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Category: Treasure of the Month

Each month, Fleet Society Directors feature one treasure piece of special significance to the 1715 Fleet.

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January 2021 Treasure of the Month

We begin the new year with our Treasure of the Month for January, this pair of earrings from the famous “Queen’s Jewels” find of 1993. What were the “Queen’s Jewels”? Well, here is the story.

December 31, 2020 No Comments

December 2020 Treasure of the Month

Even though our Treasure of the Month for December has been out of production for over 50 years, it still makes a very nice gift. In fact it was a gift presented to me recently

November 30, 2020 No Comments

November 2020 Treasure of the Month

November’s featured treasure is one of the rarest and coveted items ever recovered from the wreck sites of the 1715 Fleet—a gold Royal. Specifically, in this case, a 1713 eight escudos Royal from the Spanish

October 30, 2020 No Comments

October 2020 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for October is a departure from our usual treasure offerings. Unlike most of our featured treasures it is not something that can be held in one’s hand and studied up

September 30, 2020 No Comments

September 2020 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for September features two silver eight reales from the Mexico City mint. Upon close observation, they do not appear to be particularly noteworthy, other than the fact that they are

August 30, 2020 1 Comment

August 2020 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for August has its origins in a prior treasure that we featured a few years ago in December, 2015. Here is the story. On Sunday, August 15, 2010 diver Bonnie

July 31, 2020 7 Comments

July 2020 Treasure of the Month

Our featured treasure for July is a small but extremely deadly item used by the Spanish and often found on 1715 Fleet wreck sites. Used in close combat, the split shot was an early form

June 29, 2020 No Comments

June 2020 Treasure of the Month

Our featured treasure for June does not have all of the eye appeal of past items that we have showcased here. But, nonetheless, this item was critical to the successful construction of ships used in

May 31, 2020 No Comments

May 2020 Treasure of the Month

Our featured Treasure of the Month for May is this nifty 12 coin aggregate (informally referred to as a “clump”) consisting of silver reales from the Spanish colonial mint at Mexico City. The clump has

April 30, 2020 1 Comment

April 2020 Treasure of the Month

The Treasure of the Month for April is this small group of gold Mexico eight escudos from the State of Florida Collection. What makes this group so special is the very odd shape portrayed in

March 30, 2020 1 Comment

March 2020 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for March is this bowlful of eight reales recently purchased from the Bruce Ward Estate. These reales are all uncleaned, encrusted and have that ”fresh from the sea” appearance. Some

February 28, 2020 3 Comments

February 2020 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for February is this gold chain and toothpick from the State of Florida Collection. Officially identified as 72A 018 000042 0001, this item was found at the Rio Mar Wreck

January 30, 2020 1 Comment

January 2020 Treasure of the Month

As we begin a new decade our hope is for success and prosperity in the coming years. For centuries gold has been equated with success and prosperity. Gold has also been memorialized in the lexicon

January 1, 2020 No Comments

December 2019 Treasure of the Month

For December’s Treasure of the Month we are going to revisit one of the most recognized and revered artifacts ever associated with the 1715 Fleet: the Dragon Whistle. Previously featured as our Treasure of the

November 29, 2019 3 Comments

November 2019 Treasure of the Month

Not long ago our Treasure of the Month for November was quietly resting at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. It was recovered from its hiding place on June 4, 2019 by Kenton Dickerson, while

October 30, 2019 No Comments

October 2019 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for October is this beautiful (and extremely rare) two escudos gold piece from the old Spanish colonial mint of Santa Fe de Bogota located in Columbia. There is a fascinating

September 29, 2019 1 Comment

September 2019 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for September is this intriguing little 6.9 gram artifact recently recovered (August 10, 2019) near the Corrigan’s Beach Wreck site north of Vero Beach. This tiny item is a 1/8

August 29, 2019 No Comments

August 2019 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for August is this group of coins and artifacts recently liberated from Neptune’s grasp in late June 2019. The “liberator” of these items was none other than Eric Schmitt, a well-known diver,

July 30, 2019 No Comments

July 2019 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for July is a free-blown utility bottle of the type used on sailing ships for the very practical purpose of storing or transporting liquid material such as wine, rum or

June 29, 2019 No Comments

June 2019 Treasure of the Month

Every so often we feature an item as our monthly treasure that is not particularly unique or special but is noteworthy because it has a story to tell. Our Treasure of the Month for June