Thirty-seven gold coins stolen after being brought to the surface from the wrecks of a 1715 Spanish treasure fleet off the coast of Florida have been recovered.
In total, 101 coins were found in the wrecks in 2015 by 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels LLC contractors, including suspect Eric Schmitt and his relatives, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a release Tuesday. While 51 coins were reported correctly, the other 50 weren’t, the FWC added.
The FWC and FBI resumed their investigation into the missing coins in June. They have accused Mr. Schmitt of selling some of the coins from 2023-24, charging him with dealing in stolen property. The FWC didn’t specify if Mr. Schmitt faces any other criminal charges.
The 37 gold coins, worth more than $1 million, that authorities recovered included five taken back from an auctioneer who bought them without knowing they were stolen and more from other auctions, safe deposit boxes and people’s residences. Investigators also allege that Mr. Schmitt placed three of the coins back on the ocean floor in 2016 to entice new investors in 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, according to the FWC release.
The artifacts from the 1715 wrecks are protected under federal and Floridian law, and the once-stolen coins have been returned to proper custody. The FWC is still investigating the whereabouts of the remaining 13 coins in order to recover them as well.
The state gets 20% of all treasure-hunting profits, while the Schmitts were to split their profit 50-50 with 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, according to CBS News.
“The more we do this, the bigger the finds we make, so I kind of less believe in luck and more believe in our hard work,” Mr. Schmitt told CBS News after the initial discovery of the coins in 2015.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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