AS REQUESTED SOME PICS ( ROYALS AND CHAINS)

[GOHO]

The Royals were found in 1998 by Clyde kunts and Myself. I was Running the "BookMaker" back then. The funny thing about is The 1698 Royal was found on August 16th in 1998 and its and 8 escudo royal dated 1698.
The other pics are of some gold chains found last year when I ran the Blue water Rose. The total length if you put all the chains together was around 30'. Hope you enjoy....

Come dive on the GoldHound with me and my Crew and maybe you will be the one to bring up the next pile of GOLD!

Thanks All for the kind Words..

Greg

[GOHO]

I found a better picture of the 1698 royal.

[Cynangyl]

Wow! Now that is some really cool stuff!! Someday maybe I can afford to go along on one of your trips....would sure be exciting! Thanks for sharing!!

[divewrecks]

Wow! Now that is some really cool stuff!! Someday maybe I can afford to go along on one of your trips....would sure be exciting! Thanks for sharing!!

Yeah, totally beautiful. Tell us a line or two about the find if you have the time. I would have probably have had a heart attack if I would have made the discovery. I personally am glad that the state has it for presreving history. Hopefully you were well compensated. Are there any other 1698 royals that have been reported?

Stan

[divewrecks]

What would you and the other collectors guess on value? I'm guessing about $50K or more, but it is way beyond my free cash reserves.

[GOHO]

This 1698 Royal is "so far" the only one known to exist. The first value put on the coin by the fishers was $125,000 the state disputed that and paid for three independent appraisers. The two agreed on the lowest appraisal which was $175,000. The other two were 500,000 and close to 1 million.

[divewrecks]

I was obviously way off base. Hopefully you were well paid (80% of apraisal)?

Can you describe your emotions when the find was made? I can't imagine.

Stan

[osiris661]

That looks like "Keys" treasure to me...

[Minelab Ron]

Really nice finds...WOW!!!

Those gold chains...weren't those used for buying, trading? Reason I ask...I saw a show where investors paid into a lost treasure ship hunt. Gold chains were found...some really long and the story that was told was that these chains were used for buying items / trading. They would break off links as payments.

I would love to find some really nice treasure like that...but diving is out of the question for me...so I will enjoy the finds of those who can!

Again, awesome finds!
Annmarie

[TNBob]

Greg: What all gold coins have you guys found this year working the 1715 wrecks? A friend of mine bought that 1704 Lima 2 Escudo you found on the beach after the 2004 hurricaine.
Bob

[cuzcosquirrel]

Is that the same one as in Alan Craig's book, Spanish Colonial Gold Coins in the Florida Collection? It looks like a cleaner strike than the one in the book, but like it used the same set of dies.

Yeah, I guess it is. It's a great coin.

Some chains were broken up in links to pay for stuff. The links were cast and filed to weigh the same as the standard gold coin weights. Gold coins did not circulate very well until maybe the 1640's, and were quickly taken out of circulation and hoarded. Chains seem to have also went around nobles necks as a sign of wealth and station, and the bigger ones were worn like a sash, from waist to shoulder strung across the body.

[TNBob]

It is funny how you see gold Escudo coins, even Galenos (Royals) holed to be worn as jewelry. Darn, you would have been really rich to wear an 8 escudos Royal back then. Right now I wear my 1655 Two Escudo Maravillas coin in a bezel around my neck with a gold chain. I have tried wearing an 8 escudos, but they are too heavy and Im afraid of losing a coin that valuable. I guess if I had found a couple hundred of them, it wouldnt be any big deal to wear one. Maybe we wear them as a sign of wealth? Most treasure hunters wear them because they are proud of them and to make a statement. Im still searching for my Escudos, but if I found a Royal, it would be up for auction in a heartbeat!!
Bob

[txkickergirl]

Wow you guys have all the fun!