12/28/24 4:23 PM
Gold: $2,620.17
Silver: $29.36
Platinum: $921.30
Palladium: $907.02
G/S: 89.24
Pt/G: 0.35
map11005 Olive Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63141
phone 314-692-2646 email Email
hoursMon - Fri: 8am to 5pm (CT)
Sat: 8am - 4pm (CT)
Lot #: Go
Lot Title: Atocha Gold Bar, 790 grams
Lot Number: 278
Description: Treasures that descended to the bottom of the ocean near Key West in 1622 on the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha included numerous coins, but also precious metal stock being taken to Spain for further processing. Gold and silver bars featured stamps symbolic of the King of Spain -- PHILIPPVS III and fineness stamped in Roman numerals -- XXI, or 21-karat gold fineness in this instance. Foundry/assayer SARGOSA PECARTA has been strongly stamped near the narrower end.

In the interest of efficiency, these bars were more or less shaped as elongated rectangles but their dimensions cannot be easily described with precision. For comparative purposes, we measure this example at approximately 8-1/8 inches in length, an inch in width and perhaps a quarter inch in thickness. As required for a recovery item like this, encrustation has been professionally conserved from the surface, yielding handsome bright yellow hue with some encrustation remaining. In addition to contemporary markings, the cataloger calls out a modern inscription near one end: "A 85 45(?)", the final figure being indistinct. The bar weighs 790 grams (27.87 oz.), per Scotsman measurements.

This gold bar obviously represents much more than a mere "souvenir" from the Atocha, given its high intrinsic value, and will be accompanied by the original photo certificate issued by the Fisher Salvage Company in 1985.

Estimate: $58,000-$64,000
Lot Status: Bidding has been closed for this lot.
  Login To Bid!
Hammered Price: $68,500
Price Realized: $80,830

Please Note: An 18% Buyers' Premium is added to the hammer price of all lots in this sale.

This lot may contain an item not certified by ANACS, PCGS, or NGC. While Scotsman Auction Co. is typically conservative in our descriptions of items not certified by one of these companies, we cannot guarantee our grading estimation will match their grade. We highly recommend that collectors seeking items certified by a third-party grading service only bid on items that have already been certified. No lot can be returned because of a variance in judgment with regards to grade.
Atocha Gold Bar, 790 grams
Atocha Gold Bar, 790 grams
Atocha Gold Bar, 790 grams
Atocha Gold Bar, 790 grams
Atocha Gold Bar, 790 grams
Atocha Gold Bar, 790 grams