Treasure hunters in Florida find hundreds of silver coins from historic shipwrecks dating back to 1715
Hundreds of coins recovered from sunken ship
Brevard County hunters found hundreds of silver coins buried in the sea
BREVARD COUNTY, Florida. – The treasure hunting season in Florida has started successfully and treasure hunters in Brevard County have hit the jackpot with their first find of the season.
Hundreds of silver coins are now back on land after being buried at sea for more than 300 years.
“It was kind of mind-numbing, you know. You don’t expect something like that. You always hope for it, but you never expect it,” said Grant Gitschlag, one of the treasure hunters and boat captain at the historic find.
He wasn’t the only one who was surprised.
“I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect this at all, and that’s how the greatest finds happen,” said Corinne Lea, who was also involved in the hunt.
During the dive in late May, they sent a text message to Sal Guttuso, who oversees their operation, knowing they had stumbled upon something big.
“We are facing something really good,” said Guttuso, who commissioned these divers to explore the sunken ships dating back to 1715.
The discovery of such large treasures is extremely rare, as salvages have been carried out for decades after sunken Spanish ships dating back to 1715.
Finding a single treasure is exciting, but they found 214 historical pieces in just two days.
“To reach such a volume within a few days is a very exciting start,” added Gitschlag.
This team of hunters has been working together for years, sailing on the boat Lilly May and searching for treasure off the coast of Indian River County.
“It’s about the find. It’s just about the find,” Lea said. “I love the story of being the first person in 309 years to find something that was once lost in a tragedy.”
The ships from Spain sank during a hurricane.
“These ships, many of them, were simply torn to pieces and the treasures flew everywhere,” Guttuso added.
After the treasure is brought back to the surface, it goes directly to Guttuso, the operations manager of 1715 Fleet Queen’s Jewels LLC.
His company is the administrator and sole salvage company for the U.S. District Court of the historic treasure fleet from 1715.
Conservation efforts are currently underway to recover all historical coins.
They are still covered in 300-year-old sand and shells, but when preserved, the history hidden beneath will come to light.
The treasure hunters are ready to go out again and see what else they can bring to the surface.
“Oh, a crown!” cried Lea. “I always say, no matter how delicate the crown may be, I will arrive at the top with a crown.”
“You know, the treasure does not grow back. With every piece you take out, there is one less piece you have to find,” concluded Gitschlag.
