Treasure Legend - Silver Bars - Florida - Bahamas

[Galleon Hunter]

I recall a story but cannot for the life of me figure out what book I heard the legend in.

Story goes something like this fishermen falls asleep in his boat
Wakes up with his fishing boat aground on a reef.
Spots many lead ingots on the reef
Grabs a few to use as ballast on his boat
Later discovers the bars were not lead but silver
Tries without success to relocate reef, but never can find it.

(I think a slightly different version is he uses an ingot to line a fireplace, and it later melts discovering it was gold or silver.)

Anyone recall such a tale and might know what book it came from?

Thanks in Advance

 

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[PhipsFolly]

I have heard the same tales but unfortunately don’t recall where they originated... much of it is fantasy and many stories circulate

 

[Magoopeter]

book

I recall a story but cannot for the life of me figure out what book I heard the legend in.

You’ll find stories of fisher men in both Rob Marx’s book and Steve Steven Singers books,
Marx, Shipwrecks in the Americas page 32?
More shipwrecks of Florida page 143, not your book but I think is your story, there are number of very good stories in this book a few involving fishermen, if you can read the truth out of the legend so to speak then you might be onto something, certainly Steve has gathered some fantastic tales of shipwrecks and treasure in his book, just the sort of stuff we all dream of, Great book!!

 

[Blak bart]

I have one in a book somewhere.....that story has many versions....some take place in the bahamas and some take place in the keys. For years that story has been told down here in the keys and relates to a certain bank near a certain key....I've never looked, but I know the bank or flat that one version of the story supposedly took place. There is a galleon near by and its on the list to check out....coins and treasure have been found by others near by in the past. I was under the impression that this is just a story but other treasure found nearby has me now willing to check this story out. Phipps...you've been with me very close to the bank in the keys version of the story....next time we'll stop and look.

 

[Blak bart]

I have a couple other versions in the library somewhere. This one is from potter.

 

[Blak bart]

Another Story is that at norseman marina on the Miami river a small dingy lay there for years and when they went to dispose of it, that 4 bars of silver lay in it as ballast !! Never could confirm that story either....so many stories !! I enjoy tracking these stories down when I have time !! Working on a tale of gold coins right now. The old conch families have many secrets they keep !!

 

[CaptEsteban]

That might be an old " Husbands tale."

 

[Boatlode]

Since we're on the subject of treasure legends, I remember a story about a mailman somewhere (Wabasso?) who used a boat to deliver mail over the Indian River and stumbled across a heavy brick in shallow water. He kept it as a doorstop for years, and then used it when he built a brick fireplace. The first time he lit a fire in the fireplace, the brick melted. It was pure silver. Anybody else remember a story like this?

 

[enrada]

I bet this story came out of a Robert Marx fiction book. Melting point of silver 1763 degrees.

 

[BillA]

a poster here went fishing in Panama and tested the ingot anchor, 70% silver
was told of a pile of them in the bay, '70s?

edit: not a legend, sorry just noticed

 

[Goldminer]

Been all over that story since I lived and dived all over the keys. I owned a dive shop in S. Miami back in mid-60's, and I had lots of divers come in with stories. Some proved out, most didn't. If I remember correctly, the old man went crazy looking for the reef with the silver on it. That takes me back..... does anyone remember a story about an area off N. Key Largo on a reef where someone found a wreck with cannon sticking out of the reef? I also found a wreck off Ocean Reef on a reef that had not been salvaged in modern times. Ballast was fairly intact, and there were some artifacts still there that I left because of it being in the Park.

 

[Red_desert]

I have one in a book somewhere.....that story has many versions....some take place in the bahamas and some take place in the keys. For years that story has been told down here in the keys and relates to a certain bank near a certain key....I've never looked, but I know the bank or flat that one version of the story supposedly took place. There is a galleon near by and its on the list to check out....coins and treasure have been found by others near by in the past. I was under the impression that this is just a story but other treasure found nearby has me now willing to check this story out. Phipps...you've been with me very close to the bank in the keys version of the story....next time we'll stop and look.

Keys is the only place I've read that story.

 

[perdidogringo]

a poster here went fishing in Panama and tested the ingot anchor, 70% silver
was told of a pile of them in the bay, '70s?

edit: not a legend, sorry just noticed

Yep, that post came to mind for me as well Bill. I believe it was off Portobello.

 

[sphillips]

Been all over that story since I lived and dived all over the keys. I owned a dive shop in S. Miami back in mid-60's, and I had lots of divers come in with stories. Some proved out, most didn't. If I remember correctly, the old man went crazy looking for the reef with the silver on it. That takes me back..... does anyone remember a story about an area off N. Key Largo on a reef where someone found a wreck with cannon sticking out of the reef? I also found a wreck off Ocean Reef on a reef that had not been salvaged in modern times. Ballast was fairly intact, and there were some artifacts still there that I left because of it being in the Park.

Cant remember for sure, but wa that story in Martin Meylachs, Diving to a Flash of Gold?

 

[BillA]

a poster here went fishing in Panama and tested the ingot anchor, 70% silver
was told of a pile of them in the bay, '70s?

edit: not a legend, sorry just noticed

Yep, that post came to mind for me as well Bill. I believe it was off Portobello.

was a bit struck by the tale
sure be a good way to court disaster with the local authorities

 

[Boatlode]

I bet this story came out of a Robert Marx fiction book. Melting point of silver 1763 degrees.

You're right. I knew the story smelled like b.s.

 

[Blak bart]

If you want to know the origin of this story this will help you understand !! The silver bars were found in the keys behind duck key in the bay amongst the banks around channel cay....they were found by captain Finley Ricard in 8 feet of water or less. Watch the video and you will see the information, and how it has been distorted and modified to fit everyone's fantasy narrative. The bars that were found were unmarked and smuggled treasure from the 1733 fleet....either from "el sueco de arizon" or from the still lost "san Fernando" its a real story with real bars of silver !!

 

[sphillips]

Great video and story, thx for sharing Bart!

 

[bartholomewroberts]

John S. Potter Jr. wrote a book called 'The Treasure Divers Guide' many years back.. The story was in that book.. Page 233.. It was called the Fowey Rocks Treasure

Micheal

 

[Blak bart]

John S. Potter Jr. wrote a book called 'The Treasure Divers Guide' many years back.. The story was in that book.. Page 233.. It was called the Fowey Rocks Treasure

Micheal

Post #5 covers what is written in potters book....I made a photo of it in post#5. 😁