Born in Indiana and a dive shop pioneer in California, Mel Fisher (August 21, 1922 – December 19, 1998) was an American treasure hunter best known for finding the 1622 wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha in Florida waters.

Did Mel Fisher keep the treasure?

Mel Fisher, a former chicken farmer who became a Horatio Alger figure among undersea treasure hunters, died on Saturday at his home in Key West, Fla. ... Eventually his son Kane located the underwater bounty in 1985, and treasure worth roughly $400 million was recovered.

Has all the Atocha treasure been found?

A second hurricane on October 5 further destroyed the wreck, and despite six decades of searching by Spanish salvagers, no trace of Atocha or its treasures would be found.

What happened to the treasure from the Atocha?

Much of the wreck of Nuestra Señora de Atocha was famously recovered by an American commercial treasure hunting expedition in 1985. Following a lengthy court battle against the State of Florida, the finders were ultimately awarded sole ownership of the rights to the treasure.

How much is the Atocha treasure worth today?

On July 20, 1985 - 35 years ago today - Mel Fisher discovered the shipwreck of the Nuestra Senora De Atocha off the Florida Keys. The cargo's value is estimated to be worth around $400 million.

National Geographic Video: Atocha: Quest for Treasure (1986)

34 related questions found

Who is the richest treasure hunter?

Tommy G. Thompson was once one of the greatest treasure hunters of his time: A dark-bearded diver who hauled a trove of gold from the Atlantic Ocean in 1988 — dubbed the richest find in U.S. history.

How long did it take Mel Fisher to find the Atocha?

Mel Fisher made a commitment of his greatest personal effort to find the Atocha, believing every day that the elusive lady was ready at last to reveal her lavish secrets. Lesser men would have failed. On July 20, 1985, after more than 15 years, Mel's dream was achieved, and the Atocha's mother lode was located.

What is the most valuable shipwreck never found?

July 2020 marked the 35th anniversary of the discovery of the most valuable shipwreck in history, the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. Spanish for "Our Lady of Atocha", the sunken Spanish galleon was found on July 20, 1985, after a 16-year quest by famous treasure hunter Mel Fisher.

What is the most famous shipwreck of all time?

The sinking of the British ocean liner RMS Titanic in 1912, with over 1,500 fatalities, is probably the most famous shipwreck, but not the biggest in terms of lives lost.

Is the Atocha still being salvaged?

The Atocha is the late Fisher's most famous find, but his company is currently in the process of salvaging three other wrecks – the Santa Margarita, which went down with the Atocha, and another ship that was also believed lost in the same storm, as well as a wreck off the east coast of Florida code-named "Lost Merchant ...

Can you dive the Atocha?

The Atocha Dive Adventure, presented by the Fisher family and Mel Fisher's Treasures of Key West, gives recreational divers a chance to be part of the historic search and recovery effort.

How much gold was found on the Atocha?

The estimated $450 million cache recovered, known as "The Atocha Motherlode," included 40 tons of gold and silver; there were some 114,000 of the Spanish silver coins known as "pieces of eight", gold coins, Colombian emeralds, gold and silver artifacts, and 1000 silver ingots.

Who owns shipwreck treasure?

The United States passed the Abandoned Shipwrecked Act in 1987. That Act gives title of all shipwrecks within U.S. waters to the United States and not to the discoverer of the shipwreck. U.S. territorial waters extend at least three miles from the coast line.

How can you tell if a Atocha coin is real?

Typically, they are clearly struck on both the obverse and reverse sides with the mintmark, assayer mark and denomination often all visible. Atocha coins are supplied with the original photo type Certificate of Authenticity.

How many undiscovered shipwrecks are there?

there are an estimated three million undiscovered shipwrecks; We've detailed four of the most valuable – with billions of pounds just waiting there.

How much are Atocha coins worth?

An 8 reales silver Atocha coin was roughly equivalent to one month's pay for a sailor in the 1600's. Denominations of the Atocha coins were based on the “Onza” or avoirdupois ounce equaling 28 grams. Each denomination was to equal one-half of the next higher denomination.

Has titanic been found?

Seventy-three years after it sank to the North Atlantic ocean floor, a joint U.S.-French expedition locates the wreck of the RMS Titanic. The sunken liner was about 400 miles east of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic, some 13,000 feet below the surface.

What is the most famous lost treasure?

Here are 10 lost treasures of the world whose value cannot be measured.

• The Tomb of Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan, National Palace Museum, Taiwan. ...
• The Knights Templar Treasure. ...
• Lost Dutchman Mine. ...
• The Library of the Moscow Tsars. ...
• The Amber Room. ...
• Ark of the Covenant. ...
• Romanov Easter Eggs. ...
• Jewels of King John.

Was the Atocha part of the 1715 fleet?

When they find out that we are still working on and recovering items from the Atocha, they can't believe it. The Atocha has been a very large part of my entire career. ... Of course, the Atocha is a legend, but it was the 1715 Fleet that romanced my parents to Florida and introduced them to success in the salvage business.

What shipwrecks have not been found?

The Most Famous Shipwrecks Still Waiting to Be Discovered

• The Santa Maria (1492) Alamy. ...
• The Endurance (1915) Alamy. ...
• The HMS Endeavour (1778) Alamy. ...
• Le Griffon (1679) Alamy. ...
• The Merchant Royal (1641) Alamy. ...
• USS Indianapolis (1945) Alamy. ...
• The Wasp (1814) Alamy. ...
• The Flor de la Mar (1511) Alamy.

Is treasure hunting illegal?

In the U.S., laws vary by state, but the general conclusion is that going treasure hunting is often a waste of time because you likely can't keep it. The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 states that any “archaeological resources” found on the land of the state belong to the government.

Are there still sunken treasures?

Hidden treasures aren't just for pirates, movies, and pirate movies—there's actually treasure buried right here in the United States. While some buried treasures have been found, there's still plenty out there just waiting to be discovered by metal detector, shovel, or puzzle-solving mind.

Can I keep treasure I find?

If the found property is lost, abandoned, or treasure trove, the person who found it gets to keep it unless the original owner claims it (so actually, unless the original owner claims it, the rule is “finders keepers”).

How many people survived the Atocha shipwreck?

The Nuestra Señora de Atocha sank with 265 people onboard. Only five survived by holding on to the stump of the mizzenmast, which was the only part of the wrecked galleon that remained above water. Rescuers tried to enter the drowned hulk, but found the hatches tightly battened.