More than 1,000 silver and gold coins valued at about $1 million have been recovered from the remains of a Spanish fleet that sank over 300 years ago off Florida’s Treasure Coast, the salvage company behind the historic find announced Tuesday.
Florida’s Treasure Coast is the stretch of Atlantic coastline on the state’s east side that covers Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. It got its name because so much treasure from the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet shipwrecks has been found offshore there.
The most recent discovery was made by Capt. Levin Shavers and his crew during the 2025 summer salvage season, according to a news release from salvage company Queens Jewels, LLC. The company owns the exclusive salvage rights to the 1715 Treasure Fleet.
Among the findings were over 1,000 silver coins, known as “Reales,” along with five gold coins called “Escudos” and other rare gold artifacts.
The coins, preserved beneath centuries of sand and sea, were part of the vast fortune carried by the Spanish fleet that sank during a hurricane on July 31, 1715. Historians estimate as much as $400 million in gold, silver, and jewels were lost, making the disaster one of the greatest maritime tragedies — and treasures — of the Americas.
Queens Jewels, LLC
Treasure coins from 1715 shipwreck tell stories of Spanish Empire
“This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” said Sal Guttuso, Director of Operations for 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.”
Queens Jewels, LLC 
The silver pieces of eight were minted in Spanish colonies including Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia.
Many still bear visible dates and mint marks, offering value to both historians and collectors. Experts believe the condition of the coins suggests they may have come from a single chest or shipment that spilled as the ship broke apart in the storm.
Florida’s Treasure Coast continues to yield historic discoveries
The wreck site lies along Florida’s Treasure Coast, where salvage operations continue under state oversight and archaeological guidelines.
“Every find helps piece together the human story of the 1715 fleet,” Guttuso said. “We are committed to preserving and studying these artifacts so future generations can appreciate their historical significance.”
The recovered coins will undergo conservation before being displayed publicly. Plans are underway for select pieces to be exhibited at local museums, the salvage company said.
