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. ********************************************* * William H. Adams, Ph.D. * * P.O. Box 1177 * * Philomath, OR 97370-1177 U.S.A. * * (503) 929-3102 fax -3264 * * [log in to unmask] * *********************************************