Rill Cove Treasure Wreck (also known as the Lizard Silver Wreck)
The Rill Cove treasure wreck is a ship that sank sometime around the year 1616 (or 1618, depending on source). The origins and identity of the vessel are unknown.
The current licensee, Mark of www.atlanticscuba.co.uk, says "[the wreck] was found after the fishing vessel Kerris Reed sunk in Rill Cove. Divers went to recover some items and saw iron guns underneath the wreckage. It was then excavated and many items were recovered, as the location was exposed and likely to be affected by storm damage."
The ship was carrying large quantities of silver bars and Spanish coins, most of which seem to have originated in Bolivia.
Coins recovered from the the Rill Cove area tend to be in quite poor condition due to the action of the sea and the constantly shifting sand and gravel that cover the wreck site. Coins from the wreck show up on eBay quite frequently and prices reached on the auction site vary greatly depending on condition, although it has to be said that the condition is universally bad.
The wreck became a protected site under the Protection of Wrecks Act(1973) in 1976 and diving is not permitted.
Got more information about The Rill Cove treasure wreck? email me!
External Links
- Atlantic Scuba, Current license holders of the Rill Cove treasure wreck.