On September 4, 1622, the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha set off from Havana, Cuba, with a flotilla of nine ships bound for Spain. Loaded with a cargo of silver, gold and other New World riches, the ships ran into a wicked hurricane as they entered the Florida straits the following day. Hundreds of people perished when the ships sank, including sailors, soldiers, clergy, slaves and members of the nobility. After searching for some 16 years, treasure hunter Mel Fisher unearthed the treasures of Atocha—a haul worth some $400 million—near the Florida Keys in 1985.

Source: Treasures From Spanish Galleon Sunk in 1622 Set For Auction — History in the Headlines
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