Rare Spanish coins found in shipwreck

JUPITER, Fla., June 29 (UPI) -- A team of Florida "treasure finders" said they found more than 50 Spanish colonial coins in the wreckage of a 17th century ship.

The Jupiter-based crew of the Seahunter said they found the coins in the wreckage of a 350-year-old ship that sank off the Jupiter Inlet, WPTV, West Palm Beach, Fla., reported Wednesday.

Scott Thomson, captain of the Seahunter, said the ship is the "San Miguel De Arcangel that wrecked in the winter of 1659/1660 and had about 100 people on board."

Thomson said his crew, whom he described as "treasure finders," has found more than 50 gold and silver coins in the wreckage during the past week.

"We found gold for the first time in the last 10 or 15 years, and we also found a 1659 Lima-2 Star that was double struck so it has two sets of the words and two sets of the pillars and it's quite a rare coin," Thomson said.

However, he said the worth of the coins does not matter to the crew.

"It's got nothing to do with money, it's about finding treasure. The treasure's not fun after you get it, it's the finding it, it's the going out there with your buddies and diving and the adventure. The sense of adventure, that's what it's all about." Thomson said.