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A team of divers searching the waters off the Florida Keys recently recovered something that hadn\u2019t been seen in nearly three decades: a 22-pound silver bar (1) from the legendary Atocha shipwreck.<\/p>\n
The artifact, which spent more than 400 years underwater after the Spanish galleon sank in a hurricane in 1622, is estimated to be worth about $100,000.<\/p>\n
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The Nuestra Se\u00f1ora de Atocha (2) was a heavily armed ship carrying an estimated $400 million to $500 million (3) in gold, silver and gemstones from the New World to Spain. Its wreckage was first discovered in 1985 by treasure hunter Mel Fisher (4) and his team, Treasure Salvors, Inc., following a 16-year search.<\/p>\n
Hunters have not yet cleaned out the wreckage of its treasures.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was our last dive of the day \u2014 it was almost 7 o\u2019clock,\u201d lead diver Blake Baker recalled to Local 10 News. The new discovery was made by members of Mel Fisher\u2019s Shipwreck Expeditions, the same organization that has spent decades recovering treasure from the wreck site.<\/p>\n
According to Captain Drake Nicholas, the silver bar was found buried deeper than many of the other metal detector signals the team had investigated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were in an area with a lot of metal detector hits,\u201d Nicholas said. \u201cThis one was deeper.\u201d<\/p>\n
After striking the object with a knife and examining its surface, Nicholas said he noticed markings consistent with a silver bar.<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cI didn\u2019t believe it at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The artifact was covered in more than four centuries of marine encrustations and will be examined in a laboratory before its history is fully documented.<\/p>\n
Sean Browne of Mel Fisher\u2019s Shipwreck Expeditions estimated the silver bar\u2019s value at roughly $100,000. Rather than being melted down, the piece will likely remain intact because of its historical significance.<\/p>\n
Today, discoveries from the site are shared among investors involved in the expedition before being distributed to the Fisher family, according to Browne.<\/p>\n
A treasure that has held its value for centuries <\/p>\n
While few investors will ever uncover treasure from a centuries-old shipwreck, gold and silver have historically been viewed as stores of value, helping preserve wealth through wars, economic upheavals and changing currencies.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re not particularly keen to take up professional diving, a gold IRA from Goldco<\/a> lets you hold physical gold and other metals while still getting the tax advantages of an IRA \u2014 without getting wet yourself.<\/p>\n Goldco is widely regarded as one of the leading above-ground gold and silver companies in the space, with a 4.8\/5 rating on Trustpilot and an A+ from the Better Business Bureau. They also offer a guaranteed buyback program<\/a>, meaning they\u2019ll repurchase your metals at the highest price, according to market value, if you ever decide to sell. As of June 19, 2026, silver is selling for $65 per troy ounce (5).<\/p>\n If the discovery has you wondering whether gold and silver deserve a place in your own portfolio, you can download Goldco\u2019s free gold & silver guide<\/a> to see if it\u2019s a good fit for you.<\/p>\n Read More: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can become a landlord for $100 \u2014 without the headache of actually being one<\/a><\/p>\n Not all investors are hunting for treasure <\/p>\n Unlike the investors backing the Atocha recovery effort, most people aren\u2019t searching for treasure hidden beneath the ocean floor. They\u2019re looking for dependable assets that can generate income and appreciate over time.<\/p>\n Rental properties have long been a proven source of steady, passive income for high-net-worth investors. It\u2019s no wonder that real estate accounts for nearly 25% of the typical family office portfolio. However, the time, effort and costs involved in managing and maintaining multiple properties prevent many from investing. So unless you\u2019re a hedge fund titan or an oil baron, you\u2019ve been shut out of one of the most profitable corners of the market.<\/p>\n Mogul<\/a> offers a solution to bridge the gap here. This real estate investment platform offers fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties<\/a>, which provides investors with monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits \u2014 without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 a.m. tenant calls.<\/p>\n Mogul\u2019s founders are former Goldman Sachs real estate investors and the team handpicks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost \u2014 and you don\u2019t even have to go underwater to find something valuable.<\/p>\n Each property undergoes a vetting process that requires a minimum 12% return, even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10% to 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours<\/a>, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.<\/p>\n Every investment is secured by real assets, not dependent on the platform\u2019s viability. Each property is held in a standalone Propco LLC, so investors own the property \u2014 not the platform. Blockchain-based fractionalization adds a layer of safety, ensuring a permanent, verifiable record of each stake.<\/p>\n Getting started is quick and easy. You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties<\/a>. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a mogul in just a few clicks.<\/p>\n Looking for larger opportunities? <\/p>\n For investors with larger portfolios, private-market real estate may offer access to opportunities that aren\u2019t typically available through public markets. Just as the Atocha expedition relied on investor capital to pursue a unique opportunity, accredited investors today can gain exposure to specialized real estate investments through private offerings.<\/p>\n Lightstone DIRECT\u2019s direct-to-investor<\/a> model ensures a high degree of alignment between individual investors and a vertically-integrated, institutional owner-operator \u2014 a sophisticated and streamlined option for individual investors looking to diversify into private-market real estate.<\/p>\n With Lightstone DIRECT, accredited individuals can access the same multifamily and industrial assets<\/a> Lightstone pursues with its own capital, with minimum investments starting at $100,000.<\/p>\n What would you do with a $100,000 windfall? <\/p>\n A $100,000 silver bar is a nice problem to have, but deciding what to do with a valuable asset, inheritance, or other windfall can still be complicated. That\u2019s where a financial advisor can help you out.<\/p>\n But hiring an advisor can be a lifelong commitment, which might make or break your retirement. That\u2019s why finding reliable advisors is crucial \u2014 something Advisor.com<\/a> can help you with.<\/p>\n Advisor.com does the heavy lifting for you, vetting advisors based on track record, client ratios and regulatory background. Plus, their network comprises fiduciaries, who are legally required to act in your best interests.<\/p>\n Just enter a few details about your finances and goals and Advisor.com\u2019s AI-powered matching tool will connect you with a qualified expert<\/a> best suited for your needs, whether you\u2019ve come across a surprise windfall or you simply need to plan for the future.<\/p>\n Finding the right advisor isn\u2019t always easy \u2014 there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all solution. That\u2019s why Advisor.com lets you set up a free initial consultation<\/a>, with no obligation to hire, to see if they\u2019re the right fit for you.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve got the right financial advisor in your corner, the next step is getting a clear picture of where your money\u2019s actually going. That starts with the basics \u2014 budgeting and tracking your spending.<\/p>\n You May Also Like <\/p>\n Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise\u2019s best stories and exclusive interviews first \u2014 clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.<\/a><\/p>\n Article Sources <\/p>\n We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n Local 10 News (1<\/a>); Wikipedia (2<\/a>); Ocean Treasures (3<\/a>); The Maritime Executive (4<\/a>); JM Bullion (5<\/a>)<\/p>\n This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. 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