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Plus Ultra Cover Coin – 4th Quarter 2015

Welcome to our newest regular feature from the archives of the Plus Ultra Newsletter. The Plus Ultra Newsletter was published from 1983 until 2016 and was at the time considered by many to be the leading authority on all things related to the 1715 Fleet. A regular feature of each issue was the “Cover Coin” which was highlighted on the cover of each issue. Along with the coin was a short paragraph or two explaining the significance of the coin. We are indeed pleased to be able to present this “Cover Coin” from the annals of the Plus Ultra Newsletter.

For more information about the Plus Ultra Newsletter and other publications by Ernie Richards, visit En Rada Publications at EnRada.com.

Cover Coin - Plus Ultra 4th Quarter 2015 Optimized

In cooperation with the 1715 Fleet Society and its 300th Anniversary Commemoration of the loss of this famous Spanish fleet, Cover Coins, whenever possible over recent issues, have been selected from the Society’s website study set. BUT…in another stroke of luck following “Commemoration Week” on the Treasure Coast, Brent Brisben, co-founder of 1715 Fleet—Queen’s Jewels, LLC, announced the recovery (see pp. 6-8) of more than 350 additional gold coins, nine of which were “royal” eight-escudo pieces dated 1711 and 1712!

This time, the recovery crewmen were from Brisben’s boat the CAPITANA, and the find was off the Vero Beach site called “Corrigan’s Wreck”. The recovery was made on the actual anniversary days of the 1715 hurricane (30 and 31 July) which decimated the Spanish fleet of eleven ships that year. This wreck has yielded a great amount of gold coins to divers and beachcombers over the past six decades … and, apparently, there is more yet to come.

Our Cover Coin(s) this time are one each of the dated “royals” from this latest bonanza. A 1712 8E obverse is laid over a 1711 8E obverse on p. 1, while the similar reverses are shown here on p. 2. The outstanding detail of the obverses are the “oXMJ” mint-assayer combination peculiar to gold coins of these dates. The reverses feature the same-design crosslet-crosses bearing stylized fleurs-de-lis in the quadrants. The legends read: PHILLIPVS : V : DEI : G (date) / HISPANIARVM : ET : INDIARVM : REX X as we  are accustomed to seeing on 1715 Fleet silver and gold coins.

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