Story Of The Atocha

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Mel Fisher’s most famous quotation “Today’s the Day!” became a reality on July 20, 1985. After 16 years of hardship and determination, he had finally discovered the “Mother Lode” of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, the richest Spanish treasure galleon ever lost in the Western Hemisphere.

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The 17^th Century represented Spain’s apex as a world power as annual shipments of treasure from the New World financed her rise to glory. Spain’s envied position, as the richest nation on earth, however, would soon change.

The year was 1622, only two years after the Pilgrims made landfall on Plymouth Rock. Spain was in desperate need of treasure to satisfy the terrible economic drain of the Thirty Years War. When this year’s treasure fleet failed to arrive, it would mark the beginning of the decline of the Spanish Empire.

The ill-fated fleet of 20 cargo ships and eight heavily armed treasure galleons, already six weeks behind schedule, had reluctantly embarked upon the journey during the height of the hurricane season. They set sail for Spain from the port of Havana with the largest and most heavily laden ship of all, the Nuestra Señora de Atocha guarding the rear of the fleet. Only two days into the voyage a storm began. It grew into a hurricane of devastating power. Eight ships, including three treasure galleons, were lost; and the fleet limped back into Havana where the decision was made to wait for next year while they attempted to find and recover the lost treasure galleons.

The Spanish managed to completely salvage one galleon and partially salvage another. They also easily located the great galleon Atocha, sunk in only 55 feet of water; but a second hurricane a week later tore her apart, completely hiding her from view and scattering her vast wealth of silver, gold, and jewels across the sea bottom where it would lie untouched for over 360 years.

Many searched, but the watery grave of the Atocha remained a mystery. Only Mel Fisher and his “Golden Crew” after 16 years of searching, legal battles, and the tragic loss of his son and daughter-in-law when their salvage vessel capsized, were successful when Mel’s youngest son Kane discovered Atocha’s ballast pile just 27 miles west of Key West and found the ocean floor gleaming with treasure, chests of silver coins, and 85-lb silver ingots worth over $400 million.

Own A piece of history today!

     Welcome To The Most Beautiful Shipwreck Coins On The Internet
 These hand crafted pendants, earrings, and bracelets are the highest quality 14K  Atocha jewelry pieces on the Internet. The bezel (gold around the coin) is solid 14K gold and is put through a 10 step hand finishing process. Each bezel is stamped ©ATC  14K to insure you the highest quality. Our coins are made from Atocha silver bar number 85A-S822, Tag Number 2316. 

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     Your Official Atocha Treasure Coin Replica comes in a blue velvet gift box with a numbered Certificate Of Authenticity from the silver bar used to make your coin.