Bolivia 8 Reales 1598-1621 "Atocha 1622 Shipwreck" RAW
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Philip III "Pre-Motherlode Atocha" Cob 8 Reales (ND, 1598–1621) – 1982 COA!!
This ruggedly handsome Cob 8 Reales, struck during the reign of Philip III, weighs in at 19.30 grams and hails from the Potosí Mint. Graded XF with classic “Shipwreck Effect,” this coin carries the haunting allure of maritime legend--a tangible relic from one of history’s greatest sunken treasures. Salvaged from the fabled Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which met its watery grave in 1622 off the coast of Key West, Florida, this specimen comes with its original flip and a 1983 Treasure Salvors photo certificate (82-399), verifying its release from the State of Florida’s returned holdings.
The Atocha wasn’t just any ship—it was the Admiral Galleon of the Tierra Firme Fleet, a convoy of 28 treasure-laden vessels transporting the wealth of the New World back to Spain. But on September 4, 1622, the fleet sailed straight into a ferocious hurricane. Most of the ships were lost, and the Atocha, burdened with an astonishing load of gold, silver, and precious artifacts, vanished beneath the waves.
The ship’s official manifest was jaw-dropping: 24 tons of silver in 1,038 ingots, 180,000 pesos in silver coins, 582 copper ingots, 125 gold bars and discs, and over 1,200 pounds of worked silverware—and that's just the declared cargo. Smuggling to avoid royal taxes was rampant, meaning the actual treasure was likely much greater.
Centuries later, in 1969, legendary treasure hunter Mel Fisher launched what would become a 16-year odyssey to locate the wreck. Bit by bit, scattered artifacts began to surface along Florida’s so-called Treasure Coast. A breakthrough came in 1973 when three silver bars matched the original 17th-century inventory. Momentum built, and by 1980, major discoveries from the Atocha’s sister ship, the Santa Margarita, were recovered.
But it was July 20, 1985 that changed everything: divers stumbled upon what Fisher called a "reef of bars"—the long-lost motherlode of the Atocha. The site yielded a staggering trove of coins, ingots, jewelry, and priceless historical artifacts, launching the Atocha into the realm of legend and pop culture. Today, it’s widely considered the most famous shipwreck treasure of all time.
This coin predates that discovery--a true "Pre-Motherlode" artifact, part of the early finds that funded the dream and led to one of the most thrilling recoveries in maritime history. A rare chance to own not just a coin, but a piece of the high-seas saga that reshaped modern treasure hunting.x
Click Here to read more about the 'Atocha 1622 Shipwreck'
This ruggedly handsome Cob 8 Reales, struck during the reign of Philip III, weighs in at 19.30 grams and hails from the Potosí Mint. Graded XF with classic “Shipwreck Effect,” this coin carries the haunting allure of maritime legend--a tangible relic from one of history’s greatest sunken treasures. Salvaged from the fabled Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which met its watery grave in 1622 off the coast of Key West, Florida, this specimen comes with its original flip and a 1983 Treasure Salvors photo certificate (82-399), verifying its release from the State of Florida’s returned holdings.
The Atocha wasn’t just any ship—it was the Admiral Galleon of the Tierra Firme Fleet, a convoy of 28 treasure-laden vessels transporting the wealth of the New World back to Spain. But on September 4, 1622, the fleet sailed straight into a ferocious hurricane. Most of the ships were lost, and the Atocha, burdened with an astonishing load of gold, silver, and precious artifacts, vanished beneath the waves.
The ship’s official manifest was jaw-dropping: 24 tons of silver in 1,038 ingots, 180,000 pesos in silver coins, 582 copper ingots, 125 gold bars and discs, and over 1,200 pounds of worked silverware—and that's just the declared cargo. Smuggling to avoid royal taxes was rampant, meaning the actual treasure was likely much greater.
Centuries later, in 1969, legendary treasure hunter Mel Fisher launched what would become a 16-year odyssey to locate the wreck. Bit by bit, scattered artifacts began to surface along Florida’s so-called Treasure Coast. A breakthrough came in 1973 when three silver bars matched the original 17th-century inventory. Momentum built, and by 1980, major discoveries from the Atocha’s sister ship, the Santa Margarita, were recovered.
But it was July 20, 1985 that changed everything: divers stumbled upon what Fisher called a "reef of bars"—the long-lost motherlode of the Atocha. The site yielded a staggering trove of coins, ingots, jewelry, and priceless historical artifacts, launching the Atocha into the realm of legend and pop culture. Today, it’s widely considered the most famous shipwreck treasure of all time.
This coin predates that discovery--a true "Pre-Motherlode" artifact, part of the early finds that funded the dream and led to one of the most thrilling recoveries in maritime history. A rare chance to own not just a coin, but a piece of the high-seas saga that reshaped modern treasure hunting.x
Click Here to read more about the 'Atocha 1622 Shipwreck'
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