The motion pictures The Deep and Fool’s Gold portray “Hollywood-style” versions of the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, but these legendary coins are the real thing - and their story is complete with a pirate (or two)

As seen on the History Channel's Beyond Oak Island, Discovery Channel's Cooper's Treasure and Travel Channel's Expedition Unknown with Josh Gates.

The shining silver “Pieces of Eight” you see here...

were recovered from Spain's famed 1715 Treasure Fleet, the victim of a hurricane that struck the fleet just a few days out of the port of Havana, Cuba, driving the ships onto the reefs off of Vero Beach, just south of present Cape Canaveral, Florida.

What connection does the 1715 Fleet have to Pirates?

These "pieces of 8" are also the famous coins of pirate legend and lore. The Spanish quickly began salvaging their fleet. But pirate Henry Jennings amassed a crew and attacked Spanish salvage camp in early 1716. They made off with upwards of 120,000 pieces of 8. Obviously, this coin survived that raid, and lay hidden for hundreds of years on the ocean bottom, to be salvaged only a few years ago.

Blackbeard was also prowling the Florida coast and Caribbean at this time and drinking rum with Jennings!

Learn More About the 1715 Fleet Here>