Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Authorities have retrieved 37 gold coins after they were stolen by salvaging robbers from a centuries-old shipwreck off the coast of Florida, reported the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
In 2015, over 100 gold coins were salvaged from the wrecks of a series of Spanish ships that sank as a result of hurricanes occurring on Florida’s coast. The ships, referred to as the 1715 Fleet, had been carrying treasure when they sunk, reported ABC Action News.
51 of the coins were “reported correctly and adjudicated.” However, 50 of the coins were stolen after not being disclosed to authorities.
The coins, which were illegally sold this year and last year, were retrieved from safe boxes, private residences and other locations through the use of search warrants. The 37 coins recovered have an estimated combined value of over $1 million.
“This case underscores the importance of safeguarding Florida’s rich cultural heritage and holding accountable those who seek to profit from its exploitation,” Camille Soverel, an investigator for The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said in a news release.
State and federal law requires such artifacts to be remanded to the custody of their “rightful custodians.” However, who the rightful custodians of the coins are is not yet clear.
Originally published by Latin Times.
