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1715 FLEET: PHILLIP II ROYAL DOCUMENT SEALThe 1715 Fleet Society is a non-profit organization that is "dedicated to researching the history of the 1715 Fleet, its loss, rediscovery, and recovery." The 1715 fleet was part of the Spanish New World Treasure Fleets that funded Spain's activities as a world leader. However, by 1715, this position was in decline, which was exacerbated by this wreck. Here is their September Treasure of the Month article, republished with permission. -Garrett 
Our featured Treasure of the Month for September is an item that was recovered earlier this year at the 1715 Fleet wreck site known as the "Cabin Wreck" by Captain Mike Perna (Member #217) and his crew operating the recovery vessel, Mighty Mo. 
Our featured treasure shortly after recovery. Made of lead and approximately 4" in diameter, this item appears to have the image of a seated figure with all the trappings of royalty. The reverse has no identifying features, save a vertical line through the center of the object.
Obverse shown on the left. Reverse shown on the right. Not knowing exactly what this item was, Mike Perna and Sal Guttuso (Member #226), Operations Manager for 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels LLC, took it upon themselves to do some research. Along the way, they found the image of a similar item located in the Special Collections, Lehigh University Libraries. This item was listed as a "Royal Document Seal. Phillip II, King of Spain. (circa 1556)." In order to gain more information on this subject, Lehigh University was contacted, and we were put in touch with Alex Japha, MSLS, Digital Archives and Special Collections Librarian, who graciously provided additional images and information about the piece in the Library's collection. A number of those images are seen below. A comparison of the Royal Document Seal in the Lehigh University Libraries Collection and our featured treasure reflects a remarkable similarity. 
Obverse of the recovered item shown on the left. Obverse of the Royal Document Seal in the Lehigh University Libraries Collection, shown on the right. The Spanish document seal (above right) has the image of the king on the front. The text reads: PHILLIPUS D. REX CASTIL. MPG ARAG NAVARUTRQ SIGIL. The comparison of the reverse is likewise revealing. 
Reverse of the recovered item shown on the left. Reverse of the Royal Document Seal in the Lehigh University Libraries Collection, shown on the right. On the reverse of the Spanish document seal (above right), the insignia is a crown and shield containing the coats of arms of Castile, Aragon, Navarro, and Sicily. The text on the reverse reads: INDIARUM INSULARUM ET TERRA FIRMAE MARIS OCEAN FETA INDIA. Although not as clear, the faint outline of a shield can be detected on the back of our featured treasure, which corresponds to the shield on the back of the Lehigh University piece. 
Reverse of the recovered item shown on the left with the outline of the shield and channel for the cord outlined in red. Reverse of Royal Document Seal in the Lehigh University Libraries Collection, shown on the right for comparison. Also on the Lehigh University piece, a string traverses a channel that extends almost vertically along the back of the seal, which is covered with a thin veneer of lead, which is part of the shield. Compare that to the channel that can be seen on our piece. The channel, although more visible due to years of erosion, follows a similar path. According to an 1881 article provided to us by Lehigh University, the seal was acquired for Lehigh by Professor W.H. Chandler while on tour in Europe. There he is said to have succeeded in getting "an elaborate Spanish title of nobility, with the great seal of King Philip II attached." 
Daily Times newspaper article from Thursday, October 13, 1881, provided by Lehigh University. Royal seals were used by monarchs on official documents to signify that a document was authentic and had royal approval. Special thanks to Mike Perna, Captain of the Mighty Mo Recovery vessel, Sal Guttuso, Operations Manager for 1715 Fleet — Queens Jewels, LLC, and Alex Japha, MSIS, Digital Archives and Special Collections Librarian, Lehigh University, for their help in providing background information that was used in the preparation of the text for this article. Images courtesy of 1715 Fleet — Queens Jewels, LLC and Special Collections, Lehigh University Libraries, Bethlehem, PA.
To read the complete article, see:
Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: Subscribe All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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