but Pete managed to fasten his fingers upon it. It was a 

 heavy, tear-shaped glob of the metal. 



We examined it closely when they brought it to the 

 surface. What could it be? 



Pete had the answer. "I'll bet it's a melted gold 

 doubloon," he said. "It could have been melted when the 

 Spanish burned the superstructure of the ship after they 

 salvaged it." As I turned it over in my palm, I could see 

 upon its back the impression of the wood which it had 

 lain against as it resolidified. 



Later Pete was able to substantiate his supposition, 

 for the gold was of the same fineness and color, and 

 weighed almost exactly the same, as a gold doubloon of 

 the 1730's. The slight difference in weight could be at- 

 tributed to the heating process it had gone through, he 

 explained. 



I was delighted when the men decided to present 

 the gold piece to me to add to my charm bracelet, for 

 it was the first bit of gold we had ever found on the bot- 

 tom. Their only stipulation was that I must lend it to the 

 Smithsonian for an exhibit of underwater artifacts which 

 was being planned for the following summer. 



As for the pieces of eight which were being turned 

 up almost every day, we found that those which were stiU 

 in good enough condition to be identified bore the dates 

 1731 or 1732. Pete, who is a coin collector in addition to 

 his many other interests, told us that coins of these dates 

 were very scarce and therefore of unusual value. This was 

 because practically the entire production of the Mexican 

 mints during these two years had been aboard the Spanish 

 fleet when it was destroyed, and consequently had never 

 gotten into circulation. 



Also, he said, the same year that the disaster took 

 place, the mints discontinued producing the "cobs" which 

 had been the coin of the realm for many years, and replaced 



94 Sea Diver 



