Where is Sam Staples ?

[signumops]

Does anybody on this forum know the whereabouts of Sam Staples?

 

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[mad4wrecks]

I think Fisheye said once that Mike McGuire aquired all of Sam's research. I think he resides in Orlando.

I have the Treasure Diver magazine from the early 90's in which he talks about all the gold he found at Corrigans.

John, any input??

 

[FISHEYE]

I cant really remember where mike said sam was living,but i think its either cocoa or sebastian.Sam is retired from the treasure industry.I read just about all his research and saw what the real 8 really found and where.Some good info in all those files and charts and maps and mag scans mike bought off sam.

 

[signumops]

I don't know Mike McGuire. But, I have a burning question for Sam (or his archives).

 

[mad4wrecks]

This was Mike's 'beach find.'

http://www.atocha1622.com/Mike Maguire Treasure Hunter.htm

 

[FISHEYE]

It was my research and location where mike found the jewelry boxes.He didnt just find 1 box but found 2.They were both the same with 5 rings and a rosary in each box.And he found both boxes without a MD.He just happened to get there at high tide and they both washed out of the dunes when he walked by.

 

[mad4wrecks]

Do you have any more information you can point us to on this John? I never heard about 2 boxes. Any pics you can add?

What happened to this amazing treasure?

 

[FISHEYE]

All the treasure was sold,i think one of the rings ended up with one of his ex wives.I just talked to frank,he went with mike to sam staples to pick up all the research and files.Frank said sam doesnt want to be bothered,he just wants to be left alone,hes done with the treasure biz.As far as the site where mike found the 2 boxes,its a secret spot between myself mike and frank as i have found some treasure there too after the 2004 storms.Mike was with me,so was frank.I will see mikes dad this weekend and see if i can get some pics that he has of the boxes.Mikes dad is in the hospital for the rest of the week,he had a kidney removed last sunday and is doing great.

 

[mad4wrecks]

Hey Terry, I found Sam Staples:

Sam Staples Sr. Obituary: View Sam Staples's Obituary by FLORIDA TODAY

Tom

 

[signumops]

Tom:
Did not know he had died, but I had Bill Haynie get in touch with him in late 2010 and he was ill then.
Sam worked with Rex Stocker for Jim Rathmann's group, among others and I was a grunt diver for that group when Art Hartman moved up from Miami with the "Arto", an old river cruiser and they began working together on some of the 1715 wrecks. I believe the boat that Sam ran at that time was called the "Halmar", or something like that, if I recall correctly. I was on board a few times at Corrigans. Hugh Gray was one of Art's divers from down in the Keys and he moved up with Art to the Treasure Coast. Hugh and I left at the end of the summer as it was the period of first Arab oil embargo, and we both moved to Morgan City and went to work for Oceaneering in the oilfield. That was the last I saw of Sam.

There is a 'legend' rock pile in the vicinity of Sebastian Inlet that Frank Brawley supposedly found while flying in the area. He had his own boat in Port Canaveral and hired Sam to take it down to Sebastian Inlet for a number of months to periodically search for this rock pile. Supposedly spent quite a bit of money looking for it. Sam said he did not find it.

I knew Frank personally, from the offshore oilfield business, and I worked with him on the Laertes salvage job off the Cape. I would not bet that he actually saw the rock pile from the air, but, I would bet that he had heard about it and sent Sam down to take a look. Maybe Sam told him about it. This pile legend has existed for some time. When I first worked for Real 8, Bob Johnson took the Grifon down there and drug me around in the area looking for it. I don't think Bob thought it actually existed though, since he only ran me around the area for a few hours.

Anyway, that is the reason I was trying to get hold of Sam, and Bill took care of that for me. So now, Sam has died, Frank has died, Bob Johnson has died and I guess only Rex, myself, and a few others have heard about this mystery ballast pile, although, I would bet there are a number of contributors here on Tnet that have also heard this story over the years.

 

[PhipsFolly]

Hi guys... I ended up with one of the rings from one of the gold boxes that Mike found

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Hi guys... I ended up with one of the rings from one of the gold boxes that Mike found

Can you post any good pix?
ZDD

 

[PhipsFolly]

I will post a few pics when I get a chance this weekend. Maybe someone who was privy to Mike's two gold box find and the contents thereof can confirm my rings "provenance" for me... It is high carat gold with a large clear table cut amethyst.

 

[PhipsFolly]

The info that I received when I purchased the ring was that it had come from one of the gold boxes that Mike found on this particular beach... Would just like to confirm this with someone who has seen the contents of the boxes...

 

[FISHEYE]

Phips,

i know what was in the boxes.Email the pics of your ring.

 

[PhipsFolly]

Cool Fisheye... Will do... I keep it in safe deposit so it will have to wait until Monday but I sure would appreciate your input... Thanks.

 

[PhipsFolly]

A pic of my 1715 Fleet ring... huge clear amethyst and high carat gold... wish it was an emerald that size!!