Divers find gold bars, coins in Fla. Keys

[domino22]

Well the way I see it, if you find the "motherload". Stay quite do not tell anyone melt it down if gold or silver, that makes it untraceable and if you hit a emerald pocket take them to Hong Kong and sell them to dealer's. Emeralds do not set off metal detectors at the airport. Plus once the lawyers get involved-you gonna get a lesson in "why did I open my mouth".......just a thought.

 

[Missdirected]

As for Mel Fisher, he's no angel either.he pleaded "no contest" in 1999 for selling " fraudulent Spanish coins ". Though he pleaded guilty, the company stated they got the coins from a dealer that mislead them.

Would you clarify please. I'm sure it's and error but I am confused. First you stated tat he pleaded no contest then go on to say he plead guilty. Thank you.

 

[PhotoTJ]

By the way PhotoTJ - love the Romer Treece quote. We must "have a jar" someday. There's always a bottle of Goslings in my house!

I need to get over to the East coast one day soon! Hate to pass up a drink.

 

[Carolina_Mike]

Hey TJ
"It ain't drinkin...it's survivin" - Romer Treece

 

[blacksambellamy]

Well the way I see it, if you find the "motherload". Stay quite do not tell anyone melt it down if gold or silver, that makes it untraceable and if you hit a emerald pocket take them to Hong Kong and sell them to dealer's. Emeralds do not set off metal detectors at the airport. Plus once the lawyers get involved-you gonna get a lesson in "why did I open my mouth".......just a thought.

i agree

 

[moneysavr]

Been to his (Mel's) Museum many times and at the end of the tour they are selling tones of artifacts that's where i became unimpressed. If you want to recover artifacts and open a Museum then all the artifacts should be preserved none should make it to the open market. Almost every shop (even trinket shops) in Key West are selling what they claim to be Authentic Mel Fisher coins.

Us too,The Idea of selling copies and to lead folks to think they are the real thing gets me smoking P____d at Mel Gang!

Its all a sucker thing folks think the stuff is real and its not its all crap!

As for my 2 cents the state should grab all his junk and put it into a real museum,stop them from damaging the reefs by stiff fines in the Millions and turn there road side stands selling trinkets into a Ripley's believe or not!not knocking Ripley's!
As PT Said one is born every day,and they pray on this.

Yes I know all you wanna be salvo-rs glorify and romanticize treasure hunting and think what if,I look at the other side the damage they do environmentally,and how much gets traded behind closed doors? not taxed,not documented,not studied or any thing just hid in some old stuff shirts treasure collection Never-NEVER to be seen by the public! Then what if scholars and historians had a chance to map and study these sites prior to them blowing holes as said in Mel's latest press release,they care nothing about history but use historians to locate there bounty.
Thank god but it may be a bit late as on the Great lakes we have stopped the looting and begun preserving and documenting our ship wrecks of the past for others to see and future generations ,the days of salvager's looting and pillaging are over as they sit on trailers and buses and basements full of looted roting artifacts even Red Lobster will not buy nor museums want.My 2 cents only,
see this link and other Great lake states have their own,
http://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/tools.cfm
Dive safe
take only photos leave only bubbles
Brad

 

[octotat]

Since the Atocha was dragged and scattered it's loot far and wide, what historical knowledge exactly was lost by blowing holes in the sand with mailboxes? Leaving these things in the ocean doesn't expand any knowlege of the era. Archeologist like Daniel Lenihan earn their living off "acedemic welfare" (i.e. grants of huge sums of MY money to run around the world and do dubious science) and that is the reason that want salvors and other treasure hunters off limits to "their" precious rescource. More has been learned about history from artifacts recovered by salvors and treasure hunters than any undewater archeologist. Read Lenihans book, he didn't contribute any knowledge to society that I can tell, unlike the salvors of the SS Republic, the Whyda, Atocha, SS Central America, etc, etc. etc.

I really found it interesting that as a National Park Service Employee, Lenihan ran around the Pacific on a government tab, wreck diving WWII wrecks supposedly surveying them. How are these National Parks? I couldn't believe he actually printed a book about this embezzlement of public funds.

 

[wreckchick]

Let's not forget the work that the Fischer clan did on the wreck of the Henrietta Marie either.

The difference between the actual Atocha coins and the fakes is usually a couple hundred dollars. If you get a necklace for under $50, it ain't real gold kids. People know this.

Rachel

 

[octotat]

Let's not forget the work that the Fischer clan did on the wreck of the Henrietta Marie either.

The difference between the actual Atocha coins and the fakes is usually a couple hundred dollars. If you get a necklace for under $50, it ain't real gold kids. People know this.

Rachel

Racehel, you're adorable. Has the wind stopped blowing down there yet? Have you returned to our "secret" dive site yet to find that mysterious ambulance wreck?

 

[wreckchick]

Hiya!

The wind is supposed to die down for Saturday. I lost about 6 charters this week because of it. I'm about to get grumpy

I have not returned to the Mystery Spot yet although I did have to try and finish up a couple referrals today and went somewhere else that was just as satisfying as that site. <sigh> I need to find somewhere better....

R