?? Found a solid gold plate worth a fortune, then the state took it. Florida Hurricane treasure?

: Michael-Robert.

: Michael-Robert.

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Feb 2, 2013
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Just found this.. Never heard of it until today. Kids find Gold Plate while looking for lobsters:

"Florida state took a solid gold plate from some kids who found it. Florida Hurricane treasure, a lot of treasure was lost in the hurricanes, in 1715 a whole fleet of Spanish treasure galleons load with treasure sunk in a hurricane. Spanish treasure is still being found today, especially after a hurricane.
[40secs]
Here is the short video:
 

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Years ago, underwater archaeologists lived by the motto "finders keepers"
when they struck gold. Today is a different story, but that doesn't
stop them from searching.
Sir Robert Marx, of Indialantic, is one such underwater archaeologist —
dare not call him a treasure hunter — who enjoys sharing tales of
the deep ocean blue and the world's rich maritime history.
The author of 64 books will talk about the 1715 shipwreck off Sebastian
Inlet and its impact next week at Florida Tech.
"The 300th year anniversary is coming up for the loss of that wreck and the
whole fleet," he said. "I want to make sure people know about it."
That wreck has been the subject of numerous books, articles,
documentaries and blogs. Capitan-General Don Juan Esteban de
Ubilla and his flagship, the Capitana, contained quite the cargo:
more than 3.5 million pesos in priceless treasure, specifically, the
queen of Spain's jewels. En route from Havana, Cuba, to Spain,
12 ships sank and their crew perished during a hurricane on July
30.
During his lifetime, Marx has found bountiful treasures, but this one has
remained maddeningly elusive.
"We know where the wreck is, but these things are complicated," he
explained recently as he reclined in his office chair in the home
he shares with wife, Jenifer, a philanthropist, diving expert and
author. Priceless artifacts line their bookshelves and fireplace
mantles. There's little room for even a coaster on the coffee
tables and side tables, for they're occupied by thousands-year-old
jade pieces or fine china.
Among his best finds? An 80-pound gold helmet that Marx said belonged to
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.
Marx gives a brief lesson about maritime history and the lure of the sea. "A
lot of information we can't find just by diving," he said. "But we're
in it for knowledge, not to get rich."

Many of Marx's findings are housed in museums all over the world.
But no matter what coveted artifacts he brings up, nothing compares to the
biggest treasure he's ever found, he said: "I'm married to her."
"The Quest for the Queen of Spain's Priceless Jewels" lecture by Sir
Robert Marx..................
 

Kids found it in the water in a leased area, they are lucky they got any money at all. It is against state law to remove any treasure from a leased area, and since they are not contractors of any leaseholder they have no claim to what they found.
 

Treasure_Hunter said:
Kids found it in the water in a leased area, they are lucky they got any money at all. It is against state law to remove any treasure from a leased area, and since they are not contractors of any leaseholder they have no claim to what they found.
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Did you watch the hour long video at all? I think not. Marx stated the State only got 20% back them. Is he lying?

I dont know age of video but in the video he says it happened 15yrs ago. Add age of video for approximate time line.
 

: Michael-Robert. said:
Did you watch the hour long video at all? I think not. Marx stated the State only got 20% back them. Is he lying?

I dont know age of video but in the video he says it happened 15yrs ago. Add age of video for approximate time line.
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No, I didn't watch the entire video, didn't need to once it was clear it came out of the water in a leased area. St Johns is part of the lease owned by Queens Jewels.

The state gets 20% from lease owners, it is against the state law to remove treasure from a leased area except for the holder of the lease or subcontractors of the leaseholder and the state gets to pick what the 20% is they take.

If they found it on the shore they could have kept it. People have found gold bars up by the dunes too. During a hurricane back about 2006 or 7, there were so many pieces of 8 on a beach the man detecting stopped using his detector and just started picking up all the black disks lying on the beach after he realized what they were, after the next high tide they were gone.
 

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Treasure_Hunter said:
Kids found it in the water in a leased area, they are lucky they got any money at all. It is against state law to remove any treasure from a leased area, and since they are not contractors of any leaseholder they have no claim to what they found.
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Well perhaps the kids and/or the parents should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of Florida law since they broke state law by removing a treasure from a leased area. Surely the lease holders were looking hard for it. I'm sure the kids looked high and low for this gold plate treasure and found it before the lease waters holders. Maybe the lease holders should sue the parents...! Was this a private property beach/ waters they were trespassing on? If so prosecute them. I mean teach the lucky public person a lesson (hard and fast). I guess they should have just thrown it back and kept their mouth shut. Or.... kept their mouth shut...? This all leading to.....

"Another "hypothetical" find... Gold coins"​

I did that thread 10 years ago and learned a lot on what / how people think and how they would react to any news of a great announced find. Especially if video and pics were posted with the announcement later. It's no wonder that some of the greatest finds by common folks are NOT shared. The fallout is / would be just to daunting. I'm glad the guy in KY. found all of his gold coins on his own property and he could tell the world. Some folks probably envy him and his lucky find.

Who the hell walks the beach or shallow waters looking for a solid gold plate or walks his fields and finds gold coins or enters a cave looking for 2 bags with gold coins. The answer is almost NOBODY. But others always want what another found if it's possible. And the "others" didn't even know it was there any more than the finders. But rest assured somebody will "step up"..... end.
 

They were lucky they were given $100k by the state. There are no private beaches in that area I know of, in fact, there are very few private beaches in Florida. It violates the law to even stick a detector coil in an inch of water on a lease area. I have hunted that area with my detector in the past myself, just not in the water. You can legally detect from the water line to the toe of the dunes.

Queens Jewels lease holder found gold chains and coins in the water not more than 6 feet from the shoreline, they blew a hole with the boat's fan and found a coquina reef, and when they started digging at the base under it they found a couple of million worth of treasure.

Here is a link to the story.

www.cbsnews.com

$4.5-million treasure discovered off Florida coast

300 years to the day after a hurricane destroyed 11 Spanish ships, a salvage company made a historic find
www.cbsnews.com www.cbsnews.com
 

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Before lease? Again, time-line is very important. Teenagers were looking for Lobsters, not treasure. I have not researched any of it. I'm to busy. Marx hunted treasure for over 60yrs.
 

: Michael-Robert. said:
Before lease? Again, time-line is very important. Teenagers were looking for Lobsters, not treasure. I have not researched any of it. I'm to busy. Marx hunted treasure for over 60yrs.
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Sir, it doesn't matter what they were looking for, if you are not a lease holder or contractor of the leaseholder it violates the law to remove any treasure from a leased area. The 20% only applies to the leaseholder, and even then, the state picks what pieces they keep, the finder doesn't get to decide what they give the state.

The law was passed in 1988, the law is over 36 years old.
 

The "kid" is Alex Kuze who found the gold glove tray in 1977 while lobster diving with a couple of buddies. Alex wrote a book about it called "My Story". One of his dive buddies was Randy Lathrop who also wrote a book called "A Treasured Life, Listened to the Siren's song".

Both these guys are still around and attend the annual Treasure Hunter's picnic in Wabasso.

Robert Marx passed on the fourth of July 2019, ex-marine. I used to attend his lectures at FIT.
 

ROBOTCOP13 said:
The "kid" is Alex Kuze who found the gold glove tray in 1977 while lobster diving with a couple of buddies. Alex wrote a book about it called "My Story". One of his dive buddies was Randy Lathrop who also wrote a book called "A Treasured Life, Listened to the Siren's song".

Both these guys are still around and attend the annual Treasure Hunter's picnic in Wabasso.

Robert Marx passed on the fourth of July 2019, ex-marine. I used to attend his lectures at FIT.
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Now we're getting some good info instead of opinion.. Thx Robocop13!
 

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Treasure_Hunter said:
Sir, it doesn't matter what they were looking for, if you are not a lease holder or contractor of the leaseholder it violates the law to remove any treasure from a leased area. The 20% only applies to the leaseholder, and even then, the state picks what pieces they keep, the finder doesn't get to decide what they give the state.

The law was passed in 1988, the law is over 36 years old.
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Then why isn't anybody being prosecuted for violating a 36 yr. old Florida state law by removing "treasure" from a leased area? Why are they rewarded 100K for obviously violating Florida state law. Why isn't the lease holder suing the state or the finders windfall from the state upon there leased area...?

From what I understand here.... The finders just should have kept their mouths shut and moved on from their amazing find. It sounds like the lease holders and state would have NEVER have even known if the finders had kept quiet...? Damn the 100K... Prosecute the hell out of them for openly violating Florida state law and set an example to other lucky folks.
 

Limitool said:
Then why isn't anybody being prosecuted for violating a 36 yr. old Florida state law by removing "treasure" from a leased area? Why are they rewarded 100K for obviously violating Florida state law. Why isn't the lease holder suing the state or the finders windfall from the state upon there leased area...?

From what I understand here.... The finders just should have kept their mouths shut and moved on from their amazing find. It sounds like the lease holders and state would have NEVER have even known if the finders had kept quiet...? Damn the 100K... Prosecute the hell out of them for openly violating Florida state law and set an example to other lucky folks.
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Sir, how do you know no one has been fined?

It is also stealing, as Queen Jewels owns rights to any artifacts within their lease found in the water, they pay a lot of money to the state for the lease, they also pay homeowners to photograph and report anyone they notice who appears to be searching or recovering treasure.

It is no different than gold panning or gold hunting on someone else's gold claim located on BLM land.
 

Treasure_Hunter said:
Sir, how do you know no one has been fined?

It is also stealing, as Queen Jewels owns rights to any artifacts within their lease found in the water, they pay a lot of money to the state for the lease, they also pay homeowners to photograph and report anyone they notice who appears to be searching or recovering treasure.

It is no different than gold panning or gold hunting on someone else's gold claim located on BLM land.
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I thought the state of Florida paid them 100K...! Is that wrong? If not... then the state paid them 100K and then sticks them with a possible fine....? I do NOT KNOW if somebody was "fined". If the State of FL. did pay them instead of prosecuting them then if I was Queen Jewels I'd be suing the state and the finders in that order.

The state of FL. should not reward law breakers.
 

Limitool said:
I thought the state of Florida paid them 100K...! Is that wrong? If not... then the state paid them 100K and then sticks them with a possible fine....? I do NOT KNOW if somebody was "fined". If the State of FL. did pay them instead of prosecuting them then if I was Queen Jewels I'd be suing the state and the finders in that order.
⁸
The state of FL. should not reward law breakers.
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I'm surprised state gave them anything. I have also worked with Queens Jewels when I worked for both Minelab and Kellyco. Don't know what the fine points were, it happen 15 years ago. Maybe the 100k came from QJ, don't really know.

I do know the state has the power to confiscate anything used in an illegal recovery, car, boat, detector if they think the offender(s) were intentionally trying to illegally recover treasure. State may have done nothing except confiscate the find because they believed the boys story, I don't know.
 

Treasure_Hunter said:
Sir, it is not an opinion, it is Florida law, you could also have looked up the law.

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You must know time period before looking for relevant laws, As you have now learned. c.a. 1977 = Opinion. You were commenting without even participating in the discussion. As stated before... Obliviously law passed in 1988 has NO bearing. Why is a Tnet Administrator commenting on topic without reading and viewing posted materials?
“A Disagreement is the pursuit of truth when all are participating in good faith.”

Are you participating in good faith? I think not.
 

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I have only been detecting Fl beaches for 18 years including the Treasure Coast beaches.

The law is still the law. I posted the link to the Florida law on the subject, did you bother to follow link I posted and read the law? Note the date at the top, it is Florida statues 2024.

The 1988 date was the date the law was first passed, it has been amended and updated multiple times. Link I posted shows law and statutes and they are still active.

"Are you participating in good faith? I think not." Is an attack on me, do not attack me again, or question why as an admin I am posting on a thread.

Here is the link AGAIN to the current law and note, it is 2024 Florida statutes.

 

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