Author: Ben Costello

“Pieces of Eight”, the legendary book written about the Real Eight Company by its founder Kip Wagner, goes into publication.

The first public auction of gold coins recovered  from the 1715 Fleet shipwrecks off the coast of Florida by the Real Eight Company. Some of  the best condition specimens were offered for sale. The coins are sold through the auction house of Henry Christianson, Hoboken, New Jersey.

The crew of the salvage vessel Virgalona recovers 216 gold coins at the Douglass Beach Wreck site near Fort Pierce, Florida. It is the largest amount of gold found in one day in over two decades.

Philip V marries Elizabeth Farnese of Parma by proxy. He saw her for the first time 3 months later. She exerted great influence over Spain’s foreign policy and was the de facto ruler of Spain from 1714 until 1746. She died on July 11, 1766.

The New York Times reported that Stack’s had been appointed by the Real Eight Company as exclusive agent to handle the sale of gold and silver coins recovered by that company. The sale was to take place on Friday, September 19, 1969 at the Park Sheraton Hotel in New York.

Newspaper article from the Miami Herald reports that archaeologists have pinpointed the site of a Spanish camp of 1715 shipwreck survivors. The owner of the land, Robert McClarty, has given the site to the state in return for an agreement to build a museum there. The site is now occupied by the McClarty Treasure Museum.

The governor of the Bahama Islands issues a royal proclamation pardoning all pirates who surrender before September 5, 1718. Henry Jennings who, together with 300 men seized 1715 Fleet treasure that had been salvaged by the Spanish, wisely turned himself in. He lived the rest of his life a respected gentleman of means.

The Battle of Blenheim was fought during the War of Spanish Succession, resulting in a victory for English-led forces over French and Bavarian soldiers.

305th anniversary of the loss of the 1715 Fleet.

The Tricentennial Hoard, consisting of over 352 gold coins of all denominations, is found by Queens Jewels, LLC. The recovery was at the Corrigan’s Beach Wreck site, north of Vero Beach, Florida

The crew of the salvage vessel Pandion finds what is believed to be the fabled “Queens Jewels” at the Cabin Wreck site near Sebastian, Florida.

The Real Eight Museum of Sunken Treasure officially opens in Cape Canaveral at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, 1968.