For more than 300 years, a fortune in gold and silver lay hidden beneath the waves off Florida’s east coast. Now, salvage crews have uncovered an extraordinary haul from the depths — a real-life buried treasure with a price tag of nearly $1 million.

A Hurricane, a Lost Fleet, and Centuries of Silence

In July 1715, a powerful hurricane struck a Spanish treasure fleet bound for Europe, tearing ships apart and dragging their precious cargo to the ocean floor. The fleet had been carrying immense wealth from the Americas back to Spain, including gold, silver, and jewels.

Historians estimate the disaster sent $400 million worth of treasure to the bottom of the sea. The tragedy, coupled with its riches, gave Florida’s eastern shoreline its famous nickname — the “Treasure Coast.”

Hundreds of coins were found (1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels)

The 2025 Discovery

This summer, Captain Levin Shavers and his salvage crew from Queens Jewels, LLC (the company holding the salvage rights) struck gold — literally.

From beneath “centuries of sand and sea,” divers recovered:

• 1,000 silver coins known as Reales

• Five gold coins called Escudos

• Several rare gold artifacts

Despite their age, many of the coins were astonishingly well-preserved, still bearing legible dates and mint marks from mints in Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia.

Experts believe the coins may have been stored inside a wooden chest or shipment crate that burst open when the hurricane destroyed the vessel.

It’s a historic discovery (1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels)

A Rare Glimpse Into the Spanish Empire

“This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” said Sal Guttuso, Director of Queens Jewels.

“Each coin is a piece of history — a tangible link to the people who lived, worked, and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”

The haul represents one of the largest single recoveries from the 1715 fleet in recent years.

What Happens Next

The coins and artifacts will undergo careful conservation to preserve their details before going on display in museums across Florida. Visitors will soon have the chance to witness firsthand the treasures that shaped Florida’s maritime legacy.

“Every find helps piece together the human story of the 1715 fleet,” Guttuso added. “We are committed to preserving and studying these artifacts so future generations can appreciate their historical significance.”

A Treasure Coast Legacy

The sinking of the 1715 Spanish fleet remains one of the greatest maritime tragedies — and most famous treasure stories — of the Americas.

Now, thanks to modern salvage efforts, a new chapter has been added to the tale: a glittering reminder that Florida’s coast still guards secrets from centuries past.