1715 Artifact

[FISHEYE]

This is a 22k gold butterfly all encrusted with 12 emeralds.it was found by my friend mike maguire on the beach area near turtle trail in 1995.It was featured on the travel channel 1st episode of cash and treasure in 1995.This piece was in a solid gold jewelry box along with other rings and a rosary.Mike is asking $6000.00 for it.It is part of his personal collection

[godisnum1]

Huh, that's a beautiful piece... I watched that episode, but I don't recall seeing that one with the rest of the finds in that box.
Guess my memory really does suck.
That's awesome that you know Mike personally though.

Bran <><

[mad4wrecks]

Fisheye: Do you know why Mike isn't selling the entire jewelry package together? Has he already sold some of the other jewelry contained in the box? Does he still have the box? Can you post other picturesand maybe a write-up of that spectacular beach find for us all to see. I am not familiar with this recovery at all.

I was confusing it with the gold box that Jon Wilson found offshore on the Cabin Wreck.

Thanks

[Diver Down]

I have that episode on tape but it showed more of the box and other things. Are you sure this wasn't found either before or after? I am sure Eugene Lyon who lives in Vero would love to see it. Prehaps he might have a better idea of what it might be worth if it is authentic 1715 treasure. Seems to me that if an 8-escudo can fetch $10,000 why would a beautiful piece of worked jewelry like this with emeralds only be worth $6,000? Most deals that are too good to be true, usually are too good to be true for a reason, but properly documented by an expert might make it one heck of a piece to own. He could also try to put it on consignment at somewhere like West Bay Trading Company in Vero. They have a really nice DATED Atocha bar for sale right now for $15,000. You might also see what Jon Wilson, (who also found a gold box filled with goodies thinks.) His web site is Spanish Main Antiques. He would be a good one to verify it's authenticity and might be interested in selling it.

[Trez]

Fisheye,

Have you thought about maybe letting Daniel Sedwick put it in his 3rd upcoming Auction?
He has one coming up soon, in May I believe.
Contact him and ask if it isn't too late to add it.
It would be a perfect addition to the Auction and you would get some very good exposure from it.
His Auctions draw quite a variety of collectors...

Just a idea...here is his Auction link. http://www.sedwickcoins.com/archive/...n_Archives.htm

Trez

[MoTwister]

I saw that episode yesterday on the travel channel. They showed the pendant along with the 5 rings and coral rosary with gold cross. Mike told me last summer at Peg Legs expo that he had sold some of the contents of the box. Does he still have the box itself. Its really hard to sell these items for their true value outside of an auction.

[FISHEYE]

The box was sold.