Researchers have found more than enough pieces of eight to last a lifetime, with a long-lost shipwreck being discovered with $1,000,000 inside. There are far too many tragic stories of ships being lost at sea, and while the fictionalized adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies might seem a little far-fetched, piracy very much was (and still is in some regions) a lucrative business on the high seas.
When it comes to Florida’s ‘Treasure Coast’, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where this part of the Atlantic gets its name from.
1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC announced the discovery, with over 1,000 silver and gold coins that are thought to be minted in the Spanish colonies of Bolivia, Mexico, and Peru, being discovered in this lucrative stretch of Floridian waters.
The area has become a hotbed for excavators, all due to the legendary tale of the 1715 Treasure Fleet. On July 31, 1715, a flotilla of ships was wrecked in a hurricane when it travelled back from the New World with a bounty of gold, silver, and jewels.
Salvagers have spent years hauling millions of dollars from the shipwrecks that litter the coast from Melbourne to Fort Pierce, although this latest discovery is a pretty massive one.
The find comes courtesy of Capt. Levin Shavers and the crew of the M/V Just Right, and alongside over 1,000 silver Reales, five gold Escudos, and other apparently rare gold artefacts, have been raised from the deep during the 2025 summer salvage season.
Some of the coins still have dates and mint marks on them, with historians and collectors alike sure to be scrambling to get a piece of the $1,000,000 treasure.
In a statement, salvage director Sal Guttuso said: “This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells.
“Each coin is a piece of history, a tangible link to the people who lived, worked, and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”
The jewels went missing in a 1715 hurricane (Bildagentur-online / Contributor via Getty)
It’s estimated that around $400 million worth of gold, silver, and jewels were lost during the 1715 hurricane, meaning it’s one of the greatest maritime tragedies of the Americas.
Gutusso concluded: “Every find helps piece together the human story of the 1715 fleet. We are committed to preserving and studying these artifacts so future generations can appreciate their historical significance.”
The coins will undergo conservation and are then expected to be exhibited at local museums for residents to take a glimpse of Florida’s maritime past. It’s the sole purpose of 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC to continue salvaging these sunken treasures, serving as the U.S. District Courts’ custodian and exclusive salvaging company of the fleet. Only 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels, LLC and subcontractors are permitted to salvage these wrecks, but with such a monumental find having just happened, we wonder what else is lurking down there.
Lost pirate ship with $130,000,000 worth of treasure discovered off Africa’s largest island
A lost pirate ship with a whopping $130 million worth of treasure on board has been found off the coast of Africa’s largest island.
The incredible discovery was made by a team of archeologists who believe they may have stumbled upon the wreckage of a ship that may have fallen victim to one of the most notorious pirates in history.
The Portuguese ship was known as Nossa Senhora do Cabo and sank over 300 years ago along the northeast coast of Madagascar, near the island of Nosy Borhan.
It is thought that the ship might have been attacked by the infamous French pirate, Oliver ‘The Buzzard’ Levasseur.
Levasseur first became a privateer for the French crown during the War of the Spanish Succession which lasted from 1701 to 1714.
It’s thought the ship might have been attacked by the infamous French pirate, Oliver ‘The Buzzard’ Levasseur (MR1805/Getty Images)
Afterwards, he was ordered to return home with his ship but instead, Levasseur joined the pirate company of Benjamin Hornigold in 1716.
Levasseur later became known for pilfering ships around the world and it’s believed that this particular vessel, Nossa Senhora do Cabo, fell victim to the pirate in 1721.
Two US researchers, Brandon Clifford and Mark Agostini, from the Centre for Historic Shipwreck Preservation, uncovered a whopping 3,000 artifacts from the boat, and the entire loot is estimated to be worth a total of $138 million today.
Among the items recovered from the wrecked ship were luxury pottery, Arabic-inscribed coins and religious figurines.
It is believed that the ship was heading towards Lisbon, Portugal, but never made it after the crew were targeted by Levasseur.
Speaking to Live Science, Agostini said that he believed that other archaeologists had underestimated the scientific treasures located in Madagascar, adding: “Ideally, future fieldwork will lead to more analysis of the many wrecks there.”
The incredible discovery was made by a team of archeologists (Thing Nong Nont/Getty Images)
Other notable crimes of Oliver ‘The Buzzard’ Levasseur
During his time on the Brazilian Coast, Levasseur attacked many boats, notably targeting a slave ship heading from Angola.
The crew was left to sink in their ship after it was robbed and damaged.
Levasseur then abandoned 240 slaves on an island near Rio de Janeiro.
It is not known what happened to the slaves, but it is believed that they perished on the island.
Levasseur continued traveling the seas for the next few years, pilfering and commandeering ships.
The pirate was finally captured near Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, and taken to Saint-Denis, Réunion, where he was hanged for piracy on July 7, 1730.
Researchers discover ancient city hidden along the 6,400km Silk Road in huge breakthrough
A major breakthrough has been made as two ancient cities have been discovered on Asia’s historic Silk Road, leading to further research into the uncovering of hidden civilizations.
Due to the sheer scale and age of the Earth it’s only natural that we’re still discovering remnants of the past, or perhaps areas that have never even been found before.
From hidden Mayan temples to ‘lost cities’ at the bottom of the ocean, there are countless historical gems that have been found in recent years, but perhaps the most significant are a pair of ancient cities along the 6,400km Silk Road in Asia.
Tashbulak and Tugunbulak were both found around 2,000 meters above sea level in the mountains of Uzbekistan, and researchers were able to use drone-based technology to spot and visualize the settlements.
Plain grass areas like this were previously home to booming cities at the heart of trade (M. Frachetti)
Smaller of the two is Tashbulak, which stretches around 12 hectares, but Tugunbulak stretches over ten times the size of its partner, as reported by Science Focus, and measures around three times the size of Vatican City.
It’s estimated that this hidden city could have been one of the largest settlements on the Silk Road, and thus would have played a major part in Asia’s trade activities over 1,000 years ago.
What remains remarkable is that the two cities were spotted using drones otherwise known as ‘LiDAR’, which stands for ‘light detection and ranging device’, where laser beams are shot out and returned in order to measure distance.
The cities were spotted through the area’s lackluster tree coverage, showing a rather clear defined zone of where the cities might have existed upon the mountains, but with the use of LiDAR tech they were able to measure down to the centimeter.
Renders have given a vivid picture of what ‘lost’ cities like Tugunbulak would have looked like (SAIElab/J.Berner/M. Frachetti)
3D renders have been able to estimate various building structures within the cities, giving a vivid picture of what this now non-existent area would have looked like.
Dr. Michael Frachetti, who served as the lead researcher on the project, detailed that “the mountains actually were host to major centers for interaction. Animals, ores, and other precious resources likely drove their prosperity.”
Focus on the Silk Road has largely remained between China and the West, but discoveries like these could illuminate the importance of locations along the trade path, and allow for a greater understanding of history.
Furthermore, Frachetti also argues that discoveries such as this should hopefully allow more research to be conducted using similar drone technology, which could lead to analysis that was previously inaccessible.
Featured Image Credit: SAIElab/J.Berner/M. Frachetti
