Pieces of Eight: Recovering the Riches of a Lost Spanish Treasure Fleet

• Authors: Kip Wagner
• Edition: Reprint, 2014 (orig. 1960)
• Subjects: Wreck, History
• Level: New collector, Collector

What it is

The firsthand account of the discovery and salvage of the 1715 Plate Fleet — the ten Spanish galleons wrecked on the Florida reefs — told by Kip Wagner, the Florida man who found the first coins on the beach and co-founded the Real Eight Corporation.

Why it matters

It is the origin story of 1715 Fleet treasure hunting, written by the man who started it. The salvage record, the early methods, and the human side of the hunt all come from here.

Who it's for

Anyone who owns or is considering a 1715 Fleet coin, and anyone who wants the human story behind the salvage.