We are excited to share some great news! The Board of Directors of the 1715 Fleet Society has recently appointed Thijs Schilder as the 11th member of its Advisory Board. In this new role, Thijs will be focusing on the Fleet Society’s European outreach and expansion.
Shipped by the VOC to meet demand in Asian markets, “payement” coins are among the most fascinating Dutch shipwreck finds. Discover the story behind these rare coins and the four wrecks where they have been recovered.
“Payement” was a specialised group of Dutch silver coins shipped by the VOC to meet demand in Asian markets. Discover the fascinating story behind these coins and the four shipwrecks where freshly minted examples have been recovered.
What began with a love for pirate tales grew into a lifelong passion for shipwreck coins. From auction discoveries to handling legendary pieces like the Mexico Royal 8 Escudos, his journey blends history, authenticity, and the thrill of real treasure.
Explore the legal framework surrounding Australian shipwreck artifacts, with a focus on recent enforcement actions involving Zuytdorp coins. An important read for collectors of material from protected Dutch shipwrecks!
Discover the shocking story behind one of the largest shipwreck coin scams in modern times. This article exposes how Gulfstream Rarities flooded the market with fake Bredenhof duits and other shipwreck coins — deceiving collectors worldwide. Learn how to spot these forgeries and protect yourself.
This set features gold ducats recovered from three VOC shipwrecks: De Liefde, Akerendam, and Vliegenthart. Minted for trade with the East, these coins were lost at sea before entering circulation. Their recovery sheds light on the VOC’s maritime history and the role of gold coinage in early Dutch overseas expansion.
Diver Macgregor Sullivan recovered artifacts from the Dutch East Indiaman De Lastdrager in the Bluemull Sound. As the tide pulled him deeper, his detector signaled musket balls and a cannon. Most striking was a pool of mercury, its reflective surface revealing Sullivan’s own image beneath the centuries-old wreck.
In 1770, the Dutch East Indiaman Leimuiden sank off Boa Vista, taking with it a rare cargo of VOC-made gold bars. Centuries later, only one was ever recovered—an 18-karat, 4.92 kg bar, unique in its history. Briefly displayed in a Dutch museum in 2000, it was stolen and never seen again.
In 1656, the VOC ship Vergulde Draeck ran aground off the west coast of Australia, carrying a valuable cargo of silver coins. While 75 crew members survived the wreck, their fate remains unknown. Despite rescue efforts and later discoveries of artifacts, the ship’s story is still one of Australia’s greatest maritime mysteries.