Family finds 300k in Spanish gold coins off Florida coast

hi

A treasure hunting family in Florida found 300k in gold coins and chains that came from a fleet of Spanish ships struck by a strong hurricane off Florida's coast on July 30, 1715.

The family on their boat the "Booty Salvage" found 5 gold coins, a ring and 64 feet of gold chain that weighed more than 3 pounds.

It was just 150 yards off the coast and 15 foot down..






If I had a dream job I think it would have to be "professional treasure hunter". What a cool way to make a living and an awesome find

www.orlandosentinel.com...

Most treasure hunters go a lifetime and never take home a single piece of silver. But one Sanford family is now among the divers who struck gold — and a lot of it.

The treasure-hunting Schmitt family uncovered this weekend what could be $300,000 worth of gold chains and coins off the coast of Fort Pierce.

reply to post by goou111

If I had a dream job I think it would have to be "professional treasure hunter". What a cool way to make a living and an awesome find

I would be cool. It would also help to be independently wealthy or have a strong backer. There are more treasure hunters who strike out than strike it rich (not that anyone is going to retire on 300k).
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Man that would be so exciting
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Its probably not theirs. There are strict regulations concerning finds and treasure hunting in general. Salvage companies have stacked claims to anything found offshore, especially in Florida. Nowadays people can be arrested and face heavy fines for using a metal detector in the wrong place.

reply to post by Phage


Yeah but even striking out would be better than my job lol and it would only take one good find to make it all worth it

eManym
Its probably not theirs. There are strict regulations concerning finds and treasure hunting in general. Salvage companies have stacked claims to anything found offshore, especially in Florida. Nowadays people can be arrested and face heavy fines for using a metal detector in the wrong place.

They get some of it at least

The state gets the first pick of the treasure. Up to 20 percent of the rarest finds will be displayed in museums. The rest will be split equally between Brisben's company and the Schmitts.

Even so, for the Schmitt family, the hunt is about more than just the money.

Finders keepers I say...

That's 70k in raw gold.

And there's plenty of old gold coin around. I'd melt it, and keep it, and not say a word....

reply to post by rival

I'd melt it, and keep it, and not say a word....

And destroy some really nice stuff. Sort of like what the conquistadors did.

Too late for that though, the word is out.

reply to post by goou111


I'm sure I must be related - just hopping off to an ancestry site lol

Cool find S&F

reply to post by Phage


Yes, I'm selfish like that. Or rather I'm selfish of being controlled by anyone other than
myself.

(IF) I find something centuries old lying someplace where there can be no presumption of
ownership to any reasonable degree, ie., lying on the bottom of the ocean, fifteen feet down,
then that something belongs to me.

(IF) you want to pay me for that something that now belongs to me (my stuff) to keep me from
destroying it, feel free to meet the price and take possession. But DO NOT feel free to take
possession of MY STUFF because you or any other "Glads Kravitz" types feel you have some
inherent ownership in MY STUFF...you do not.