June 26, 1967. Real Eight Company divers find a nearly intact treasure chest containing silver coins. A similar chest was previously found in 1965, both at the Cabin Wreck site, near Sebastian, Florida.
June 26th, 1967 – This Day in Fleet History Read More »
Many of our members and website visitors are also members of the American Numismatic Society (ANA). The ANA is holding an election for officers who will be installed at the ANA’s 128th Anniversary Convention in Chicago on August 16, 2019. If you have not yet voted (voting ends on June 30) we urge you to support
Please Vote Don Kagin and Tom Uram Read More »
As a follow up to my April 30th, 2019 post regarding the Bruce Ward Estate, I managed to receive a small sampling of the coins that will become available in the upcoming auction of Estate Fleet items. The auction itself has not yet been scheduled, but it is anticipated to take place within the next
Bruce Ward Estate Update – June 12, 2019 Read More »
Recently, we were contacted by a number of individuals who have expressed an interest in attending our third International Conference on the 1715 Fleet, which is currently being planned for Havana, Cuba in 2020. They were concerned about whether the recently imposed new travel restrictions instituted by the U.S. government would affect our plan to
Cuba Conference Update – June 12, 2019 Read More »
June 8, 1708. British captain ambushes Spanish Treasure Fleet during War of Spanish Succession. The San Jose, one of the richest ships in the fleet with 7 to 11 million pesos on board, is lost.
June 8, 1708 – This Day in Fleet History Read More »
Every so often we feature an item as our monthly treasure that is not particularly unique or special but is noteworthy because it has a story to tell. Our Treasure of the Month for June is such an item. Although a beautiful coin, this undated Mexico four escudos is not by any stretch of the
June 2019 Treasure of the Month Read More »
May 24, 1964 Mel Fisher finds “carpet of gold”. 1,033 gold coins discovered at the Douglass Beach wreck site, near Fort Pierce, Florida.
May 24, 1964 – This Day in Fleet History Read More »
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit the Whydah Museum located at W. Yarmouth, Massachusetts. For those who may not know what this is, the Museum is the repository of artifacts recovered from the only documented pirate ship ever salvaged. This is a one of a kind exhibit and the only place in
DATELINE: W. Yarmouth, Massachusetts Whydah Museum Visit Read More »
May 10, 1961 Articles of Incorporation filed by the Real Eight Company.
May 10th, 1961 – This Day in Fleet History Read More »
May 1, 1965 The Real Eight Company opens their “Museum of Sunken Treasure” in Satellite Beach, Florida. The museum was later removed to a larger facility in Cape Canaveral in 1968.
May 1st, 1965 – This Day in Fleet History Read More »
As a follow up to the recent post regarding the death of Bruce Ward, I have been given permission to provide the following additional information. The auction house handling the estate is Cargile Auctions, Searcy, Arkansas. They have a post listed about the Bruce Ward Estate which provides some details about what the estate consists
Bruce Ward Estate Update Read More »
Our Treasure of the Month for May is an authentic Spanish eight reales coin from the colonial mint at Mexico City encased in a block of Lucite. Weighing in at 131.25 grams, our treasure is 3” x 2” x 1” and is totally cocooned in hard, clear plastic, embossed near the top of one side
May 2019 Treasure of the Month Read More »
Occasionally we come across an interesting news item (shipwreck related) but not about the 1715 Fleet. The Saint James Brewery of Holbrook, New York has come upon a most interesting way to make beer…they brew it from yeast found in bottles of beer that have languished on the ocean floor for 132 years. The owner
DATELINE: Holbrook, New York Taste of History Read More »
Last week, we were contacted by an auction house requesting our assistance in organizing and identifying items in an estate that they were asked to handle. After a brief discussion with a gentleman from the auction house it became apparent that they had many items from the 1715 Fleet. Upon further inquiry I asked the
April 12, 2019 DATELINE: Jerusalem, Arkansas The Passing of Bruce Ward. Read More »
Many of our Fleet Society members are also members of the American Numismatic association (ANA). In the next few months, an ANA election will be held to elect a Board of Governors, a Vice President and President. Those elected will be installed at the ANA’s 128th Anniversary Convention in Chicago on August 16, 2019. I
Don Kagin Candidate for ANA President Read More »
Our Treasure of the Month for April is something that has never been photographed before and is likely never to be photographed again. It is a neatly stacked group of gold Royals from the Spanish colonial mint at Mexico City. These specially struck coins are on broad, thin, round planchets. The legends are complete and
April 2019 Treasure of the Month Read More »
Within the State of Florida’s archaeological collection there resides an unusual and rare artifact, catalog number 93 A. 673. 000103. 0001, lab tag 6458, with the designation “bone toothpick”. It was received into the State’s collection in 1993 after being found at the site number 8SL – 00017, the Douglas Beach Wreck, part of the
An Alternative Explanation for an Iconic Artifact Read More »
Greetings. I am updating my last post of December 14, 2018, regarding the 3rd International Conference on the 1715 Fleet, which the Society is currently planning in Havana for 2020. A lot of time and effort has been devoted thus far to making this Conference a reality. As our point man, Dana Reed of ASC
Cuba Conference Update Read More »
Fleet Society member Tom Uram (Member #23, 84 Pennsylvania) has announced his candidacy for Vice President of the American Numismatic Association (ANA). Tom has been instrumental in helping us network with other organizations that have offered support to the Society and its mission. Consequently, we are supporting him in his effort to become the next
Tom Uram Candidate for ANA VP Read More »
Greetings 1715 Fleet aficionados. Last October, Fleet Society Director Ernie Richards published five new booklets which seek to identify and explain many of the artifacts (some common) that have been recovered over the years from various 1715 Fleet wreck sites. Just in case these booklets escaped your attention, we thought we would publish this post
DATELINE: West Palm Beach, Florida. New Ernie Richards Publication! Read More »
