humm worth while -- $5,000,000 in 1820 gold bullion -- 30 feet deep-- off of

[sabre15]

A buddy of mine found this Anchor years ago in this vicinity, treasure hunters took numbers off of it years ago and paid him $500 a day to search for the wreck. He never took them to the spot, they acted very suspicious. What does this anchor look like its off of? Dell I am out of Ocala, I have some areas to discuss with you if you are interested.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

As Tom Benner says, "You can lead a horse to water - but you can't teach him boating safety."

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaneer

 

[allen_idaho]

You must be confused.

The Brother Jonathan travelled alone. And didn't jettison anything.

It had finished offloading a cargo of Steel at Crescent city and continued it's voyage from San Francisco to Portland when it slammed into a submerged rock and sank very quickly.

The treasure in question, An army payroll of $5, $10, and $20 gold coins, was recovered in 1993 by Deep Sea Research. After a long legal battle with the state of California, they were allowed to keep 20% of everything found which sold at auction for $5 million.

There was also a Wells Fargo messenger onboard who was transporting a small amount of paper currency at the time. This was most likely lost.

The remaining cargo was insured for around $48,000.

The only thing not recovered is the Ship's Safe in the Captain's cabin. Although this is believed to have carried an unknown amount of paper currency if anything at all.

Suffice to say, the wreck is already claimed and properly owned. So why bother?

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Mystery and intrigue surround Florida's panhandle where scuba divers search for the sunken treasures of ancient shipwrecks, lusting after Spanish galleons loaded with gold. The frequent and numerous Spanish losses, however, overshadow an American vessel lost in the hurricane of 1820, carrying $5 million in gold bullion. There were no survivors and the treasure disappeared in the vast marshy shores of Big Bend. Where was this ship and its treasure bound?

. Bound for Spain carrying payment for damages caused by American citizens who rebelled against Spain. (Many Americans, assuming western Florida was part of the Louisiana purchase, colonized the area, refusing to adhere to Spanish rule.) The United States negotiated an agreement whereby Spain, receiving no compensation, renounced all claim to West Florida. The United States did, however, agree to pay Spain $5 million in damages. Is this where you found the info ivan ?

 

[Salvor6]

Hey Sabre,
I just drove by that anchor at Charlies Seafood Restaurant today in Crystal River. It is a kedge anchor that came off the Civil War blockade runner "Abbey Bee." The AB Left Steinhatchee carrying 2 tons of gold bars to buy munitions in Cuba for the Confederates. I talked with the shrimper who found the anchor in 1978. When he found it he was drunk and his Loran was broken so he has no idea where he was.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

allen_idaho:

It is my understanding the army payroll aboard the Brother Jonathan was paper money. Would you please be so kind as to tell us where you find a reference to gold coins? I would certainly appreciate it!

Regarding two tons of gold aboard the Confederate blockade runner - I would be interested in learning where the South got the gold. It is my very general understanding that blockade runners left with cotton to return with cargo.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaneer

 

[RELICDUDE07]

I would like for ivan to come back and give us the grand total now,i mean with 4000 lbs. more to go with the $193,000,000...I think i may head on out

 

[ivan salis]

yesthe blockade runners sold cotton for gold with which they bought return cargo --the condederate govt also sold "bonds" overseas that had high rates of interest to get "foreign investment" money to help the south -- people bought them knowing that if the south won her freedom that the pay off would be massive -- (a old time "high risk -high reward" junk bond of sorts) this gold was smuggled in via blockade runners carrying cargo from nassau where the bonds were sold at .) as the war wore on many people demanded gold in payment for supplies (and refused confederate "paper money" ) and more and more of the bonds were issued with the wild interest rates steadily climbing to keep the money flowing . as the "foreign" money came in some was was spread about, but some was held "in reserve"

 

[barney]

Hey Sabre,
I just drove by that anchor at Charlies Seafood Restaurant today in Crystal River. It is a kedge anchor that came off the Civil War blockade runner "Abbey Bee." The AB Left Steinhatchee carrying 2 tons of gold bars to buy munitions in Cuba for the Confederates. I talked with the shrimper who found the anchor in 1978. When he found it he was drunk and his Loran was broken so he has no idea where he was.

No record of a vessel by that name captured or sunk in the Civil War off Florida or anywhere else. There was an A.B. (A. BEE) that ran aground and was burned off Texas in 1862, but that's about as close as it gets...

 

[sabre15]

There was a ship named Abby Bradford.

Hey Scubasalvor
How or where did the info on the gold bars come from?

 

[barney]

There was a ship named Abby Bradford.

There was a schooner ABBY B (1851), a bark ABBIE B (1874), and a schooner ABBIE BRADFORD (1860), but all of these were still sailing after the Civil War (or built after the war). There were fairly good records of blockade runners captured/destroyed during the war and nothing similar to the suggested name exists. While its definitely not as sexy as the other proposed stories, the anchor could just come from some generic shipwreck.

 

[Salvor6]

There was a vessel mentioned in the Official Records of the Rebellion named A Bee that burned and sank near Matagorda Bay, TX but that was a different ship.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

barney:

I would certainly agree with you that the Civil War is astonishingly well-documented!

One of the reasons the US Navy kept such good records regarding captured or destroyed blockade runners probably is that the officers (and, of course, the crew - although they wouldn't be documenting it) wanted their prize money.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaneer

 

[sabre15]

I agree with you Dell,

Back then so many of the same names were used and just because some guy can't find the info on the internet it must never have existed or your just wrong. It's all in the research and also diligent hunting!

 

[ivan salis]

a code name is ok by me dell --ala "the black swan" bet if anyone was evesdropping on the "chatter" from the researchers on that one and tried to pump that well they would have came up very dry too.
--some folks think researchers are here to just give away years worth of effort and work to "them" for nothing like its somehow "owned" to em -- some don't even bother to ask nicely for petes sake - -- kind like geez hurry up and make me rich off of your work already .

 

[sabre15]

I'm asking nicely. Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ok what is considered a mouth of river, like Deadman's bay, how far out does the mouth entail of a river?

 

[RELICDUDE07]

If we just keep diggin we will find the info . Im starting at the gold,just to make sure where it came from . I must know what im going to find, and what its going to look like

 

[ivan salis]

SWR name some positive items of info you've posted trying to help out folks -- nay saying and find bashing is your feild of expertise it seems -- you have a rep a mile long for it . (many folks say so . I'm not a one man band on this matter)-- you say "prove it" over and over in a attempt to force research information out of folks --bashing over and over again --beating the horse well beyond death.

I never engage in a battle of the wits with an unarmed person, as it waste my time and they learn nothing by it.

 

[sabre15]

At the top of this post it shows who is on looking, there is always one hidden. Is that Tallahassee?


Also, these map images, are they google earth or Military?

 

[ivan salis]

its a known fact that some archie types do troll the internet looking for folks talking too much about their "great find" --- loose lips CAN and do SINK SHIPS -- or at the least mess up your finds. beware of the lurking whip crackers with hammers.