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.

How are orders shipped?

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.

Vliegent Hart

Lost: 1735
Location: Deurloo Channel, North Sea, off Zeeland
Coordinates: 51.6000, 3.2000
Era: Dutch East India Company (VOC)
Coinage: milled
Discovered by: Dutch/Belgian research and salvage effort
Recovery: 1981
Cargo: Dutch gold ducats, Dutch ducatons, VOC trade goods

VOC East Indiaman lost in the North Sea on her maiden voyage with three chests of gold ducats and silver ducatons for the Asian trade.

History

The Vliegent Hart ("Flying Heart") sank on 3–4 February 1735 in the Deurloo Channel off Zeeland — on her second voyage to Batavia, not her maiden voyage — together with her convoy partner the Anna Catharina. Over 400 people died. Dutch archival cargo records document chests of gold ducats and silver reales and ducatons — the standard VOC "hard cash" for the Asian trade — alongside timber, iron, and gunpowder.

Recovery

A Dutch and Belgian archival and field research effort located the wreck in 1981 after a multi-year search; excavation has continued in campaigns since. Recovery lifted an intact coffer of gold ducats and thousands of silver reales in the finest sea-cast condition ever seen from a VOC wreck — the specie had been protected inside sealed chests in the hull. Coins from the Vliegent Hart are now among the most collected VOC wreck issues.

Timeline

1735 — Departs Rammekens — Sails 3 February with the convoy ship Anna Catharina and chests of gold and silver coin.
1735 — Sunk in Deurloo Channel — Both ships wrecked 3–4 February; Vliegend Hart founders at the Schooneveld with over 400 lost.
1981 — Rediscovered — Located after a multi-year Dutch/Belgian archival and field search.
1980s–1990s — Gold and Silver Recovered — Ducats and reales lifted across several excavation campaigns.

Notes

Wrecked on her second voyage to Batavia, not her maiden voyage
Gold ducats emerged in near-mint condition thanks to sealed chests
Located through a Dutch/Belgian archival and field research effort, not Rex Cowan