As Cincinnati, OH’s leading coin dealer for over 45 years, Coins Plus has encountered many rare types of coins , each with a unique story to tell. One such type is the Spanish cob, a crudely designed gold or silver coin often discovered among the ruins of 16th- to 18th-century shipwrecks. Below, our team delves into the history of three such shipwrecks.

The Atocha Fleet

On September 4, 1622, the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and nine other ships began the long journey from Cuba to Spain. Along the way, they encountered a fierce hurricane that capsized the vessel, killing a majority of the crew and other passengers. Over 300 years later, treasure hunter Mel Fisher discovered the ruins near the Florida Keys. It was then that he unearthed thousands of gold and silver cobs along with other New World riches amounting to nearly $400 million. On August 5, 2015, 40 of these items were sold to a private coin dealer for around $2 million.

The 1715 Plate Fleet  

Akin to the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, the 1715 Plate Fleet was a group of ships traveling from the New World to Spain. On July 31, 1715, seven days after departing from Havana, 11 of the 12 vessels were lost in a hurricane near what is now Vero Beach, Florida. Exactly 300 years later, excavators uncovered thousands of gold cobs. All dated between 1692 and 1715 during the reigns of Charles II and Philip V. More than 200 of these treasure coins entered the numismatic marketplace in 2016 and earned over $1 million.

The Lucayan Beach Wreck

Unlike the two previous incidences, the Lucayan Beach Wreck is shrouded in mystery. This ship was discovered accidentally in 1964 just 1,300 yards from the Lucayan Beach Hotel in the Bahamas. Among the wreckage, excavators found around 10,000 silver cobs dating up to and including 1628. Because of these dates, historians believe the unidentified vessel may have belonged to a Spanish treasure fleet that was overtaken by the Dutch pirate and national hero Piet Heyn during the Battle in the Bay of Matanzas. Though this suspicion has yet to be confirmed, the cobs found on site remain beautiful enigmas appreciated by coin collectors and dealers alike.

Whether you want to learn more about these three shipwrecks or appraise some of the cobs in your own collection, Coins Plus is the team to trust. Our rare coin dealers have over 100 years of combined experience in numismatics and are prepared to not only answer all your questions but also give you the most accurate pricing information in Cincinnati. Call us at (513) 621-1996 to schedule an appointment or visit us online for more details.  

Body Image Source: The Portable Antiquities Scheme/ The Trustees of the British Museum