Would you like to go home with up to $2,500 of treasure from the Nuestra Senora de Atocha, a Spanish galleon that sank off Key West, Florida during a hurricane in 1622? Mel Fisher’s Treasures is offering a limited number of scuba diving treasure hunters the opportunity to spend a week learning about treasure hunting and go deep into the ocean at the site of the Atocha wreck.
It took 16 years of searching and more than 100 court battles, until the US Supreme Court gave MelIt took 16 years of searching and more than 100 court battles, until the US Supreme Court gave Mel Fisher the right to dive for the $450 million dollar treasure cache – “Atocha Mother Lode,” – which was found on July 20, 1985. The Mother Lode: More than 40 tons of silver and gold including over 100,000 Spanish silver coins known as “Pieces of Eight”, gold coins, Colombian emeralds, silver and gold artifacts and over 1000 silver bars. Fisher the right to dive for the $450 million dollar treasure cache – “Atocha Mother Lode,” – which was found on July 20, 1985.
.jpg)
On September 4, 1622 the Tierra Firme flotaof twenty-eight ships left Havana bound for Spain. With it was carried the wealth of an empire; Silver from Peru and Mexico, gold and emeralds from Colombia, pearls from Venezuela. Each ship carried its crew, soldiers, passengers, and all the necessary materials and provisions for a successful voyage.The heavily armed Nuestra Seńora de Atocha sailed as Almirante, or rear guard, of theflota, following the others to prevent an attack from behind the fleet. For additional protection, she bore the name of the holiest of shrines in Madrid.
They marked the site of her loss and moved on to rescue people and treasure from Santa Margarita and Nuestra Seńora del Rosario other ships also lost in the storm. On October 5th a second hurricane came through, and further destroyed the wreck of the Atocha. For the next 60 years, Spanish salvagers searched for the galleon, but they never found a trace. It seemed she was gone for good.
The following day, the fleet found itself being overtaken by a hurricane as it entered the Florida straits. By the morning of September 6th, eight of these vessels lay broken on the ocean floor, scattered from the Marquesas Keys to the Dry Tortugas. In them were the treasures of the Americas, and the untold stories of scores of Spanish sailors, soldiers, noblemen, and clergy.
Today artifacts and treasures from the Atocha and Margarita form the cornerstone of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum’s collection.
Among the items found on the wrecks are a fortune in gold, silver bars, and coins destined for the coffers of Spain; a solid gold belt and necklace set with gems; a gold chalice designed to prevent its user from being poisoned; an intricately-tooled gold plate; a gold chain that weighs more than seven pounds; a horde of contraband emeralds — including an impressive 77.76 carat uncut hexagonal crystal experts have traced to the Muzo mine in Colombia; religious and secular jewelry; and silverware.
With the treasure, and perhaps ultimately more important, were countless articles that provide insight into seventeenth-century life, especially under sail: rare navigational instruments, military armaments, native American objects, tools of various trades, ceramic vessels, galley wares, even seeds and insects. A portion of the Atocha’s lower hull were examined and then recovered to be stored in a protected lagoon at the Florida Keys Community College, making them readily accessible to interested researchers.
