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Gold, silver, jewelry, personal possessions, and everyday objects recovered from historic shipwrecks offer fascinating glimpses into lives, voyages, and disasters of the past.
By Sierra Holt
Trash became treasure when eleven Spanish ships were overtaken by a hurricane off the coast of Florida over 300 years ago. The ships were homebound to Spain to deliver treasures equaling 14 million pesos acquired from the then-colonies in Cuba, including precious gems, gold, silver, coins, and jewelry.
They were tasked with acquiring these precious goods for the Spanish Empire, which sought these materials to help address economic hardships caused by costly wars and financial mismanagement. But as the fleet set off on the Atlantic seas from Cuba, Spain would never receive those treasures. Rather, it was the eastern coast of Florida that would be the final destination.
As the fleet headed homebound to Spain, the waves swelled into large surges, with violent winds tossing the ships, and the warm Atlantic waters acting as fuel for the fierce and deadly storm. When it was all settled, there were few survivors, and those treasures were scattered, alongside parts of the ship, across the seafloor.
Read the full article on Kovels Antique Trader:
https://www.antiquetrader.com/treasures-from-the-deep-remarkable-shipwreck-artifacts
When a fallen ship’s artifacts become collectors’ treasures (By Sierra Holt) is also available at Pressreader:
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/antique-trader/20260901/281964614511343
