Niles (Illinois): The Bradford Exchange Mint, steward of American history and shared through the hobby of coin collecting, announced an extraordinary find of authentic Silver coins from the "Shipwreck that Changed the World."
The Bradford Exchange Mint is thrilled to secure a previously unknown hoard of genuine Spanish 8 Reales coins or famous "Pieces of Eight”, it said.
Each coin is dated 1783 and recovered from an historic 18th century Spanish shipwreck.
Thoroughly researched by maritime historian and underwater archaeologist Robert Sténuit, the wreck was determined to be the lost Spanish brig of war El Cazador (The Hunter) that mysteriously sank in early 1784.
“Loaded with over 450,000 Silver coins, the precious cargo was intended to bolster the economy of Spain's Louisiana colony, and its loss changed world history”, the Bradford Exchange Mint said.
Spain ended up forfeiting the territory to France. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson purchased 530 million acres of land from France for $15 million dollars or 3 cents per acre.
This acquisition, known as The Louisiana Purchase, doubled our young country's size, changing history forever.
“These coins are very special as they were owned by Jerry Murphy, the Captain of the fishing boat named "Mistake" who accidentally found the historic shipwreck in August 1993”, the Bradford Exchange Mint said.
“So, if you've ever dreamed of owning sunken treasure, your ship has finally come in, but there's no guarantee for how long”, it added.
"Today, it is virtually impossible to find 8 Reales coins recovered from the El Cazador with superior details visible on both sides of the coin. Combined with the provenance of having been owned by the discoverer of the shipwreck, that makes them an extraordinary find”, Bradford Exchange Chief Numismatist Walter J. Kole remarked
Each coin has been certified by the NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) and is preserved within a tamper-proof holder with a custom shipwreck label, bearing a unique serial number.
Each coin is accompanied with a Bradford Exchange Mint's Certificate of Authenticity, hand-signed by Captain Murphy.
The Bradford Exchange Mint is a trusted resource for genuine coins of enduring historic value throughout North America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
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