Thirty-seven gold coins, stolen by salvagers from a nearly 310-year-old shipwreck off of Florida’s coast, have been recovered by authorities, the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced this week.
The recovery “marks a major milestone in a long-standing investigation” into the theft and illegal trafficking of such historical artifacts, the agency said in a news release on Tuesday. The coins have an estimated combined value of more than $1 million.
Authorities say that in 2015, there were 101 gold coins salvaged from the 1715 Fleet — a collection of Spanish treasure-laden ships that sank during a hurricane off of Florida’s central coast.
While 51 of these coins were “reported correctly and adjudicated,” 50 coins were not disclosed and were subsequently stolen, Florida authorities say.
Investigations revealed the illegal sale of the coins in 2023 and 2024. Using search warrants, authorities recovered the coins from private residences, safe deposit boxes and auctions.
The agency identified a suspect — a family member of the team contracted to salvage the shipwreck a decade ago — but it is unclear if they have officially been charged yet.
As required by state and federal law, the recovered artifacts will be returned to their “rightful custodians.” Additional information on who the “rightful custodian” of the coins is was not immediately available.
“This case underscores the importance of safeguarding Florida’s rich cultural heritage and holding accountable those who seek to profit from its exploitation,” Camille Soverel, an investigator for The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said in the news release.
Over the years millions of dollars in gold coins from the 1715 Fleet — in a coastal area stretching from Melbourne to Fort Pierce, known as Florida’s Treasure Coast — have been found by salvagers and treasure hunters.