Portuguese 
Spanish 
Divers located the 10.2-kilogram piece at a depth of 15 meters, near Key West, in the wreckage of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, a Spanish galleon sunk during a hurricane in 1622
A rare silver bar, valued between $50,000 and $100,000, approximately R$ 277,000 to R$ 550,000, was found in the wreckage of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, shipwrecked in 1622 near Key West, off the coast of Florida.
The rare piece weighs approximately 10.2 kilograms and was about 15 meters deep. According to the team responsible, this is the first bar of this type recovered at the site in almost three decades of searches.
Silver bar was located after metal detector signal
The discovery was made by divers from Mel Fisher’s Shipwreck Expeditions, who were participating in an operation aboard the rescue ship DARE.
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During the work, a metal detector registered a signal considered very strong. The divers then began to carefully remove the layers of sand and sediment accumulated over the object.
The excavation revealed a practically intact bar, despite having remained submerged for more than four centuries.
The artifact was covered by marine encrustations and was sent for a conservation process.
Among the preserved details is a small mark made on the metal to test the purity of the silver before its shipment on the Spanish galleon.
Disclosure/Mel Fisher’s Shipwreck Treasures
Beyond the rare piece: Galleon carried gold, silver, and emeralds when it sank
The Nuestra Señora de Atocha sank during a hurricane in the Florida Straits in 1622. The same storm also caused the shipwreck of the Santa Margarita, the sister ship of the galleon.
Both ships were carrying silver coins, gold, emeralds, and bars of precious metals. Part of the cargo remains submerged and scattered among the wreckage.
The main treasure deposit of the Atocha was located in 1985 by the team led by treasure hunter Mel Fisher.
Since then, hundreds of silver bars, gold and silver coins, emeralds, swords, keys, and navigation instruments have been retrieved from the seabed.
Records indicate that other treasures remain submerged
Even after decades of exploration, those responsible for the expedition claim that the site still holds numerous valuable objects.
Historical records indicate that hundreds of silver bars, thousands of coins, and other artifacts remain scattered across the shipwreck area.
The new rare piece, valued at up to $100,000, reinforces the possibility of new discoveries at the site where the Atocha wreckage has remained submerged for over 400 years.
This article was prepared based on the information provided about Mel Fisher’s Shipwreck Expeditions and the shipwreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, with data, numbers, and statements preserved as per the consulted material.
