Is any of this true?

[RELICDUDE07]

Is any of this true?

Any truth to the 1554 wreck in the Juno area?And also what about the crystal skulls? http://www.divernet.com/other_diving_topics/archaeology/160897/treasurehunting_the_psychic_way.html

 

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[mad4wrecks]

Re: Is any of this true?

No.

This topic was covered here before. Try searching "Victor Benilous" on this site.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Re: Is any of this true?

Thanks! They almost had me with the artifacts, i kept looking into that little aztec golden birds eyes ..

 

[capt dom]

Re: Is any of this true?

What I can tell you about this writer and one of his publishers
Lyon's Press is a "proof" editor once called me about a children's story he was writing
about our Jupiter Shipwreck. They were fact checking the story.

I explained to the editor that a number of the "facts" were not true or even accurate
and I would not verify them. When the author found out, I refused to verify what amounted
to gross miss-representational of facts in his "childeren's book - he was livid.
Mr. Fine decided to write me out of the story.... Lyon's Press went along with it
apparently fine with Mr. Fine miss leading children with his conception
of reality.

He did the same in one of his later coffee table books that mentioned
the Jupiter Shipwreck. (I have managed to alienate a few folks along the way)
but - when you take the front of the line,
you have to expect to get a few eggs thrown at you!

Now what does this example tell you about his (the author's)
or Lyon's Press's credibility.
Lying to children and miss leading
them for you own sorted ends....
shame on you Mr. Fine....

 

[mariner]

Re: Is any of this true?

Last year I spoke to Fine and then wrote to him pointing out the many obvious flaws in this story and asking him to write a follow up debunking the story, if he had any interest in preserving his personal reputation and integrity. Apparently he hasn't.

Mariner

 

[Salvor6]

Re: Is any of this true?

Emerald Carving an Ancient Art of the Indians of Central and South America (Mesoamerica)
The "Emerald Man" is an artifact in the form of a small stone figurine, representing a male human figure, carved out of a single green emerald crystal, believed to be the oldest known Mesoamerican (middle American) emerald and the only known pre-Columbian carved emerald. The artifact is believed to date back from about 500 B.C. to 250 A. D.

When the Spanish Conquistadors landed in Mexico and Peru, in the 16th century, they found the natives of these lands in possession of large and beautiful emeralds, some of which were cut with great skill into peculiar and characteristic forms. Five stones brought by Cortez to Europe were cut into the shapes of fantastic flowers, fishes and other natural objects. Thus, emerald carving seems to have been an ancient art prevalent in central and southern America since ancient times.

Cortez marches into Tenochtitlan and receives lavish gifts of gold and emeralds which include the Isabella Emerald
The news of the massacres at Cholula reached the Aztec king Montezuma II at Tenochtitlan, who had enough time to plan out a strategy to face the forces of Cortez, if they decided to move towards his capital. Montezuma II was intelligent enough to realize that his forces were not a match to the overwhelming fire power of Cortez's army, and decided not to challenge his army if they chose to enter his capital. On November 8, 1519, Cortez decided to enter Tenochtitlan, and was warmly welcomed by the Aztec emperor Montezuma II, who allowed them to enter the heart of the Aztec empire, without any hindrance. The king then gave lavish gifts of gold, silver and emeralds to Heranan Cortez and his Spanish soldiers, in order to make them happy, and prevent another Cholula-type massacre. Hernan Cortez being the commander was singled out for special treatment, and was showered with large quantities of gold and emeralds by the king. It is believed that the large mystical "Emerald of Judgment" which subsequently came to be known as the "Isabella Emerald" was also among the gifts received by Cortez.



"Isabella Emerald"

According to a letter written by Cortez to king Charles V of Spain around this time, the Aztecs had considered Cortez either as an emissary of the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl or Quetzalcoatl himself, which according to an ancient prophecy had predicted that Quetzalcoatl, would return as a white man with a red beard, from the east to reclaim his empire in the year of Reed One. In the year 1519, the year of Reed One, Hernan Cortez, a white man with a red beard, landed from the east, on the shores of the Aztec empire, as if to fulfill that prophecy. This probably explains the behavior of Montezuma II and his people, who initially received Hernan Cortez and his army with great regard and respect, and gifted the "Emerald of Judgment" the most powerful instrument of Aztec culture, to Hernan Cortez, the God Quetzalcoatl reincarnate, to whom the emerald rightfully belonged.

The most significant achievement of this operation was the recovery of the 964-carat, oblong, ancient table-cut, deep green Isabella Emerald, which was the mystical "Emerald of Judgment" presented by Montezuma II to Hernan Cortez on November 8, 1519, and which had been the most valuable possession of the Cortez/Zuinga family up to 1757. The other most significant recovery of the operation was Cortez's signet ring made of silver, with the coat of arms of the Cortes and Zuinga family, used by Cortez as a signature ring to seal and stamp the covers of his official communications with the king of Spain, to maintain their secrecy. Incidentally, the discovery of the signet ring was one of the confirmatory evidences that the shipwreck was indeed that of the ship carrying the Cortez/Zuinga family treasure.




Cortez Silver Signet Ring

Among the other items recovered from the lost treasure include :-

1) Over 100,000 carats of cut and polished emeralds.

2) Over 1,000,000 carats of uncut rough emeralds.

3) The World's largest emerald conglomerate weighing 25,644 carats.

4) 8 very rare Mayan ceremonial crystal skulls.

5) Several Mayan and Aztec jade and gold masks.

6) Hundreds of pieces of gold and emerald jewelry.

7) Several gold and silver bars.

8) Several golden idols.

9) Sacrificial knives and instruments.

10) Other Mayan and Aztec artifacts.

The "Isabella Emerald" had been certified as authentic by a former University of Chicago lapidary professor as well as by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The value of the Queen Isabella Emerald has been placed around $20 million.

The dramatic discovery of the mid-18th century shipwreck and the recovery of the lost treasures including the "Isabella Emerald" was given world wide media coverage in all the major newspapers and magazines around the world, The Treasure Diver Magazine and the Sources Magazine, called it the "Greatest Treasure Ever Found" and together with the Time Magazine (International Issue) featured it on their front covers.

Besides being used as an ornamental stone, the emerald was also considered as a sacred stone by the ancient Indian tribes such as the Olmec, Inca, Aztec, Toltec, Maya, Chibcha, Muisca, etc.

Emeralds were offered to their Gods and also buried with their dead. When the Conquistadors tried their best to locate the source of the emeralds in Peru and Mexico and failed, they desecrated the temples and grave yards of the Indian tribes and collected the emerald treasures, which they dispatched to Spain. Jose d'Costa reported that the ship by which he voyaged from Peru to Spain in 1587, carried two cases, each of which contained no less than a hundredweight of emeralds.

Today we know that the failure of the Spanish Conquistadors to discover the source of the emeralds in Peru and Mexico, was simply because there were no emerald mines in Peru and Mexico, and the emeralds used by the natives of these areas were actually brought in from elsewhere. This ancient source of emeralds were situated in the heartland of the Chibcha Indians at Somondoco (Chivor) and the Muzo Indians at Muzo. The emeralds that originated from these mines reached as far south as Bolivia, and as far north as Mexico by trade. The source of the ancient artifacts such as the emerald man which dates back to 500 BC to 250 AD, could also be one of the ancient mines in Colombia, such as the Chivor or Muzo mines.





©Hudson Museum, University of Maine

The Emerald Man



A description of the Emerald Man
The emerald figurine of the man seems to have been carved on a single elongated natural emerald crystal, with the characteristic emerald-green color but with many small areas of blackish-green and yellow mottling. The ancient lapidarists who created the masterpiece had used straight-cuts to fashion the figurine into the shape of a standing man. The man's hands are folded over his mid-section, somewhat similar to the standing posture of a modern-day Muslim devotee in prayer. The man seems to be wearing a short apron and also headgear. Two conical drill holes with a larger diameter in the front than on the reverse side, pass through the figurine under the armpits, and another drill hole passes from side to side through the head. This is obviously to enable the figurine to be suspended on a cord, perhaps to be worn or hung somewhere as an ornament. The dimensions of the figurine are height :- 5.63 cm, width :- 2.85 cm and thickness :- 1.37 cm. The weight of the figurine is 23.7g equivalent to 23.7 x 5 = 118.5 carats.







Hernando Cortes, the conquerer of Mexico, was carrying carved emeralds taken from the Aztecs in the shapes offish and flowers and a carved emerald bell, and an emerald the size of a man's palm when he was ship­ wrecked. Many of the finest stones were lost forever. The Incas had an emerald goddess, a fabulous emerald the size of an ostrich egg. In tribute they sacrificed her children: smaller emeralds which were presented to the goddess. Treasure hunters seeking wrecks of Spanish galleons are occasionally rewarded with the ultimate treasure: emeralds lost by the conquistadores long ago.

 

[capt dom]

Re: Is any of this true?

My Hat is off to them!

I met Vic many years ago and he told me he was glad
people didn't take him seriously

After finding all that stuff listed, they truly must really enjoy being

in the restaurant business all these years!

I still have some of the emeralds I traded a few coins

for with Vic.... Its John Who let the kids and me

down by attempting to re-write history
to meet his own ends....

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Re: Is any of this true?

The "Isabella Emerald" had been certified as authentic by a former University of Chicago lapidary professor as well as by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The value of the Queen Isabella Emerald has been placed around $20 million. Salvor6 you think this is true? 1 thing i can say since 1993 they still have a active license @ sunbiz .org

 

[capt dom]

Re: Is any of this true?

A few thing about emeralds.
There is a lot of emeralds in the world.

There just is not a lot of truly grade 1 "Gem" quality cut emeralds
out there.

As a stone most jewelry mechanics hate them because
they are a very soft stone and highly subject to chipping when set.

Go to any "rock hound" show and see what you can purchase specimen
grade genuine emeralds for.... and in what quanity...

A number of enterprising fund raiser types have highly suspect
sources of their treasured finds....

One just has to look at the whole picture and consider the source.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Re: Is any of this true?

Thanks for the info Capt dom.We know you are a real treasure finder ... For them to make up this story & Time magazine , USA today & all the news stations on t.v. ( i'm in shock ) ! It would make a great movie if it were done right. The jungle / emerald mines / the aztec / finding the ship ! I think that was the plan --- 1993 - 2011 & still no deal & in a storage unit sit some crystal skulls & a 20 million dollar emerald ..hmmmmm

 

[mariner]

Re: Is any of this true?

The "Isabella Emerald" had been certified as authentic by a former University of Chicago lapidary professor as well as by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The value of the Queen Isabella Emerald has been placed around $20 million.

The story about Cortes and the so-called 964 carat Isabella Emerald is nonsense. The emeralds that Cortes gave his wife and which made Queen Isabella somewhat jealous were a series of five intricately carved emeralds. One was in the form of a rose, the others in the forms of a bell, a horn, a small cup and a fish with golden eyes. They are described in detail in the contemporary literature about Cortes.

The whole "emerald treasure wreck" story is a front for selling and getting a premium price for emeralds that must be coming from modern Columbia. There is no evidence whatsoever about this ship being sent from Spain to bring back Cortes family treasures to buy favors from the King, and the story about the Zuniga family, the so-called descendants of Cortes' wife asking Victor to recover the wreck is as phony as the crystal skulls and the psychics that supposedly located the wreck.

The "Moscar" gold bar that is shown in some of the magazine articles and that supposedly came off the wreck was in an exhibition at the Queens Museum, New York, in 1982, ten years before Victor supposedly found it on this imaginary shipwreck.

John Fines has a lot to answer for by giving this scam a sheen of respectability, though Victor Benilous is the main culprit.

Mariner

 

[capt dom]

Re: Is any of this true?

What did I say.......

One has to consider ones's sources

Imagine recovering 100's of millions of dollars
in precious emeralds and other "loot" but staying so "grounded"
you cherish your roots and keep your piazza restaurant alive
and as your "base camp" for future expeditions...

No question, this is not the first time either Mr. Fine has embellished, altered and or changed known facts to
suit his story lines and his publishers - Lyons Press
(also thought of as "respectable" have knowingly gone along with it.

Some of the black pirates appear to have white hats
but they usually have law degrees as well!

 

[Donovan]

Re: Is any of this true?

The Moscar/cuzco bars ( two of them ) were found on the Santa Margarita in 1980 and photographed by me as they were being found. ( National Geographic Feb. 1982 issue. ) They as well as many other items were on display at the Queens Museum in 1982. " The Lost Treasure of the Spanish Kings Comes to Queens. " Today ceramic replicas of the bars sell well as paperweights at the Mel Fisher museum in Key West.
In previous publications Mr. Fine has played fast and loose with facts. There is an old saying.... You are entitled to your own opinion but not entitled to your own facts.

 

[Donovan]

Re: Is any of this true?

Both Moscar/ Cuzco bars on the Virgalona dive ladder.

 

[ivan salis]

Re: Is any of this true?

if one looks at the 1554 sites latitude -- from the 1554 treasure fleets recorded * loss (supposed to be on floridas east coast )-- its exactly the same as padre island , texas * (where the fleet actually wrecked at)--even bob marx made that slip up of thinking it was on the east coast of florida .--its even listed in one of his books.

 

[mariner]

Re: Is any of this true?

Donovan,

Thanks for the photos and the information. Nice to get information from the horse's mouth, rather than the other end!

Mariner

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Re: Is any of this true?

The remains of the ships were discovered in 1967 a private company called Platoro, Ltd. . Thanks every 1 for the input.And great pics. Donovan!I was trying to put together all the pieces,i read Victor had found a 1554 shipwreck in Florida & started to wonder if he was part of Platoro ltd ? I know the wrecks are in texas but in the old days it was all La florida.lol

 

[MisterFisher]

Counterfeit Treasure: please report to FBI, West Palm Beach

Hi Capt Don,

The FBI in West Palm Beach is investigating this counterfeit antiquities scam. If you still have emeralds that were purported to be 1757 Cortes Treasure, please report this to the West Palm Beach office of the FBI: 561.833.7517. Address: 505 S Flagler Dr. #500. South Flagler Dr. West Palm Beach, FL 33401. If it was Victor Benilous who sold the purported 1757 Cortes Shipwreck Treasure emeralds to you, olease be sure to list Victor Benilous in your report.

Several people are standing up against this scam. Your help is greatly appreciated.

My Hat is off to them!

I met Vic many years ago and he told me he was glad
people didn't take him seriously

After finding all that stuff listed, they truly must really enjoy being

in the restaurant business all these years!

I still have some of the emeralds I traded a few coins

for with Vic.... Its John Who let the kids and me

down by attempting to re-write history
to meet his own ends....