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1715 Fleet Society Newsletter

This page focuses on all things 1715 Fleet-related — including our regular Treasure of the Month feature, This Day in Fleet History posts, tidbits from the Fleet Society Archives, new recoveries, and more.

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Mel Fisher Days — Annual Charity Event (July 19-21)

The Mel Fisher Days — Annual Charity Event is almost here! Since it started in 1998 it has been held in Key West, but this year it will be held in Sebastian, Florida “where it all began.”

July 16, 2024 No Comments

From the Fleet Society Archives — June 25, 1964

Newspapers reported that the state of Florida was maintaining an air of secrecy regarding the number of coins found by treasure hunters who recovered coins while operating under leases provided by the state. It appeared

July 16, 2024 No Comments

From the Fleet Society Archives — Florida Speaks, Fall Edition 1950

Among the many documents, letters, and assorted ephemera that are part of the Fleet Society Archives, there are many magazines. While going through some old publications I came across an interesting item from 1950 …

July 10, 2024 No Comments

More News From Down Under

We recently posted an article (July 6) about an aggregate (or “clump”) that was acquired by Jeremy Watherston (Member #145), our Fleet Society representative for Australia. Jeremy sent another email about a complete set of

July 9, 2024 No Comments

News From Down Under

Recently we heard from Jeremy Watherston (Member # 145) from Brisbane, Australia regarding a new acquisition he wanted to share with us. He was fortunate to acquire a really nice aggregate or “clump” from the

July 6, 2024 No Comments

Happy 4th of July!

Let us remember our heroes who advocated the freedom we all enjoy today. Happy 4th of July!

July 4, 2024 No Comments

Mel Fisher Days — Annual Charity Event

The Mel Fisher Days — Annual Charity Event is approaching! Since it started in 1998 it has been held in Key West, but this year it will be held in Sebastian, Florida “where it all

July 1, 2024 1 Comment

Shipwrecks, Treasure, Hoards, and Finds from Around the World

Greetings website visitors, We would like to announce a new addition to our website. Effective July 1, 2024, we will be featuring a new page called “Shipwrecks, Treasure, Hoards, and Finds from Around the World”.

July 1, 2024 No Comments

July 2024 -Treasure of the Month

July’s Treasure of the Month was a few short weeks ago residing on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of Florida. Found in May, our treasure consists of over 210 silver

June 30, 2024 No Comments

This Day in Fleet History – June 26, 1967

On this day, 55 years ago, a team of Real Eight Company divers working at the Cabin Wreck site near Sebastian, Florida find a nearly intact treasure chest containing silver coins. This is the second

June 26, 2024 No Comments

Mel Fisher Before the 1715 Fleet

While searching through a stack of archival documents and records I came across a booklet entitled “1956 “aqua lung” Your Passport To The Blue Continent”. What was particularly interesting about the booklet was that it

June 23, 2024 No Comments

This Day in Fleet History – June 17, 2015

The Tricentennial Royal and over 50 other gold coins are found by the Schmitt family near Fort Pierce, Florida.

June 17, 2024 No Comments

From the Fleet Society Archives — February 14, 1965

Winter Park’s very busy Commercial Bank was celebrating its 10th Anniversary. Bank officials were looking for a theme to promote not only the anniversary but a theme that would also attract new customers to their bank.

June 14, 2024 No Comments

From the Fleet Society Archives — June 5, 1967

According to Florida news outlets the Real Eight Company reported a profitable salvage month for May 1967. Divers for the company recovered precious artifacts, gold, and silver along with a rare 1702 Spanish coin with

June 9, 2024 No Comments

This Day In Fleet History – June 8, 1708

British Captain Charles Wagers ambushes a Spanish Treasure Fleet near Cartagena during the War of Spanish Succession. Sunk in the battle was the San Jose which was laden with gold, silver, and precious gems which

June 8, 2024 No Comments

From the Fleet Society Archives — September 1, 1994

In 1994 the Historical Research and Development, Inc. (HRD) company engaged in marine excavations, archaeology, historical research, and the development of technologies to advance the field of historical science. It was a privately held Florida

June 8, 2024 No Comments

First-Hand Account of Sinking of San Jose Discovered

Our continued reporting on the San Jose lead to us being contacted by Fleet Society member Matt Puleo (Member # 183 Tampa, Florida), with an interesting story. Matt happened to come across an old newspaper

June 3, 2024 No Comments

This Day in Fleet History – June 1, 2003

The Half Reale salvage crew finds an ornate solid gold “jewelry box” containing a seven-emerald gold cross, a large woven chain, and two gold-and-emerald rings. Found at the Cabin Wreck site near Sebastian, Florida. (The

June 1, 2024 No Comments

June 2024 – Treasure of the Month

For our June Treasure of the Month, we feature a mass of miscellaneous objects fused together into what is often referred to as a “conglomerate”. Closely related to “encrusted objects” and “aggregates”, conglomerates often feature

May 31, 2024 No Comments

San Jose Update

We have been regularly posting updates in our Newsletter about the San Jose. The reason for all this attention is that the San Jose bears a relevance to the 1715 Fleet. The San Jose was

May 28, 2024 No Comments

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July 2024 -Treasure of the Month

July’s Treasure of the Month was a few short weeks ago residing on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of Florida. Found in May, our treasure consists of over 210 silver

June 30, 2024 No Comments

June 2024 – Treasure of the Month

For our June Treasure of the Month, we feature a mass of miscellaneous objects fused together into what is often referred to as a “conglomerate”. Closely related to “encrusted objects” and “aggregates”, conglomerates often feature

May 31, 2024 No Comments

May 2024 – Treasure of the Month

May’s Treasure of the Month is this exceptional group of eight reales and four reales silver coins (also known as “cobs”) from the Spanish colonial mint at Mexico City. What makes this grouping so special

April 30, 2024 1 Comment

April 2024 – Treasure of the Month

This month’s featured treasure is this gold ring with mysterious engraved crosses and letters INSIDE OF THE RING! There were of course many rings recovered from the 1715 Fleet (both by salvors and on the

March 29, 2024 No Comments

March 2024 – Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for March is an artifact recovered from what is known as the “Chest of Worked Silver” found by Mike Perna, Captain of the recovery vessel Mighty Mo and his crewmate Milan “Choppy”

February 29, 2024 No Comments

February 2024 – Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for February is this intact gold and red-coral rosary (beach find) from the 1715 Fleet. Intact rosaries are quite rare, as the delicate chain parts often separated. Measuring 34” long

February 1, 2024 No Comments

January 2024 – Treasure of the Month

We begin the New Year with a bang as our featured treasure for January is this “grenade” from the 1715 Fleet. Officially known as a “Hand Thrown Incendiary” these small devices, much like the modern

December 31, 2023 1 Comment

December 2023 – Treasure of the Month

For our December Treasure of the Month, we usually showcase an item that we would like to find under our Christmas tree. This year is no different. Our featured item is this most unusual 1713

November 30, 2023 No Comments

November 2023 Treasure of the Month

Our featured treasure for the month of November is this gold cob 8 escudos, 1699 R from the Spanish colonial mint of Lima, Peru. This example has all the characteristics of a superb specimen, good

October 30, 2023 1 Comment

October 2023 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for October is part of a larger hoard recovered by Mike Maguire after Hurricane Erin struck the east coast of Florida in August 1995. Erin made landfall near Vero Beach.

September 28, 2023 No Comments

September 2023 Treasure of the Month

September’s Treasure of the Month is this beautiful jade Foo Dog. Foo Dogs are not really dogs; they are actually lions. Originating in China, these imposing creatures were used to guard outside temples and homes.

August 30, 2023 No Comments

August 2023 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for August is this fully intact “olive jar” recovered from the Douglass Beach wreck site near Fort Pierce, Florida. Attractively adorned with coral encrustation this container is truly a treasure

July 31, 2023 No Comments

July 2023 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for July is this 1715 dated eight escudos gold coin (also known as a “cob”) from the Spanish colonial mint located in Mexico City. This coin is one of two

June 30, 2023 No Comments

June 2023 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for June is this triple dated 1686 silver eight reales coin from the Spanish colonial mint at Potosi. It is rare indeed to find two dates on a Potosi eight

May 31, 2023 No Comments

May 2023 Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for May is a continuation of our enchantment with encrusted objects (or EO’s) and coin clumps (officially known as “aggregates”). Our featured treasure this month is a clump of approximately

May 1, 2023 No Comments

April 2023 Treasure of the Month

Emeralds! That is the focus of our Treasure of the Month for April. These stones were an important part of the treasure recovered from the wreck sites of the 1715 Fleet. During the sixteenth through

March 31, 2023 No Comments

March 2023 – Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for March is a silver eight reales with an interesting provenance. This coin was part of a hoard popularly known as the “Bulldozer Hoard” or the “Bulldozer Bonanza.” The story

February 28, 2023 1 Comment

February 2023 – Treasure of the Month

Our February Treasure of the Month is a cannonball recovered from one of the wreck sites of the 1715 Fleet. Although a relatively common artifact, this cannonball is special because it can be directly attributed

January 30, 2023 No Comments

January 2023 – Treasure of the Month

Our Treasure of the Month for January is a most unusual item, a partially encrusted Mexico eight reales. Although coins from the 1715 Fleet covered with ocean deposits (hence the term “encrusted”) have been found

December 31, 2022 No Comments

December 2022 Treasure of the Month

Inasmuch as December is traditionally a month of giving we usually feature an item that we think would be nice to find gift wrapped under a tree on Christmas morning. Our Treasure of the Month