Seafarer Exploration Corp (SFRX)

[Southern Gal]

INDUSTRY NEWS!

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/watch-florida-man-discovers-1-million-shipwrecked-treasure-article-1.2305687

A company dedicated to recouping the valuables on a ship that sank almost 300 years ago after departing Havana made one of the biggest finds so far — recouping more than $1 million worth of gold coins and chains.

Queens Jewels LLC has had the salvaging rights to the 1715 Fleet, a group of Spanish ships that were shipwrecked off the Florida coast on July 31, 1715, since 2010. Since the ship was discovered about 50 years ago divers have discovered about $50 million worth of treasure onboard the ship.

Queens Jewels owner Brent Brisben told the Daily News this discovery, which includes 51 coins and 40 feet of gold chains, is of the biggest single hauls taken from the ship.

"I was literally shaking," he said. "It was overwhelming."

Fifty-one gold coins and 40 feet of gold chains were found from the Spanish ship 1715 Fleet. The total value of the haul is more than $1 million. About $50 million worth of treasure have been discovered since the 1960s. Florida resident Eric Schmitt filmed himself making the historic discovery. This is one of the biggest single hauls based on value and volume in the 50 years the boat has been salvaged.
The company enters agreements with individual contractors who pay a fee and then search the waters for treasure. The company released a video of Eric Schmitt, a resident of Sanford, Fla., making the enthusiastic discovery in about 15 feet of water off Ft. Pierce, Fla.

Per their agreement Brisben gives 20% of everything found to the state of Florida and then splits the remaining treasure equally with the contractor that finds it. Brisben said he and his family will keep everything they have and save it for a special collection for the public.

It's believed there is still $400 million worth of treasure located below, he said.

"Finding history and sharing it with the world is a magical experience," he said. "I get such positive feedback from everyone I talk with."

Finding history and sharing it with the world is a magical experience.
The coins' denominations are 17 Eight Escudos, 22 Two Escudos and 12 One Escudos. The gold chains are countless small, hand-crafted links, each of which is basically a 2-sided, 6-petalled flower called an "olive blossom." The chains are believed to have been used as a tax-free alternative to coins.

The ships departed Havana, Cuba, on July 24, 1715, and were shipwrecked a week later.


[e-mail]