More than 1,000 gold and silver coins were discovered by a team of specialist divers in a stretch of water known as the “Treasure Coast”.

It is believed the coins were minted in the Spanish colonies of Peru, Mexico and Bolivia – and were travelling to Spain on a fleet of ships which were also carrying jewels back in 1715. When a hurricane wrecked the flotilla, the precious bounty poured into the sea.

This isn’t the first discovery to be made along the Treasure Coast, as gold coins estimated to be worth millions of dollars have been uncovered by salvagers and hunters in recent years.

What makes this haul particularly special is the dates and mint marks are still visible on some of the coins – a valuable resource for historians.

Sal Guttoso from Queen Jewels, the company that struck gold, said: “This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells. Each coin is a piece of history – a tangible link to the people who lived, worked and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”