In September 1622, the Nuestra Señora de Atocha treasure ship sunk near the Florida Keys. Now, its $1.1billion cargo of plundered indigenous treasures, including a stunning Colombian emerald crucifix, a royal orb and a gold-and-emerald ring, are being displayed in New York.

When Nature Reclaimed The Priceless Emeralds

This story begins on September 4, 1622 AD, when the Tierra Firme flota, a Spanish treasure fleet, comprising twenty heavily-loaded ships, left the Havana port of Cuba, headed for Spain. The following day a hurricane smashed the Florida straits and eight of the ships were sunk.

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Sailing as Almirante (rear guard), The Nuestra Senora de Atocha (“Our Lady of Atocha”), was carrying 265 people onboard. Its hull was stuffed with a vast cargo of treasure that was pillaged from Colombia, Peru, Mexico and Venezuela. The ships inventory included “24 tons of silver bullion in 1038 ingots, 180,00 pesos of silver coins, 582 copper ingots, 125 gold bars and discs, 350 chests of indigo, 525 bales of tobacco, 20 bronze cannons and 1,200 pounds of worked silverware”.

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