finaly got batteries, and forgot how to take decent pics but I got this from the local shop shop, came with a certificate it says its from the Consolacion that sank in 1681. The ship had to wait for the shipment to arrive and was left by the fleet, and when the lone ship set sail, it was met by pirates. The captain decided to ground teh ship and when id teh a reef, set fire to the ship. "She was heavily loaded with silver coins intended for Panama. Soon after leaving port she was pursued by two pirate ships commanded by the famous pirate Bartholomew Sharpe. To save the treasure from the pirates, the Spanish captain ran the ship aground on the rocks of Isle de Muerto (Island of Death), Ecuador in July of 1681. The Spanish then burned the ship, depriving the pirates of the valuable treasure. Enraged, the pirates landed and slaughtered 140 Spanish survivors." "The Spanish treasure ship Santa Maria de la Consolocion left Callao, Chile in 1681, bound for Panama, where her precious cargo that was to be transported across the isthmus and then shipped onto Spain. Because of a delay in getting its silver coins from the mint in Potosi, Bolivia, she was forced to sail alone, after the rest of the South Sea Armada had departed. The lone galleon was soon attacked by a fleet of six British pirate ships. The captain attempted to defend his precious cargo by landing his ship on a small island named Isla de Muerto (Island of the Dead) in the Bay of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The vessel accidentally hit a reef and began to sink. To prevent the treasure from falling into the hands of the pirates, the captain set the ship afire. The pirates, furious that the ship had been burned, captured and beheaded the estimated 350 passengers and crew of the ship. Neither the pirates, nor the returning Spaniards were able to recover the treasure from the shark infested waters. "
" Bartholomew Sharp From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Bartholomew Sharp (born c. 1650 – 1690?) an English buccaneer whose pirate career lasted only three years (1679-82). His flagship was the Trinidad. Sharp's career as a pirate captain began when the buccaneers, with whom he was sailing round South America, needed a new commander. He quickly proved himself a natural leader and a capable seaman, however these qualities did not prevent him being deposed as captain in January 1681, after storms and setbacks provoked a mutiny. His successor was killed three weeks later and Sharp resumed command. Under him the buccaneers continued around South America and up to the Caribbean, taking 25 Spanish ships and plundering numerous Spanish towns. Bartholomew Sharp is credited as being the first Englishman ever to travel eastwards around Cape Horn. Sharp had planned to return to England via the Strait of Magellan, but a storm pushed the Trinidad too far south forcing him to navigate the Cape."
one more "Bartholomew Sharpe Between the piratical times of Henry Morgan and Captain Kidd sailed a buccaneer/pirate named Bartholomew Sharpe. Captain Sharpe could have made history as possibly the only man to have lived in the company of the two notorious pirate captains. Back in 1671, Sharpe was a young buccaneer in Morgans raiding party, when they walked across the Isthmus of Darien (Isthmus of Panama) and attacked the old city of Panama. And almost three decades later in 1699 when the British Royal Navy visited St. Thomas looking to capture Captain Kidd. The Danish governor answered the inquiries: "That there were not any subjects of England on the Island, Captain Sharp, the noted pirate, only excepted who was confined for misdemeanours, and having some Alliegence to the King of Denmark, could not justifiably be delivered up." Sharpe did make history though and escape the hangmans noose due to his discovery of a special treasure aboard the Spanish vessel Rosario on July 29, 1681. This particular adventure began in the beginning of the year 1680 when a fleet of five pirate vessels and 331 buccaneers sailed from Port Royal, Jamaica under the general command of Captain Peter Harris. Their goal was to repeat Henry Morgans amazing success in 1668 and attack the city of Porto Bello. Flushed with victory and pockets full of pieces of eight, the buccaneers then crossed the Isthmus of Darien, embarked in Indian canoes, and after a fierce battle, captured five Spanish ships off the coast of Panama. The largest of the ships was the 400-ton La Santissima Trinidad (Blessed Trinity) which coincidently, was the same ship that had fought and escaped with Panamanian treasure ten years earlier when Morgan attacked the town. The buccaneers suffered only eighteen casualties, including Captain Harris who was shot in both legs while boarding the Trinity. Captain Richard Sawkins was elected to command the flagship Trinity, and now instead of emulating Morgan and attacking the fortified city itself, the pirate flotilla voted on imitating the success of an even earlier English pirate, Sir Francis Drake, and attack Spanish shipping and towns along the South Sea (Pacific Ocean). The ships got separated in the Spanish Lake and Sharpes first encounter was with the Spanish ship San Pedro on route from Peru to pay the garrison of Panama. After relieving her of 57,000 pieces of eight, 2000 jars of wine and brandy, and 50 jars of gunpowder, Sharpe allowed the ship to go on her way. Catching up with the Trinity at anchor off Coiba, Sawkins directed a joint land assault of Puebla Nueva (Remedios). But the Spanish were forewarned, repulsed the pirates, killing Sawkins and two others. Of the five pirate captains who had marched their crews across the isthmus Peter Harris and Richard Sawkins had been killed, John Coxon opted to return to the Caribbean with seventy men after the decision to abort the assault of Panama, Bartholomew Sharpe was now commander over the Trinity and Edmund Cook his captain of the Mayflower. Eventually the slower Mayflowers 40-man crew, ordinance, and provisions were transferred to Sharpes Trinity and the disabled ship was sunk. Dozens of prizes and towns were plundered, but one of the most important incidents during the entire 18-month journey occurred when Sharpe gave chase and captured the El Santo Rosario bound for Panama from Callao. In addition to silver plate, pieces of eight, jars of wine, oil, and fruit, the pirates prevented a Spanish crewman from throwing overboard according to the buccaneer/writer Basil Ringrose: a great Book full of Sea-Charts and Maps, containing a very accurate and exact description of all the Ports, Soundings, Creeks, Rivers, Capes, and Coasts belonging to the South Sea, and all the Navigations usually performed by the Spaniards in that Ocean. The priceless atlas of Spanish sailing secrets illustrating the coastline from California to Cape Horn - known as a derrotero - would eventually be exchanged for Sharpes life. Sharpe planned to return to England via the Straits of Magellan but a severe storm pushed the Trinity too far south causing Sharpe to weather Cape Horn making him the first Englishman to travel eastward around the Cape. (Not even Sir Francis Drake had been so far south.) Upon his return to his homeland, Sharpe and two of his crew, John Cox and William Williams, were indicted on charges of piracy and murder in the High Court of the Admiralty on June 10, 1681. The looting of the Rosario had been in flagrant defiance of the Treaty of Madrid (July 1670) by which England was permitted to retain possession of Jamaica, in exchange for guaranteeing Spains trading monopoly in America. But in spite of the charges - including Sharpe murdering Captain John Lopez of the Rosario the jury declined to hear the testimonies of several West Indian boys and consequently the defendants were acquitted. In an age when the death penalty was common for lesser crimes, Sharpe was set free with a fine of eight shillings and four pence. Prior to the trial, Sharpe privately presented a journal of his voyage, along with a copy of the derrotero, to King Charles II to secure his acquittal. It appears the king of England was prepared to risk a diplomatic catastrophe with Spain in exchange for learning her secrets to the South Sea. Sharpe was offered a Royal commission to command the Royal Navys sloop Bonetta. But instead, he set out as a brethren of the coast and boarded a French vessel near the South Downs and returned to the Caribbean to do what he did best to a ripe old age. "
If you would like to read more about the Consolación, the discovery of the wreck, and it's treasure recovery - with lots of pictures, including coins - read the book "Isla El Muerto and The Treasures of the the Consolación" by William Seliger, one of the salvage divers. After reading the book, you'll appreciate your coin even more.
Yeah, according to the book, the story of the ship running aground after being chased by pirates is only one theory, although the most interesting one. What is more certain, however, is the intriguing story of the discovery and salvage, and the large variety of coins and other relics found.
