A family found a rare collection of gold coins — worth a total of $1 million — from a 1715 shipwreck off the Florida coast.
The Schmitt family found a coin made specifically for the king of Spain, Phillip V, along with dozens more, Brent Brisben of 1715 Fleet — Queens Jewels LLC told Florida Today.
“Oh my God! Oh my God!” a diver from the expedition can be heard screaming into his mask during video uploaded by the website on July 27.
“The treasure was actually found a month ago,” Mr. Brisben told the website. He added that keeping the news a secret for so long was “particularly hard for the family that found it. They’ve been beside themselves. … We’re going to be on Fox News on Wednesday morning. Camera crews did some filming for the ’Today’ show Monday morning.”
The Schmitt family, who are subcontractors to 1715 Fleet — Queens Jewels, also found treasure off Fort Pierce in 2013 and 2014, Florida Today reported. Members found 50 feet of gold chain and a gold-filigree pyx, or frame.
The treasure is a small part of coinage from 11 ships that sank with the queen’s jewels during a hurricane. Mr. Brisben said that there is estimated to be another $400 million worth of treasure waiting to be found.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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