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Encased in a finely crafted 14k gold bezel, this genuine 8 Reales Spanish Cob Coin from the San Marin or Cabin shipwreck embodies a remarkable slice of Spanish heritage. Merging precious metal elegance with a rare artifact, it delivers lasting beauty and a powerful link to history. Ideal for collectors or as a one-of-a-kind gift, this piece combines skilled artistry with deep cultural meaning, making it a captivating highlight in any jewelry collection or treasure trove.
- Shipwreck: San Marin or Cabin Wreck, 1715 Fleet (Treasure Coast, Florida)
- Bezel Handcrafted in the Florida Keys
- Denomination: 8 Reales (about the size of a US silver dollar)
- Mint: Mexico City
- Mounting: 14k gold bezel (handmade)
- Comes with Certificate of Authenticity
The Enduring Mystery of the Green Cabin: The San Martín and the 1715 Plate Fleet
The allure of buried treasure has captivated imaginations for centuries, and few stories are as compelling as that of the Spanish treasure fleets. Among the most famous of these is the 1715 fleet, a convoy of eleven ships laden with vast riches that met a catastrophic end off the coast of Florida. While the entire fleet represents a historical tragedy and a modern-day treasure trove, the story of the San Martín, known to modern salvors as the Green Cabin shipwreck, stands out as a poignant example of the fleet’s fate and the enduring legacy of its lost wealth.
The 1715 fleet was a vital artery of the Spanish colonial empire, tasked with transporting the riches of the New World—primarily gold and silver from Mexican and Peruvian mines—back to Spain. These voyages were crucial for funding the Spanish Crown and maintaining its global power. The ships, often heavily armed galleons, followed a well-established route: they would gather in Havana, Cuba, and then sail north and east, catching the currents of the Gulf Stream to begin their treacherous Atlantic crossing. On the night of July 31, 1715, a powerful hurricane, arriving with unexpected ferocity, struck the fleet just as it was preparing to make its turn northward. Within hours, all eleven ships were destroyed, their hulls and precious cargo scattered along a twenty-mile stretch of Florida’s eastern coastline.
The San Martín, a merchant ship that was part of the doomed convoy, was among the vessels lost in the storm. The ship's wreckage, known today as the Green Cabin site, is located in the vicinity of present-day Vero Beach, Florida. This particular wreck site gained its modern name from a landmark house, a green-painted cabin, that stood on the beach directly across from the wreck. Modern salvage operations, which began in the mid-20th century, brought the site to prominence. Unlike some other wrecks from the fleet, the Green Cabin site has yielded a wealth of artifacts that provide a unique window into the disaster. Divers have recovered thousands of silver coins, ornate jewelry, and other period-specific items, each telling a piece of the story of the ship and its passengers. The distinct markings on the recovered coins and the specific type of cargo found have helped archaeologists and historians confirm the site's identity and its connection to the San Martín.
The story of the San Martín and its Green Cabin site is more than just a tale of lost treasure; it is a significant historical and archaeological resource. While the Spanish were able to salvage some of the fleet's wealth in the years following the disaster, the majority of the riches remained undiscovered for centuries. The rediscovery of the San Martín and other 1715 fleet ships has provided invaluable insights into 18th-century maritime technology, trade routes, and the lives of those who perished in the storm. The ongoing efforts at the Green Cabin site and others like it continue to unearth new finds, offering a tangible link to the past and reinforcing the powerful narrative of a fleet swallowed by the sea. The San Martín stands as a silent monument to the power of nature and a testament to the enduring human fascination with uncovering what was once lost.
