The bounty of gold coins was headed to King Philip V of Spain, including nine Royals worth $300,000 each.
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Treasure hunters in the US say they have discovered a haul of Spanish gold coins from the 18th century that are worth $4.5m (£2.9m).
Brisben also owns 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC, which has exclusive salvage rights to the Spanish shipwreck.
Back in June, divers found treasure valued at more than a million dollars in a ship from the same fleet.
The discovery was typical for treasure search like it which the CEO made together with his team Jonah Martinez, Bill Bartlett and Dan Beckingham.
The coins were found in shallow water – just 6-feet-deep – just off the coast of Vero Beach, meaning beachgoers there have likely been swimming alongside the coins for years. Brisben said the riches, which had been resting underwater since 150 years before the Civil War, included rare “Royals” coins that were made by the order of a Spanish king.
Brent Brisben, owner of 1715 Fleet-Queen’s Jewels, LLC, said the 1715 Fleet is considered one of the most important maritime tragedies in history.
“We work extremely close to shore, which is surprising to most people”. The subcontractors are responsible for their boats, crew and other expenses which can tally up to $50,000 each summer.
Treasure hunting is a popular activity in the waters around Florida.
People might be tempted to think that it is impossible to find a similar treasure along the coastline, but Brisben states the opposite.
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The state of Florida is entitled to 20% of the coins, which they will display in a Tallahassee museum, but judging by the reactions of the crew and the fact they’ll still pull in over $3 million, I doubt they’ll care to much.
