The Tobermory Treasure Galleon

The wreck originally belonged to the Duke of Lennox, Great Admiral of Scotland. In 1641 the Duke of Lennox gave rights to the wreck to the Marquis of Argyll in return for a one hundredth share of any treasure salvaged from the wreck.

Records that the Marquis of Argyll first attempted to salvage the wreck in 1665, with further salvage  attempts occurring in 1676, 1680 and 1694. These salvage attempts "yielded little more than a few ships guns, of which some may be seen at Dunstaffnage and Inverary, some copper kettles and tankards, and many cannon balls."

In 1730 gold and silver coins were recovered from the site along with a finely made cannon dated 1584. In 1740 further salvage efforts yielded more cannons including "a French field piece carrying the device of Benvenuto Cellini."

Records that the first modern attempts at salvaging the wreck occurred in 1903, the salvage operation being run by a Captain Burns of Glasgow.

Information supplied by the Spanish Admiralty identifies the wreck as the Duque di Florenzia (the Duke of Florence). Commanded by Captain Pereira, the galleon weighed 941 tons, was constructed of Africa Oak, carried 52 guns, 386 sailors and 100 marines.

Article questions the legend that the Tobermory galleon was carry 30 million pieces of eight: "Thirty millions of such coins would weigh 765 tons which would not allow much room for men and horses, stores, guns and ammunition."

The majority of coins recovered from the site so far are pesos from the reign of Philip II.

The Spanish Admiralty sent an officer to Tobermory in 1905 to ask that any human remains recovered by salvors or local people be carefully collected so that the bones could be sent back to Spain for proper burial.

Julian S. Corbett states:

That there was no such ship as the Duque di Florenzia

J. K. Laughton states:

That the ship was not the Florencia, but the San Juan Bautista weighing 750 tons, carrying 24 guns, 297 soldiers and 136 mariners. The ship being commanded by D. Diego Manrique.

Archibald Campbell references the Tobermory Cellini gun, salvaged from the Tobermory galleon by the second Duke of Argyll, postulating that it may have been captured by the Spanish at the battle of Caria. The Cellini gun may have been sold to Dulwich college.

"there is an Armada ship lying in Loch Don, facing Oban"

"there is a vessel off the Morven shore, which I believe is now being exploited"

Thomas B Ecroyd calls attention to inaccuracies in J. K. Laughton's letter in the September 27th issue of The Times: "So far the name of the vessel lying at the bottom of Tobermory bay remains a mystery"

"A number of relics which were recovered from Tobermory Bay during the explorations of last autumn are on view at the offices of  Messrs. W. C,. Read and Co., the secretaries of the " Pieces of  Eight" Syndicate (Limited), at 5. Great Winchester-street, E.C.,
and can be inspected by any one who is interested in the subject."

About 20 coins found in total.

"On Saturday night another bronze cannon, a little, larger than the one recovered previously, was brought to the surface"