8. The Captain
Current Estimated Value: $1 million* (1938 Haul)
The Year Was Lost: 1733
Found in: 1938 (Re-Salvaging)
Three ships from the West Indies Fleet were discovered, including the Capitana. From 1566 to 1790, Capitana’s convoy crossed the Atlantic to reach colonies in Spain. Along with Spanish products, the Capitana and her sister ships transported sugar, silk, tobacco, spices, pearls, and precious metals.
Facebook.com/The Capitana @Shipwreckhunter
The Capitana, also known as El Rubi, was caught in a hurricane in 1733. It immediately sank after running aground close to Upper Matecumbe Key. Divers were able to retrieve the riches on board, despite the crew’s deaths. Salvage crews returned in 1938 to search for the last of the treasure, a process that took over a decade. One hundred and ten silver buttons and coins were discovered, together with fifty-two gold coins and forty feet of gold chains.
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