Atocha, sunk in 1622 west of Key West, Florida
1057. Silver plate with “1605” silversmith mark and display case. 320 grams, 9-1/2” in diameter and 1” tall, the display 14” x 12” x 6”.
A small but impressive plate, fully intact except for small holes in the raised, 1-1/2”-wide, rolled rim, dull-silver color with two pentagonal markings on underside of rim (toned for contrast) that show the date 1605 below a crown inside a bead border, same as seen on some rare coins from the Capitana (1654), with attractive display with red-velvet pad and plaque in front that says THE ATOCHA 1622. From the Atocha (1622), with Fisher photo-certificate #85A-A560 and wood-and-plexiglas display case. Estimate: $3,500-up.
Spanish 1715 Fleet, east coast of Florida 1058. Complete gold rosary consisting of chain, crucifix and three medallions. 64.20 grams, the necklace 30” long with 4-1/2” pendant. It is hard to fathom a more impressive piece from the 1715 Fleet, as this rosary is 100% intact and beautiful, all in high-karat gold, with
the chain consisting of wire hooks, diamond-shaped mesh and small cages, connected to an ornate triangular link from which hangs one oval medallion and a cross-shaped chain of cage-links with octagonal medallions hanging off the sides and small but ornate crucifix suspended at the bottom, one of a several significant gold jewels found on the “Cabin wreck” site by the crew of the Virgalona in the summer of 1993 (with more found on the same site a year later) and featured in articles thereafter. The medallions—each one and each side different—show various saints, some with the Christ child, while the cross itself has ornate engraving on the reverse (see photo for detail). While the asymmetrically single medallion above the central triangle would seem to indicate a missing partner, it should be noted that all the intact rosaries from this two-year find have the same arrangement. From the 1715 Fleet, featured in the 1994 issue of Silver & Gold magazine (by Western & Eastern Treasures), with Fisher photo-certificate #23286X. Estimate: $25,000-up.
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