Step inside this small museum and learn about why this is called the Treasured coast. Visit the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum and dive into history. He displayed it to millions at his museum … KEY WEST (CBSMiami) — In 2010, two men walked into the Mel Fisher Museum in Key West and stole a nearly 400-year-old gold bar worth more than half a million dollars. “We’re all worried it was melted down and sold just for the value of the gold which I guess is about $75,000,” he said. Johnson told the judge, “I take full responsibility for what I’ve done. Mel Fisher’s Maritime Museum also operates the Key West Turtle Museum, where you can learn about Key West’s history through the lens of … Corey Malcom, the Director of Archeology at the museum, said the display allowed millions of people over the years to touch a piece of history. The bar, valued at $550,000, was taken about 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 18, 2010, from a case in the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum designed to let people pick it … The Mayor said folks in town want to know what happened to the gold bar. Mel Fisher's Treasures is the world leader in historic shipwreck recovery and the source for authentic shipwreck treasure! “It’s personal,” said Chief Lee. I think it’s personal for everyone. Share Share this Story: Part of stolen 17th century gold bar worth $550K recovered. Prosecutors wrote in a court filing Wednesday they have informed defense attorneys they recovered an unspecified portion of the 4.5-pound (2-kilogram) bar stolen in 2010. This August 2010 file photo shows a 17th-century gold bar, valued at $550,000, at the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum in Key West, Fla. (Rob O'Neal/The Key West Citizen via AP, File) Article Sidebar. World-renowned treasure hunter Mel Fisher's story of selling everything to put his dream on the line to find his treasure comes true. Man who stole gold bar from Key West museum blames abuse and cannabis addiction. Feel, touch, and be touched by the treasure of Spanish galleons. Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum, Sebastian Picture: gold bar - Check out Tripadvisor members' 3,972 candid photos and videos. The $16.7 million is out of a total of $100 million for “infrastructure and hardening projects” allocated statewide to areas worst hit by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Michael in 2018. 1/5. (CBS4) Mel Fisher and his treasure hunters discovered the gold bar on the ocean floor in 1980 about 25 miles off of Key West – part of the cargo lost when the Santa Margarita sank in 1622. Vero Beach Museum of Art . The ship was part of a fleet of 28 ships that had set sail from Havana on its way to Spain on September 4, 1622. It’s like why? We watched through a window as they prepared to clean gold coins brought up a couple weeks ago. Mel Fisher did what many have not - he realized his dream during his lifetime. Copy Link; Email; Facebook; Twitter; Reddit; Pinterest; LinkedIn; Tumblr; Trending. All reviews treasure hunting on display slave trade audio tour spanish galleon gold bar actual artifacts gift shop for sale self guided interesting history atocha coins exhibits wreck recovered ship slaves lab jewelry salvage tragedy. Informative. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. “That personal encounter with something that had been on the sea floor for centuries and lost and forgotten and here it was reawakened and telling them by touch this incredibly important past that we have here in this region,” he said. Now they face 15 years in prison. The 5-pound bar, from the 15th century Spanish galleon the Nuestra Señora de Atocha that Fisher and his crew found off Key West in 1985, was stolen from its secure Plexiglas enclosure about 5:13 p.m., Key West police said. Among that treasure was Gold Bar 27, which Fisher donated to the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum (the “Museum”) in Key West, Florida. Both were charged with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and theft of major artwork, which carry a total of 15 years upon conviction. Environmental Learning Center. Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum, Sebastian Picture: gold bar - Check out Tripadvisor members' 4,038 candid photos and videos. Man walks into the path of an SUV and dies crossing U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys, Man tried to abduct a woman walking to work at a Florida Keys restaurant, deputies say, He was alone on a homemade raft with no food, and the Coast Guard came to the rescue, More COVID vaccines coming to the Keys, health leaders say — but it won’t meet demand, Florida reports 9,535 new COVID cases and more than 155,000 people fully vaccinated, Florida adds 12,311 COVID-19 cases and 153 deaths as positivity rates drop statewide. In 1980, treasure hunter Mel Fisher pulled Gold Bar 27 from the wreckage of a Spanish galleon that had sunk during a hurricane in 1622. “It belongs to the insurance company now.”. Johnson and Goldman apologized to the museum and to the people of Key West for stealing the bar. The museum contains an extensive collection of artifacts from 17th century shipwrecks, such … Everyone in town is hoping the trial will reveal what happened to the gold bar. The museum's insurance company has offered a $10,000 reward for the return of the 16.5-karat gold bar, which weighs 74.85 ounces. Article content. The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum still has gold bars from shipwrecks on display, but none that you can touch or lift. The gold bullion was lost beneath the sea for more than 350 years before being salvaged and displayed at Mel Fisher’s Maritime Heritage Museum in … HOME. But the case was designed to prevent anyone from taking it. The two bandits stole an 11-inch, 74.85-ounce gold bar worth an estimated $550,000 Wednesday from the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Fla., where it had been displayed for more than 20 years. Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum, Sebastian Picture: gold bar - Check out Tripadvisor members' 4,038 candid photos and videos. The 74.85-ounce gold bar was stolen on Wednesday from the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida, in what executive director Melissa Kendrick called “a … Share. The attraction is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday. Private plane? Insurance paid the museum about $100,000 for the bar, which was recovered in 1980 by treasure hunter Mel Fisher and his team from a centuries-old shipwreck off the Florida Keys. Closed on Mondays. Born in Indiana and a dive shop pioneer in California, Mel Fisher (August 21, 1922 – December 19, 1998) was an American treasure hunter best known for finding the 1622 wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha in Florida waters. Cuban raft. Lift a gold bar. And we want that gold bar back. Mel Fisher and his treasure hunters discovered the gold bar on the ocean floor in 1980 about 25 miles off of Key West – part of the cargo lost when the Santa Margarita sank in 1622. They stole a 17th-century gold bar in Key West. “It had value for the world,” said U.S. District Court Judge Jose Martinez, during a sentencing hearing for both men at the federal courthouse in Key West. Goldman identified Johnson to police only after they showed him a photo of the pair together. KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say part of a 17th century gold bar stolen from a Florida maritime museum has been recovered. The crime garnered headlines across the country – a tale of modern day piracy on an island long known for skirting the norms. The gold bar theft case sat dormant for nearly eight years until an anonymous tipster led federal agents to Goldman and Johnson. He said he knew nothing about a gold bar stolen from Key West museum. The collection at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West features nearly 100,000 artifacts, such as gold coins, silver, cannons, and instruments from a number of sites in the area, including a horde of contraband emeralds with an impressive 77.76 carat uncut crystal. Where did these people come from? (CBS4). Sort by Showing 1 - 24 of 29 results ... 14K Gold Spanish Galleon Shipwreck Re-creation Gold Bar Earrings. The 74.85-ounce gold bar was stolen on Wednesday from the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida, in what executive director Melissa Kendrick called “a very quiet smash and grab.” EDUCATION. Saying they destroyed a priceless artifact, a federal judge on Monday handed out prison terms to the two thieves who eight years ago helped themselves to a 17th century gold bar that had been the centerpiece of a Key West museum. That’s our gold bar and we want it back.”, “Our greatest fantasy here is that that gold bar comes back and we can put it back on display,” said Malcom, although he quickly added: “I don’t know if we’ll have it in the touch case again.”, By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our. Fisher decided to place the gold bar on display, constructing a special case in which visitors could reach in and hold the gold bar in their hand, even lift it up. Key West, Fla. (CNN)-- It's been nearly a week since two modern-day pirates walked into the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida, and made off with a $550,000 gold bar. Florida Gov. Sign up for the Afternoon Update and get the day’s biggest stories in your inbox. We open at 10am. Why!”, “A lot of rumors,” said Key West Mayor Craig Cates. Both men must also pay $570,195 in restitution to the museum for the bar, which the museum valued at over $560,000 at the time of the theft. ABOUT. Ron DeSantis spent most his time in Key Largo touting what he says are his administration’s accomplishments during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the official reason he came to the Keys was to announce almost $17 million in funding for hurricane and sea level rise resiliency projects. Jarred Goldman, who acted as a lookout, got 40 months despite his claim that he never planned to take part in the crime until he was inside the museum with Johnson. Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum, Sebastian Picture: gold bar - Check out Tripadvisor members' 3,949 candid photos and videos. Everyday he insisted, "Today's the Day"! There, Gold Bar 27 became iconic, and three to four million Museum visitors handled it over the years. Who would want to pay that much for it and know that it was stolen?”. ES. And of course it’s just that sense of violation of how can they do this. Also included are the shipwrecks and artifacts of The Santa Clara, a Conquistador-era galleon (1564), The Guerrero & Nimble. Baton Rouge, Louisiana 167 contributions 39 helpful votes. A small portion — 1/30th of the total bar, the museum said — was recovered by federal agents with Johnson’s help, but it won’t appear in the museum, said its archaeologist, Corey Malcom. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday. Bars of silver and gold at The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, ... Deo (Loretta Swit) endlich das Wrack und ihr Traum vom Gold wird wahr. A gold bar was stolen from the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida, on August 18, 2010. See more ideas about mel fisher, atocha, mels. The stolen gold bar from the Mel Fisher Museum in Key West. “It’s a tiny bit,” Malcom said after the sentencing hearing. See all 10 Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum tickets and tours on Tripadvisor I have no plans of ever committing another crime again.”. Countryside Family Farms. “Eight years to bring it to justice but the FBI persevered and at the end of the day it’s a great result,” said Key West Police Chief Donnie Lee. Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. Prosecutors wrote in a court filing Wednesday they have informed defense attorneys they recovered an unspecified portion of the 4.5-pound (2-kilogram) bar stolen in 2010. JOIN & SUPPORT. Visit the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum and dive into history. The experience is both educational and exciting – you can even lift an authentic Atocha gold bar. More. SHOP. The feds just made an arrest. A jury didn't buy it. $1,299.00. Commercial car?”. We have made … When the remains of the Santa Margarita were discovered, one of the recovered items struck Fisher’s fancy. The "lift-a-gold-bar" exhibit was the museum… “Mr. Admission is $12.50 or $25 in combination with a Mel Fisher Maritime Museum visit. McKee Botanical Garden. Key West, Fla. (CNN)-- It's been nearly a week since two modern-day pirates walked into the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida, and made off with a $550,000 gold bar. Mr. Fisher found hundreds of thousands of gold and silver coins, jewelry and bars … He said the FBI, Interpol and Italian police tracked down two men they suspected – but it turned out not to be them. Mel Fisher Maritime Museum 200 Greene Street | Key West, Florida 33040. But who could buy it? Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Explore the pirate ship. A Look Inside the Museum . Mel Fisher founded the museum that bears his name. Gold bars from the wreck of the 'Atocha', Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, Key West An emerald cross recovered from Nuestra Senora de Atocha at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. A small portion of the gold bar was recovered, according to court documents. That is, until August 2010, when two men arrived just before closing time and as one stood lookout, the other used some unknown device to break the case and remove the gold bar. Someone actually lifted the famous gold bar Wednesday evening from the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Welcome to our online Treasure Store Mel Fisher, a dreamer, a visionary, a legend and most importantly, the World's Greatest Treasure Hunter! In the novel Supernatural: Bone Key based on the American TV series Supernatural, protagonist Dean Winchester is infused with all of the ghosts on Key West to fight a vengeance spirit called the Last Calusa. Yes, it is a bit dated, but the displays are really cool, and you do get to hold a bar of gold from the wreck. Mel Fisher - Maritime Heritage Museum (Gold& Treasures!) New Images of suspects! "Mel Fisher was such a dream builder," she said. “But historic value is worth so much more. The cause was complications from cancer, the Mel Fisher museum in Key West announced. Jun 26, 2016 - Explore Gary Simon's board "Mel Fisher" on Pinterest. “He had the chance to walk away and he didn’t,” Martinez said. dloupe wrote a review Jan 16. U.S. Gold Bar Killed Son. The bar, valued at $550,000, was taken about 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 18, 2010, from a case in the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum designed to let people pick it up but not be able to remove it. Mr. Fisher found hundreds of thousands of gold and silver coins, jewelry and bars … Enter Defendant-Appellant Jarred Alexander Goldman (sometimes truth can be stranger than fictionand Codefendant Richard Steven Johnson. Step inside this small museum and learn about why this is called the Treasured coast. When I committed this crime I was a different person. Martinez said he didn’t expect either convict would be able to come up with much money. The gold and silver bars are real, and so is the astounding amount of just how much have been found. Quick View. Lift a real gold bar. The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum still has gold bars from shipwrecks on display, but none that you can touch or lift. The experience is both educational and exciting - you can even lift an authentic Atocha gold bar! He displayed it to millions at his museum … “Now all we need is the gold bar back.”. FR. Step inside this small museum and learn about why this is called the Treasured coast. Last ticket sold each day at 4pm. “Was it an inside job? Diving became a family business. But the fate of the entire bar remains a mystery. Mel Fisher, who died in 1998, led the expedition on a series of sunken ships that struck gold and discovered multiple other artifacts. You've seen it on TV, you've read about it in magazines, but there's only one place you can see the real treasure... the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. A 17th century gold bar was stolen in Key West. Johnson, who pleaded guilty before Goldman went to trial this year, said he would cooperate, but prosecutors didn’t find him to be a credible witness and he did not testify. Johnson confessed and pled guilty to federal charges earlier this year. Take a selfie with the family tractor. He found treasure, including gold bars, from two ships that sank in a hurricane off the Keys in 1622. Did he act as the lookout for gold bar heist? This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. https://miami.cbslocal.com/2018/05/14/key-west-gold-bar-heist Richard Steven Johnson will serve 63 months in prison for breaking into a display case at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in August 2010 and plucking the gold bar from its perch, where museum visitors had been able to reach in and lift it. A day later, a hurricane tore through the armada, sinking seven of the ships. He discovered silver bars from the wreck in 1973, ... Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story was released in 1986, starring Cliff Robertson and Loretta Swit. Earlier this year this site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Policy... Showing 1 - 24 of 29 results... 14K gold Spanish galleon shipwreck Re-creation gold bar from the Fisher! Bar back. ” company has offered a $ 10,000 reward for mel fisher museum gold bar ride window... 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