A gold chalice from 18th century Spanish ship the Santa Margarita has sold for $413,000 at Guernsey's in New York.
The exceptional lot led an auction of treasure recovered from the waters around Florida, on August 6. The sale realised $2m.
 The gold chalice was recovered from off the Florida coast |
An emerald studded cross realised $119,000, while a bar of gold made $93,750.
All the treasure originates from two Spanish fleets that sank in the 17th and 18th centuries, claiming the lives of hundreds of sailors.
The two fleets went down in hurricanes, around 100 years apart.
The haul was discovered by treasure hunter Mel Fisher, who has been searching since the early 1970s.
Guenrsey's commented: "Fisher's daily mantra, 'Today's the Day!' kept his spirits alive throughout this lengthy and costly expedition.
"On July 20, 1985 his perseverance paid off: over 40 tons of silver and gold were located at the site of the wreck off the Marquesas Keys.
"Including more than 100,000 Spanish silver coins known as 'pieces of eight', gold coins, the finest Colombian emeralds, silver and gold artifacts, and over 1,000 silver bars, the Atocha contained riches vast enough to replenish the nearly depleted treasury of the Spanish Crown."
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