Treasures of the Lost Galleons

Nuestra Senora de Atocha
a Brief History

The "Coins of the Atocha" lay on the sea floor off the coast of the Florida Keys since her loss on September 6, 1622. (National Geographic, June 1976). They are redolent of life and death - the drowning of hopes, fortune and lives in the shipwreck and the decay of the Spanish Empire; yet they also speak of a once-bustling commerce, living again to be treasured by today's collector.

They are a potpourri of 17th century trade: Pieces of four and eight coined at the Potosi, Lima and Mexico City mints during 1535 through 1621.

The coins were the first clues that the legendary "Nuestra Senora de Atocha" had been found. A blackened, coral encrusted clump was brought to the surface in June of 1971 by a diver of world famous, Treasure Salvers, Inc. Under the watchful eye of Mel Fisher, president of this free-wheeling band, the "clump," was carefully cleaned. And revealed, for the first time in 349 years, fifteen "pieces of eight" of remarkable clarity and beauty. They were barely touched by the ravagers of corrosion so common to coins salvaged from shipwrecks. On one shining coin was the magic date - 1621!

Later recoveries such as numbered silver bars and the magnificent bronze cannons positively identified the "Atocha," and immensely added to the value of the coins.

The Potosi Mint

Except for a few appropriately priced rarities from other mints, the coins represent the output of the Potosi Mint, located near a mountain of silver in Bolivia. The mint opened in 1574 by Royal Decree of King Philip II. Many coins bear the crest of this early period.

The coinage is circular with the crest of the reigning monarch on the obverse (front). All carry the personal emblem of the king and indicates the countries under Spain's domination during that period.

The reverse bears the Spanish cross, and the castles and lions representing the provinces of Castle and Leon. The date, which rarely appears this early, also appears on the reverse from this mint.

The value of the "Coins of the Atocha" lies not only in their rarity, but in the meticulous documentation on the vessel from the Archives of the Indies in Seville, Spain. This documentation makes them a wise investment for those so interested. For others, to own one is an opportunity to own a piece of 17th century Spain and to share in an adventure that the Queen of Spain called ". . . one of the magnificent endeavors of our time."