce area); Florida law requires ~20% of recovered archaeological materials be retained by the state.