Gasparilla's treasure map on engraved copper plate?

[emac11201]

I've been reading a lot about Gasparilla and his treasure, and in every story they bring up an engraved copper plate which has an encrypted message on it that supposedly leads the way to his loot. Does this copper plate actually exist or is it a myth? If so, where is it? In a museum? Any info would be great, thanks!

[batcap]

I was curious about this Gasparilla, since you brought it up. According to Wikipedia, he was never mentioned in print before 1900, and his very existence is disputable. Have you seen any first hand references older than those by the Gomez character mentioned there?

Wiki makes it sound like:
a)One old geezer wanders around mumbling "I'm a pirate!" (Don't we all, on our better days?)
b)Some resort brochure says "Come visit Pirate Island!" using the geezer as reference.
c)All later research is based on the resort brochure.

Nobody take the above as fact, it's one tired, slightly intoxicated guy's interpretation of sketchy reference material that "anyone" can edit.

[emac11201]

Good point. I've read that a bit too, I'm just interested in the people who have supposedly seen this copper plate first hand (such as Jeffrey Kramer, who says he saw a picture of it). If it actually exists, who has it? I would love to just get more info on that, rather than any supposed treasure map.

[kc10bull]

Here is a web link for you on the Pirate Gasparila

there are additional articles on this web site for everyone to enjoy!

http://www.treasurelore.com/florida/gasparilla.htm

I also posted this form link to Shipwrecks threads here.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.p...,369407.0.html

http://www.treasurelore.com/florida/gasparilla.htm

[batcap]

I tried several combinations of Gaspar, Gasparilla, copper, map, and treasure in Google Image Search.
Lots of bronzed (Coppertoned?) beauties at the at the annual festival, but no etched maps. Good luck!

[diggummup]

Gasparilla is fiction.

[theseeker]

Here is the link to the treasurelore story about an old pirate named Juan Gonzalez and Gasparillas buried treasure near Lettuce Lake and the copper engraved map.

http://www.treasurelore.com/florida/...a_treasure.htm

[Slugrusher]

And I thought Gasparilla was just a time to go boating and enjoy some grog with friends in Tampa Bay?

[diggummup]

And I thought Gasparilla was just a time to go boating and enjoy some grog with friends in Tampa Bay?

He/It is. Complete fiction and a reason to party.

[Goodyguy]

I thought Gasparilla is what you got from drinking too much Sarsaparilla

[mebesaturday]

i have seen this written in a few places, written on the copper plate was:

O-X-NXW 1/4 W – VER – VAR
LEGUA 1/10
0O-X-SWXW – VER – VAR
HASTA X


of course "ver var" translates to, see you or you go
"legua" is league or "the league is still commonly used in the original sense of the distance that can be covered on foot in an hour" (Mexican League)
and "Hasta X" to x or x marks the spot

that is all

[Keppy]

I thought Gasparilla is what you got from drinking too much Sarsaparilla

yes sir for that is what i get..........