Mel Fisher museum: A brief glimpse at a tiny portion of a Spanish galion treasure

Although I live in Florida, and had been to Key West a dozen times, I had never been to the Mel Fisher museum, a private museum containing a tiny fraction of the treasure Mr. Fisher discovered in the mid-1980's. Basically, the exhibition is supposed to contain a portion of the treasure that didn't get paid out to his investors, or which Mr. Fisher himself didn't end up selling for profit, or turning into coin jewelry (thus destroying the numismatics value of the coins, or even melting down (yeah, they did that too).

Here's a few photos of a portion of the numismatics and bullion content on display.


Stack of 1000+ ounce silver bars, and copper bars


Some 4 and 8 reales coins


Gold bullion bars and fragments of bars


Some of the better Spanish coins from the treasure


There's a huge wall with coins for the dozen or so moneyers that struck coins found aboard the Atocha


A few more coins and bars


My son and I touching a 1000+ ounce silver bar.

Overall it really is a fun place to visit if you like early 17th century hammered Spanish coinage, and if you are fan of historical gold and silver bullion., However I'd avoid the gift shop. I was not a huge fan of the two dozens of jewelry pieces made out of Spanish 4 and 8 reales coinage, or the two dozen modern jewelry pieces made out of molten coins and bars from the treasure. A reminder of how at the end of the day most of the stuff got destroyed so they could make a few bucks from people who don't generally care at all about coins. The only reason this portion of the treasure still exists is because they realized they could make a few bucks from charging people to see it.

The few raw coins that they had for sale at the gift shop we're grosly overpriced. They were selling some coins for $1000 that would be generally worth $200, and some for $2000+ that would generally be available for $400 elsewhere. But if you're not there to shop, and you avoid the gift shop, and come just to see Spanish treasure... this is a fun place to spend a few hours with the family.

Here's a few non-bullion and non-numismatics items to give you an idea of what else you can expect to find at the museum.


One of the many displays of gold chains and jewelry.


A gold vessel


A cannon from the galeon.

The museum is $20 per adult and $5 per child. It really is worth the price of admission. The photos I showed were but a small portion of all the coins, bars, jewelry, and artifacts on display. Really makes you start to quantifying in your head just how much gold and silver these Spanish treasure ships were packing. Shame the entire treasure is not on display, but I understand they have to make a few bucks peddling coins, turning coins into jewelry pieces, and had to pay off their investors with treasure.

 

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Went there last summer. I'll look and see what pictures I have. Did you go to Hemingway's house?

 

wow. so sweet. thanks for sharing.

 

I highly recommend if in Key West to visit Mel Fishers treasure museum .
The wife and I were in Key West back in 1989, we stayed in town and enjoyed the keys very much.
In fact Mel was still alive and we got to meet him in person.
As well as to have met Capt. Tony who himself was like a rock star on the island.
The keys have a lot to offer.....as far as a destination.
You won't regret a stay in the keys...unless it is durring a hurricane.
Thanks for sharing your images and this write up brings back such good memories.

 

They dont want you to lift the silver bar cause they would be liable for the hernias it cause lol

 

Here's an image of Mel Fisher and crew the day they found the Atocha.

 

Not this time, though I have in the past. This time we did the Mel Fisher museum, the aquarium, and the Key West Treasure Museum (or something similar, not sure of the exact name).

 

I remember when he found that ship. His regular guy hits the jackpot story was magical stuff to me back in the day. I always wanted to visit the Keys. This is great motivation to make that happen.