Need info on source of Treasure Exhibit finds

[Southern_Digger]

Thought I posted this early in morning but must have failed...

Here are a few photos of shipwreck artifacts and treasure, which was exhibited at Festamere in Ft. Lauderdale in 1982. The exhibit included a breech-loading cannon. At the time of the exhibit, source of the artifacts and coins were witheld and the exhibitor would not reveal the source/wreck. Pretty much water under the bridge but, by now, the wreck has been publicized. Does anyone recall/recognize this exhibit and know the source of the wreck?

 

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[mad4wrecks]

While a lot of the media attention during that period was on Mel and the Atocha shipwreck, lots of treasure was quietly coming up off the 1715 Nieves and Corrigans wrecks. You said 1982 so this would have been just before the brief moratorium when everyone was shut down and Mel/Cobb Coin applied for the admiralty rights on the 1715 fleet.

You don't recall the dates on any of those coins?

I have heard stories of treasure coming from the Jupiter inlet wreck, long before it was "officially" discovered in 1987. And a group was diving on the Juno Beach wreck during that period as well, although I have never heard of any treasure coming off that one.

 

[Southern_Digger]

While a lot of the media attention during that period was on Mel and the Atocha shipwreck, lots of treasure was quietly coming up off the 1715 Nieves and Corrigans wrecks. You said 1982 so this would have been just before the brief moratorium when everyone was shut down and Mel/Cobb Coin applied for the admiralty rights on the 1715 fleet.

You don't recall the dates on any of those coins?

I have heard stories of treasure coming from the Jupiter inlet wreck, long before it was "officially" discovered in 1987. And a group was diving on the Juno Beach wreck during that period as well, although I have never heard of any treasure coming off that one.

I do not have coins dates. However, I will add a few more photos that may seem familiar to someone. At least 10,000 people, including some treasure divers saw this exhibit which was held at Port Everglades. Notably, some of the display cases are the same I used in displaying Seminole War artifacts at county-sponsored shows. Those cases belong to the Broward Co. Historical Commission. At first, I thought it might be 1715 treasure found by Brandon. However, altho Spanish, not sure if these represent the type of artifacts found on the 1715 fleet. For example, there were lead crosses and brass religious items; then, there is the breechloading cannon. Only one year earlier, I formed a club which evolved into a Hist. society. I called Mel Fisher to book him as a guest speaker. He could not make it, so, Taffy sent Brandon's group instead. Although Brandon displayed similar silver ingots and silver cobs and gold escudos, I'm uncertain if they ever found lead and brass religious items. That meeting had near 50 in attendance and included a few members of Broward Co. Marine Archeology Advisory Council, also attached to the hist. commission. This Festamere exhibit may have been sponsored through that council.

 

[ScubaFinder]

I never saw this display, but there are certainly wrecks near Fort Lauderdale that could have produced these items. There is a 1500's wreck encrusted into the reef straight out 100 yards from Cody Street in Hollywood about 4 miles south but this wreck has never been investigated by anyone other than myself that I know of. There is also a cannon off of Golden Beach that I could never find the wreck it went with. It's laying beside a long crevice in the reef that holds a lot of lobster, locals can take you there. Then there is supposed to be wreckage near the mouth of the New River (just north of the inlet) but I never saw any indications of this wreck, just heard stories. The other wrecks in the area are well known, some debris even has buoys on it in front of some public beaches.