Are Dark Tide Relics shipwreck coins authentic?

Every shipwreck coin and artifact sold by Dark Tide Relics is authenticated and accompanied by provenance documentation from recognized authorities such as the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society, NGC, or PCGS, plus a permanent digital provenance record via TreasureCheck.ai.

Which shipwrecks does Dark Tide Relics specialize in?

Dark Tide Relics curates artifacts from the Nuestra Señora de Atocha (1622), Santa Margarita, the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, El Cazador (1784), SS Central America (1857), Maravillas, Concepción, and other documented Spanish colonial and American Gold Rush wrecks.

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All orders ship via FedEx, fully insured and with adult signature required on delivery.

Does Dark Tide Relics buy shipwreck coins from collectors?

Yes. Dark Tide Relics actively acquires authenticated shipwreck coins and collections. Submissions can be made through the Sell Coins program at darktiderelics.com/sell-coins.

Santíssimo Sacramento

Lost: 1668
Location: Bahia coast, Brazil
Coordinates: -13.0000, -38.5000
Era: Spanish Colonial – Late 17th Century
Coinage: cob
Discovered by: Brazilian Navy
Recovery: 1970
Cargo: Portuguese and Spanish silver, Bronze cannon, Ivory, Colonial produce

Portuguese galleon, capitana of a Brazil-bound convoy, wrecked outbound from Portugal on the Rio Vermelho shoals near Salvador, Bahia.

History

The Santíssimo Sacramento was a 60-gun Portuguese galleon, built around 1650–53, serving as capitana of a convoy for the Companhia Geral do Comércio do Brasil. Contrary to a widely repeated summary describing her as returning to Lisbon, she was in fact outbound, sailing from Portugal toward Salvador da Bahia with a newly appointed colonial governor's household, soldiers, settlers, and crown-supplied arms and provisions. On 5 May 1668 she wrecked on the shoals of the Rio Vermelho, within sight of Salvador.

Recovery

Brazilian Navy-sponsored archaeological work at the Sacramento site from the 1970s recovered a set of cast bronze cannon (now held in Brazilian naval and national history museum collections) along with small personal and devotional artifacts. The site is protected under Brazilian federal heritage law.

Timeline

1668 — Departs Lisbon — Sails as capitana of a Brazil-bound convoy with colonial officials and provisions.
1668 — Wrecked on Rio Vermelho Shoals — Runs aground near Salvador, Bahia on 5 May 1668, within sight of her destination.
1970 — Site Investigated — Brazilian Navy-sponsored research locates and studies the wreck.
1970s — Archaeological Study — Bronze cannon and artifacts recovered and conserved.

Notes

Bronze cannon from the wreck are held in Brazilian naval and national history museum collections
One of the best-documented Portuguese colonial wrecks in the South Atlantic
Wrecked outbound from Portugal, not while returning to Lisbon as often repeated