One must wonder how many of the objects being sold by treasure hunters are real
 and how many are copies or outright fakes. Because the pillaging of treasure
 ships by such thieves is done with little or no recording at the site or during
 the "curation," the material has very little scientific value. Because of the
 ease of making counterfeit coins and other things (using the gold bars found on
 the wreck or modern gold) the con artists can add considerable value to their
 ill-begotten loot.
 
As far as I am concerned the material from these wrecks is worth only their
 scrap metal content and nothing else. The lack of provenience information and
 credible curational notes makes their historical value suspect. Anyone who buys
 this material is a fool and worse, has encouraged others to destroy another
 irreplaceable site. I curse each and everyone of them. May the souls of the
 drowned sailors come to haunt you.
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*      William H. Adams, Ph.D.              *
*      P.O. Box 1177                        *
*      Philomath, OR 97370-1177   U.S.A.    *
*      (503) 929-3102  fax -3264            *
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