sir francis drake treasure in panama

Curtis

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Well, I do imagine there is something left - however not much...in researching you will find the Spaniards pretty well recovered the silver that was hidden in the streams and around the roots of trees. You know they captured some that told where everything was...and there were people following Drake and party's escape watching where they hid the stuff. I imagine they could not have got it all-- but with out an LRL you wont find it by just traipsing around in the jungle...map dowser better be good and proven.
 

Dec 8, 2013
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Hi all,

i have been doing a little research on Sir Francis Drake and his lost treasure, and something has always been either eluding me or confounding me, and that is his coffin. As we all know he was given a Full honours burial at sea, but unlike anyother sailor, he was placed inside a lead lined coffin. WHY! could it have something to do with his treausre?Could it even hold some of his treasure?

Thoughts?

Cheers AussieTreasureHunter83
 

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perdidogringo

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Drake

Curtis- You very well may be right. Some things to consider- When Drake ambushed the mule train (190 mules laden with treasure) in April of 1573, he was faced with a big problem of what to do with all the treasure- While estimates vary, depending on whether you want to rely on the Spanish, French, or English (Drake) records, Drake, his men and the Cimmarones were greatly challenged with carrying off the estimated 1/2 ton of gold, let alone another 15-30 tons of silver bars they had secured. They reportedly had a couple of hours to bury/hide as much of the treasure as they could on/near the Camino Real in the rivers, under roots, in the hills, etc. They planned on returning when they could to recover.

The Spanish returned with reinforcements and Drake and the majority of his men escaped with what they could (probably most of the gold). They Spanish then attempted to dig up as much of the treasure as they could find (with the help of one of Drake's men whom they tortured) but the thing is that they had no idea how much of the treasure was buried or where all of it was buried/hidden by Drake and his men (a mule train of 190 mules is very long so the thinking is that no 1 man could know where all of it was buried along the trail). That said, the Spanish did their best and definitely dug up a lot of it, but they definitely didn't recover it all. According to Drake's account, a few of Drake's men returned a couple weeks later and dug up some of the treasure that the Spanish missed. But then Drake's men didn't have the luxury of having too much time at the site so- they went in, found some treasure in the places they remembered, and then left quickly. They likely weren't able to check all the places along the trail since only a few of Drake's men returned to search, they had limited time, and likely just looked for any remaining buried gold.

So I tend to agree that there are probably some missed bars of silver remaining somewhere along the Camino Real where the mule train robbery happened. The land is mostly cattle grazing land nowadays. The thing is any remaining bars of silver have been buried for 440 years and undoubtedly, have sunk due to the incredibly humid, tropical weather in these parts. So a standard MD like an AT PRO probably wouldn't work when any remaining bars could be 5+ feet underground. Plus, many of the bars were buried in the rivers along/near the trail at that time and quite probably, the rivers have altered and changed their course over the years.

Even though it's like looking for the proverbial "needle in a haystack" it's quite an interesting adventure to search for a documented buried treasure and every time we go back, we have a blast. Really brings history alive.
 

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perdidogringo

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Aussie- Drake's famous mule train robbery happened in April of 1573 near Nombre de Dios, while he died of dysentery in 1596 off the coast of Portobello- (23 years later). Thus, he had 23 years to spend the treasure.
 

Dec 8, 2013
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Aussie- Drake's famous mule train robbery happened in April of 1573 near Nombre de Dios, while he died of dysentery in 1596 off the coast of Portobello- (23 years later). Thus, he had 23 years to spend the treasure.

Hey perdidogringo,

True if I had that much loot lying around I would spend it, and not sit on it.

But I am curious about the coffin, we do know that he was a privateer for the British government , and I'm sure over privateering days he must have accumulated a vast cache of treasure from Spanish ships he raid. Is it possible that he hid some away that bit even the British government knew about? If so "could" his coffin hold a clue?

Cheers

AussieTreasureHunter83
 

Old Bookaroo

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Dec 4, 2008
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Personally, if I were looking for Drake's treasure, I'd be interested in the silver that was jettisoned because the weight was about to scuttle his vessel. "Fit to sink with gold," said John Silver, of Flint's ship the Walrus.

Silver, not gold, however, almost brought the Golden Hind to grief.

This is probably not the best way to go after it:

http://articles.latimes.com/1996-11-03/news/mn-60753_1_police-officer

45 tons of silver? Hmmm.....

Also interesting: http://www.indrakeswake.co.uk/Artefacts/cannons.htm


Good luck to all,

~ The Old Bookaroo
 

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perdidogringo

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Yes, I've met Michael Turner (from the InDrake'swake website) after he gave a presentation in Panama. Interesting guy and probably no one is more knowledgeable about Drake than him.
 

perdidogringo

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Not sure, Aussie but many people have been looking for Drake's coffin for a long time off of Nombre de Dios. Michael Turner from the InDrake'sWake website, himself, has made a few dives. Most likely that coffin is buried very deep in the sand at the bottom of the sea just beyond the mouth of the bay at Nombre. Another search for a needle in a haystack. Would be friggin incredible if they found it some day, though!


Hey perdidogringo,

True if I had that much loot lying around I would spend it, and not sit on it.

But I am curious about the coffin, we do know that he was a privateer for the British government , and I'm sure over privateering days he must have accumulated a vast cache of treasure from Spanish ships he raid. Is it possible that he hid some away that bit even the British government knew about? If so "could" his coffin hold a clue?

Cheers

AussieTreasureHunter83
 

Dec 8, 2013
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Not sure, Aussie but many people have been looking for Drake's coffin for a long time off of Nombre de Dios. Michael Turner from the InDrake'sWake website, himself, has made a few dives. Most likely that coffin is buried very deep in the sand at the bottom of the sea just beyond the mouth of the bay at Nombre. Another search for a needle in a haystack. Would be friggin incredible if they found it some day, though!

My god that website is a one stop shop about drake I love it.

Yeah I think it would be the find of the century if the coffin was discovered. Who knows maybe an amateur treasure hunter from Australia, might get lucky :)
 

perdidogringo

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You should go for it! While you're diving you'll find me and a couple others a few miles to the south looking for some left-over silver bars.
 

Dec 8, 2013
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Hmm; lead cased coffin that could be the find of the century or looking for silver ingots.... It's a hard decision 👍
 

perdidogringo

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And the advantage of searching for the lead coffin is you know it's there, somewhere, (assuming it wasn't damaged/destroyed accidentally), while with the ingots there "might be some" left, scattered about.
 

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originalpanama

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May 1, 2009
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Hello Perdido gringo i am original panama, please let me know if we can try a new search in the south of nombre de dios this summer?
we can go together an search 4 kilometers south nombre de dios...
i live in chiriqui but i am looking for sir francis drake lost treasure since 15 years ago...
and i am still...today its the day Mel Fisher said...
My e mail is [email protected]
best regards
 

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originalpanama

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May 1, 2009
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hola ayahuasca
do you know the area of nombre de dios area? Well. weare looking for sir francis drake at south of nombre de Dios 2 leagues south 4 kilometers south...where the ambush happen...in the night...
let me know your experiences...
best regards [email protected]
 

Guest 1551

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Leave my great-uncle's treasure ALONE! Do bring his body back though :)
 

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perdidogringo

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Hi OriginalPanama, Good to hear from you. I will send you a private message and can talk from there.
 

Guest 1551

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perdidogringo

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Very cool, Donneybrook! You should send your documentation to that website. If I had someone like Drake as a relative, I'd celebrate it.
 

Guest 1551

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Very cool, Donneybrook! You should send your documentation to that website. If I had someone like Drake as a relative, I'd celebrate it.

The thing is, is that I've never heard it was disputed to be descended from him. I've actually met others who are also descended from him.
 

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