Few People Know About The Missing Spanish Gold Hiding Somewhere Off The Coast Of Florida
By Marisa Roman|Published March 07, 2023
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Marisa Roman
Author
A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van. Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt.
Nowadays, we don’t hear too much about shipwrecks off the coast and missing chests of treasure sinking to the bottom of the sea. But back in the day, these types of things happened quite frequently, especially because Florida was a hub on the ship trade routes. While there are many tales of shipwrecks in Florida, some even leading to gold coins washing up on shore centuries later, this particular story has a bit of mystery to it. As the legend goes, off the coast of St. George Island, Florida, a ship carrying loads of Spanish gold sunk, and with it, a massive amount of treasure that was said never to have been discovered.
As legend has it, in 1715, off the coast of St. George Island, Florida, a Spanish ship sunk taking with it millions upon millions in gold.
There are various explanations as to why the treasure wasn’t retrieved, but even some hearsay, too. Rumors swirled about the treasure being removed from the original site as protection against pirate attacks.
In this particular case, Don Pedro Sánchez de Urdaneta, a royal captain, and pilot of the Viceroy of New Spain, was part of an exploration party with his team off the Florida coast.
The expedition began charting the Florida coast, but the ship was eventually beached and sunk. Urdaneta asked nearby Fort St. George to help retrieve the Spanish gold lost at sea.
There are varying stories about what happened to the gold over time. Some have said that the treasure reappeared off the coast a few years later after a fishing vessel sank nearby.
Others have claimed the treasure was moved and placed in a safe space, being retrieved in 1934. While some have even said the gold was taken to Havana and given to a priest who used it to bless the church.
Did you know about this unique shipwreck in Florida? Do you believe in the missing Spanish gold hiding off the coast? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section!
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