Sunken treasure is real sometimes (Photo: Queen Jewels)
Three hundred years ago this summer, a fleet of Spanish ships set sail from Cuba. Their timing was bad: about a week out, a hurricane blew up and sunk 11 of the dozen ships off the coast of Florida.
Although it's been combed over for centuries, many people believe that the site of the wreck still contains hundreds of millions of dollars worth of loot. And they might be right. Just recently, a family of treasure hunters found more than 50 gold coins and a golden chain, worth, altogether, more than $1 million.
One of those coins was particularly special. A Tricentennial Royal, it's a rare coin, minted for display rather than regular use. That coin alone is worth about half a million dollars–basically a treasure hunter's dream.
Bonus finds: A mini Russian submarine, cannibalistic frogs with teeth
Every day, we highlight one newly lost or found object, curiosity or wonder. Discover something unusual or amazing? Tell us about it! Send your finds to sarah.laskow@atlasobscura.com.