KEY WEST, Fla. – Shipwreck salvagers have recovered a gold chalice while searching for the wreckage of a Spanish galleon off the Florida Keys.
The ornate two-handled chalice stands on a gold base and is adorned with etched scrollwork on the upper portion. It was located by Blue Water Ventures diver Michael DeMar beneath about a foot of sand in 18 feet of water approximately 30 miles west of Key West.
More than a quarter-century ago, the late Key West treasure hunter Mel Fisher began the search for artifacts from the Santa Margarita, which sank in 1622.
The chalice is slated to arrive at a Key West laboratory Wednesday morning. Experts hope cleaning it will reveal more details of a crest etched inside the bottom of the piece.
Salvors estimated the value of the chalice at $1 million or more.
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