coastline continues to grow. Although some of the lost treasure
has already been recovered, there is still much more waiting
to be discovered. Tales, rumors, and even occasional maps still
abound about how and where these coveted valuables might
be located. Many of these refer to our own Florida Gulf Coast.
So, stay alert when you are strolling along the beach and
when you are swimming, snorkeling or diving in the Gulf of
Mexico. You may discover your own bounty. Just be prepared
to share a portion of it with the State of Florida, perhaps Spain,
and maybe even Peru, where many of the precious metals
were originally mined.
9
Sarasota artist Don Maitz, who is known for his paintings of pirates, depicted one of them
saving his plunder for a rainy day in Pirates Banking.
and silver pieces, coins, artifacts, and even exceptionally
high-grade emeralds. Mel Fisher, who died in 1998, and his
company, Salvors, Inc., also found several additional ships in
our Florida waters.
Eleven Spanish ships that were traveling together en
route north from Havana, Cuba sank in July, 1715, during a
hurricane, which drove them against reefs off the coast of what
is now Vero Beach on Florida’s Central East Coast. The site,
which was discovered in the 1960s, continues to spread along
the shoreline, and results in an occasional successful discovery.
Queens Jewels, LLC, which has owned the salvaging rights
to it since 2010, reportedly recouped over one million dollars
worth of treasure last July, 2015. The find included 51 gold
coins and 40 feet of hand-crafted gold chains, which had
probably been created as a means of avoiding a gold tax. The
company, which has already brought up $50 million worth of
treasure, estimates that an additional $400 million of it still
remains below sea level.
The number of successful discoveries along our Florida
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you have any questions about the people,
places or things in the Tampa Bay area, please send them to “Ask
Margaret” at Tampa Bay Magazine, 2531 Landmark Drive, Suite
101, Clearwater, Florida 33761. We regret that not all questions can
be answered.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 125