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V23 2020 INDEX       E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 23, Number 32, August 9, 2020, Article 21

ATOCHA BOLIVIAN PHILIP IV SILVER BAR

Heritage is also offering a massive Bolivian Philip IV silver bar recovered from the wreck of the Atocha. Here's the press release. -Editor

Massive Silver Atocha-Recovered Bar_Heritage_Auctions_1

Own a Giant Silver Bar Rescued From The Watery Depths After 300+ Years

The ship Nuestra Senora de Atocha, a Spanish treasure ship, sunk off the Florida Keys in 1622 after the heavy-laden boat was struck by a hurricane. Filled with precious metal bars and coins as well as gems, indigo, and tobacco from Spanish trade, the ship was so full of treasure that it took two months by mule to load it all onto the boat before its journey began! With this precious and heavy cargo weighing it down, the boat was no match for a dangerous hurricane. It sunk Sept. 6, 1622, losing all but 5 of 265 crew members and passengers and its precious cargo in the process.

While the Spanish government tried to recover the Atocha's treasure, they were unsuccessful. They were not able to locate the ship, which lay underwater for over 300 years before any notable developments occurred.

In 1969, Mel Fisher and a group of treasure hunters began to search for the long-lost Atocha. They eventually discovered it in 1985, producing a huge cache of coins, precious metals, and gems that came up from the depths over 350 years later. After a few more years of legal proceedings, Mel Fisher reached a deal with the State of Florida and the Supreme Court to sell the treasure. This is considered to be the most valuable shipwreck ever recovered.

Massive Silver Atocha-Recovered Bar_Heritage_Auctions_2 While several years have gone by since the original sale of the Atocha's recovered treasures, pieces from the ship are occasionally available at auction. They come up only infrequently these days and are always popular when available. Heritage will be offering a fabulous, large-scale bar recovered from the shipwreck in the Aug. 5-7 2020 World Coin auction! This bar is an enormous 73 troy pound size, plus it comes with a certificate of provenance.

Check it out here:
Bolivia: temp. Philip IV silver Atocha Shipwreck Recovery Bar of 73 troy lb 0.80 troy oz. ND, ... (https://coins.ha.com/itm/bolivia/bolivia-temp-philip-iv-silver-atocha-shipwreck-recovery-bar-of-73-troy-lb-080-troy-oz-nd-/a/3085-30073.s)

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Wayne Homren, Editor

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