The team of salvors extracted 1,051 silver reales and five gold escudos as well as other gold artifacts from the wreckage of the fabled "1715 Treasure Fleet."
1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLCA diver with a handful of the coins recovered from the “1715 Treasure Fleet” in Florida.
More than 300 years ago, a fleet of ships laden with treasures from the New World sank off the coast of Florida. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of gold, silver, and jewels were devoured by the Atlantic Ocean.
But salvage divers working in this area, known as the Treasure Coast, have just recovered a good chunk of these riches from the sea floor. These gold and silver coins from the fabled “1715 Treasure Fleet” are being valued at $1 million — and experts think there’s much more to be found.
More Than 1,000 Coins Recovered From Florida’s “1715 Treasure Fleet”
According to a press release from 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, the company that holds salvaging rights for the fleet, the lost treasure was found by Capt. Levin Shavers and the crew of the M/V Just Right off the coast of Florida.
1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLCSome of the coins that were recovered off the coast of Florida, at the site where the “Treasure Fleet” went down in 1715.
Over the course of their dives during the 2025 summer salvage season, the salvors recovered more than 1,000 silver coins known as reales and five gold coins known as escudos as well as other rare gold artifacts.
The coins, which are also known as “pieces of eight,” were originally minted in Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia, then colonies controlled by the Spanish. According to the press release, the coins were so well-preserved by the ocean floor that many still have “visible dates and mint marks.” They were likely held together in a single chest when the 1715 Treasure Fleet sank, which also contributed to their resilience in the face of time.
“This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” said Sal Guttuso, Director of Operations for 1715 Fleet-Queens 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.”
It’s no surprise that the recovery team called the 1715 Treasure Fleet “one of the greatest maritime tragedies — and treasures — of the Americas.”
The Sinking Of The Treasure Fleet — And The Many Other Treasures Found Since
1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLCOne of the hundreds of silver coins that were found during recent dives along Florida’s “Treasure Coast.” Many are so well preserved that their dates and mint marks are still visible.
The story of the Treasure Fleet began in July 1715, when a group of 12 ships set sail from Cuba to Spain. Laden with $400 million worth of gold, silver, and jewelry, the ships had not gotten far when they encountered a violent hurricane off the coast of Florida. Eleven of the ships went down, over 1,000 people were killed, and the bulk of the treasure was spread out over an area of roughly 50 miles along the Florida coast.
But the coins recovered this summer weren’t the first of this fleet’s treasures to rise from the oceans’ depths. In 2018, 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels dredged up a cannon from one of the shipwrecks. And last year, salvors found 200 silver coins, a flintlock pistol, a ceramic vase, a set of bronze keys, and the remains of a wooden box.
1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLCThe team believes many more riches can be recovered, saying, “We have barely scratched the surface.”
Though these finds still represent just a small fraction of the treasures sitting on the sea floor along the Florida coast, each one is essential to better understanding the history of the wreck, as well as the history of Spain and its relationship with the New World. Whether coins, jewels, chests, or pistols, the salvors are eager to find more artifacts from the wreckage and share them with the world.
“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.”
After reading about the astounding $1 million worth of treasure that was found off the coast of Florida, discover the stories behind some of the world’s most fascinating sunken ships. Then, learn about some of the eeriest ghost ships ever spotted on the high seas.
