Shipwreck Consolacion Pirate Treasure Coin Piece of Eight Authentic 1R SS/14K

Description

The
authentic silver treasure coin
pictured is the one you will receive. It is a one Real Spanish coin dated 1678 set into a sterling silver with solid 14K gold prongs pendant bezel. Your purchase will include the Certificate of Authenticity, a velvet treasure pouch, a polishing cloth and gift box. These silver coins were all
hand-stuck
, made one at a time, and each one is unique.
The
Consolacion
, a Spanish Armada del Sur (South Sea Armada) galleon, was lost in
1681
after striking a reef near Guayaquil
,
Ecuador. This famous
shipwreck
is one of the most compelling tales of
pirates on the high seas!
A delay in receiving silver coins from the mint in Potosi prevented the
Santa Maria de la Consolacion
from sailing with the rest of the armada from Callao,
Peru.
When the lone ship met pirates, the captain decided to ground the
Consolacion
on Santa Clara island, nicknamed Isla de Muerto (
Island of the Dead
), but struck a reef in the process.
After striking the bottom the officers, passengers and crew quickly entered various small boats and after setting fire to the galleon to prevent capture of the treasure, headed for the nearby rocky island.  The pirates chased and managed to capture many of the crew and passengers.  Furious about missing out on the treasure, the pirates beheaded any of the survivors he could find.  The pirates forced local fishermen to try and recover the treasure but were unsuccessful.  Some months later the Spanish Colonial authorities attempted a salvage operation but were also unsuccessful.  The site of the shipwreck was then abandoned and lay forgotten for 320 years until modern searchers discovered it in 1998.  This historical data was obtained from archives in Seville, Madrid, Lima and London by Marine Historian Robert F. Marx.
Each coin is unique in its shape and striking. The obverse bears the Pillars of Hercules over the waves of the sea with the Latin warning: PLUS ULTRA meaning, "Spain owns all that is beyond the oceans".
The reverse has, in varying styles, a Jerusalem cross.