When the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senora De Atocha set sail from the New World in 1622, during the reign of King Phillip IV, she was destined for Spain. Ships from Spain would bring supplies to the colonists, and the return voyages would be loaded with silver, copper, gold and agricultural products.
Beginning with the discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492, Spanish explorers came to settle in the new territory. Columbus visited Portobello , Panama in 1502. Havana was founded in 1515, Panama City in 1519, and Cartagena in 1533. Colonial mints were established in Mexico City in 1521, Lima in 1535, Santa Fe de Bogota in 1538, and Potossi in 1545.
The return voyage to Spain was fraught with danger from pirates, warring Nations, and severe weather. A fleet of 28 ships, with the heavily armed Atocha as Almiranta, or guard ship at the rear, left on September 4, 1622. The Atocha's 20 massive bronze cannons and 82 infantrymen were helpless and powerless in the face of the raging hurricane of 1622.
The beautiful and heavily armed Atocha was the ship of choice for nobility, wealthy merchants and government officials. Consequently, the Atocha carried a vast amount of personal wealth and jewelry, along with the massive on-board treasure. On September 5, 1622 the Atocha succumbed to the ferocious winds and disappeared into a boiling sea.
The shipwreck of the Nuestra Senora De Atocha eluded discovery, and became so shrouded in mystery for three and one-half centuries, it came to be known as the Ghost Galleon.
After 16 years of searching, Mel Fisher located the Atocha in July of 1985 to worldwide fanfare and publicity. The Atocha (Ghost Galleon) was no longer a mirage or imaginary phantom. Mel went on to achieve fame as the world's greatest treasure hunter; and along the way, was kind enough to help this writer with a fledgling business dedicated to bringing the Atocha treasure, in the form of authentic jewelry crafted from the treasure bullion, to the American public.
I dedicate the following lines to the late Mel Fisher:
The Ghost Galleon
Through the years that Fisher spent
In search of HIS shipwreck
No lucid dream- the lure was real
Like cannons on ship deck
Today's the day- or so he thought
Path clues would disappear
The galleon moved- or so it seemed
Elusive- and yet so near
For sixteen years the sea hid back
Atocha's secret hold
The pirates quest- the treasure chest
And ghostly stories told
The eery mist gave up one day
Something less surreal
The silver, gold and copper too
The ghost Mel found was real.
Jack Magne'
Our newest offering is a line of jewelry appropriately named The Ghost Galleon Collection
We are proud to make available the world's first combining of the silver and copper bullion loaded into the lower hold of the Atocha; and lost at sea in 1622.
The ingots are melted and hand cast by separate silver and coppersmiths into authentic components- and then masterfully fit and finished as incomparable works of history and art.
www.preciousmetaladvocates.com features Ghost Galleon Collection on their web site.
Smooth Sailing, Jack Magne'
Showing posts with label PMA Coins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PMA Coins. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Elton John and Sting Join "Hall of Shame"
As made clear in previous essays, the "Hall of Shame" is a listing of so-called celebrities or high profile individuals who have squandered their positions of prominence. They do not inspire as shining examples worthy of emulation. They stand as symbols of wasted opportunities -- self absorbed, arrogant, narcissistic egoists -- cloaked in hypocrisy. Other astute observers of the human condition, accurately, (if bluntly), characterize these types as jerks, a-- holes, or just plain pricks. The "Hall of Shame" members we have discussed thus far make such comparisons unfair to perfectly good anatomy. Elton John fits the mold.
Charter members one through five, listed in previous blogs include Madonna, David Letterman, Charlie Sheen, Paul McCartney and Lady GaGa.
(6) Elton John
The newest inductee is Elton John. Elton's most recent publicity flap is related to his hiring out to conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh. Rush had Sir John entertain at his recent wedding reception. Some contend Rush set out to prove that cash bridges gaps- even between ideological opposites. Elton's normally supportive left wing admirers are up-in-arms over what they see as Elton's "whoring out to the enemy" for one million dollars. If they search, Elton's pals may still find some consolation:
It should be understood that in Elton's world, turning his back on his friends, while bowing to his enemy, may not be an insult; but rather, an invitation. We believe EJ should stick to his music and keep his rants to himself. In the tradition of Paul McCartney- EJ regularly offers his opinion on America's entertainment and political scenes. The reader may remember when EJ accused America (and American Idol) of being racist for booting Jennifer Hudson early in the competition. More recently, he was in trouble for calling Oprah Winfrey fat. Elton John is an equal opportunity diss artist and stone thrower. With a countenance resembling a badly poisoned frog wearing a single earring . . . a challenged Elton resides in a glass house.
(7) Sting
Born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, Sting is another English musician, songwriter and political activist. Like McCartney and Elton John, he spends way too much time collecting on concert and album sales here while criticizing our politics and way of life.
Sting's latest proclamation is: " The war on drugs, (in America), represents an extraordinary violation of human rights." He goes on to say: "Drug laws violate his human sovereignty."
Sting, Montel Williams and off-the-charts leftist and financier George Soros have formed the Drug Policy Alliance; whose goal is to dismantle any and all control over currently illegal, addictive, destructive and mind altering substances. Just what America needs . . . This wholesome threesome influencing further unbridled social degradation!
The entertainment industry has unlimited access and potentially enormous influence over the lives of so many susceptible people. Some seek to alter our culture with delusions of their perceived perfect world. This invasion into our lives and the manipulation of young, impressionable minds by people who sing, dance and act for a living is ludicrous. Ignorance and ego with a dash of "cool" is an unholy mix. It is time for us to stand up and speak out against those who would drag us down.
This column may be one writer's feeble attempt at holding back the tide but saying nothing is not and will not be an option.
Please visit http://www.preciousmetaladvocates.com/ for jewelry made from the treasure bullion recovered from the 1622 shipwreck "Atocha" The Ghost Galleon Collection features some of the most unusual and beautiful treasure creations ever presented.
Jack Magne'
Charter members one through five, listed in previous blogs include Madonna, David Letterman, Charlie Sheen, Paul McCartney and Lady GaGa.
(6) Elton John
The newest inductee is Elton John. Elton's most recent publicity flap is related to his hiring out to conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh. Rush had Sir John entertain at his recent wedding reception. Some contend Rush set out to prove that cash bridges gaps- even between ideological opposites. Elton's normally supportive left wing admirers are up-in-arms over what they see as Elton's "whoring out to the enemy" for one million dollars. If they search, Elton's pals may still find some consolation:
It should be understood that in Elton's world, turning his back on his friends, while bowing to his enemy, may not be an insult; but rather, an invitation. We believe EJ should stick to his music and keep his rants to himself. In the tradition of Paul McCartney- EJ regularly offers his opinion on America's entertainment and political scenes. The reader may remember when EJ accused America (and American Idol) of being racist for booting Jennifer Hudson early in the competition. More recently, he was in trouble for calling Oprah Winfrey fat. Elton John is an equal opportunity diss artist and stone thrower. With a countenance resembling a badly poisoned frog wearing a single earring . . . a challenged Elton resides in a glass house.
(7) Sting
Born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, Sting is another English musician, songwriter and political activist. Like McCartney and Elton John, he spends way too much time collecting on concert and album sales here while criticizing our politics and way of life.
Sting's latest proclamation is: " The war on drugs, (in America), represents an extraordinary violation of human rights." He goes on to say: "Drug laws violate his human sovereignty."
Sting, Montel Williams and off-the-charts leftist and financier George Soros have formed the Drug Policy Alliance; whose goal is to dismantle any and all control over currently illegal, addictive, destructive and mind altering substances. Just what America needs . . . This wholesome threesome influencing further unbridled social degradation!
The entertainment industry has unlimited access and potentially enormous influence over the lives of so many susceptible people. Some seek to alter our culture with delusions of their perceived perfect world. This invasion into our lives and the manipulation of young, impressionable minds by people who sing, dance and act for a living is ludicrous. Ignorance and ego with a dash of "cool" is an unholy mix. It is time for us to stand up and speak out against those who would drag us down.
This column may be one writer's feeble attempt at holding back the tide but saying nothing is not and will not be an option.
Please visit http://www.preciousmetaladvocates.com/ for jewelry made from the treasure bullion recovered from the 1622 shipwreck "Atocha" The Ghost Galleon Collection features some of the most unusual and beautiful treasure creations ever presented.
Jack Magne'
Thursday, May 20, 2010
A GENIUS- OR IS HE JUST CRAZY
Update of: Shipwrecks, Train wrecks and Kate Gosselin
Regular readers may not be aware that Jack Magne', President of Treasure Sails, Inc., and creator of the Ghost Galleon Collection has a serious, dedicated side, which has resulted in the production, and launch of what may be one of the most unique treasure offerings ever created. We believe Jack's alleged confinement- possibly self imposed in his mountain cabin in Northern California is only a temporary, humorous glitch which has come in the middle of an otherwise successful launch of one of the world's most unique jewelry presentations. Jack has sent us a somewhat cryptic message- along with a poem, which appears later in this writing.
Magne's passionate, if not obsessive, pursuit of a goal he set many years ago has finally come to fruition. His name is pronounced monyea, was the first entrepreneur to find a way to market many of the silver bricks, called ingots that were recovered by Mel Fisher in perhaps the world's most famous and celebrated 1622 shipwreck "Atocha". Most prominent in the treasure cargo were 1000 silver bars and 562 copper ingots- laid in close proximity, (side by side) almost four centuries ago.
Beginning in 1988, Jack, with some assistance from Mel Fisher, was able to market Atocha shipwreck silver, cast into authentic designs inspired and recreated from actual one-of-a-kind recovered artifacts. Jack successfully launched his first treasure jewelry at D.H.Holmes department stores headquartered in New Orleans. Other chains such as Dillards and JC Penney followed and were spectacular successes.
Here is the rub: No one in the world, in the 25 years, since the location and salvage of the Atocha has been willing or able to utilize BOTH Atocha Silver AND Atocha copper incorporated into the same piece of jewelry. Spurred on by the fact that the Atocha copper is actually, (at 562 ingots), more rare than the Atocha silver (at 1000 bars), a fact not lost on collectors and seekers of treasure- Jack has never abandoned his goal of combining, once again, the copper and silver- but now as treasure jewelry. Fisher's original contention that there is naturally occurring gold in Atocha's copper ingots was substantiated by him with an early sampling of 6 randomly chosen copper ingots which contained varying small, but significant percentages- This additional, yet little known, uniqueness of the special copper further propelled Magne's passion. While no one else cared, Magne' has collected and stored the Atocha copper along with the silver, in bank vaults over the years.
There are many reasons casting of Atocha copper had been problematic. First, in the New World, in the 1600's the ingots were crudely cast in dug-out sand holes. The surface embedded sand, along with over three centuries' gathered sedimentation beneath the ocean had made the copper difficult to manage and destructive to the equipment small-batch casters work with. Add to this the fact that silver smiths are not copper smiths - and usually have no desire to be.
Undaunted, the tenacious Magne' has tried repeatedly over the years to come up with the appropriate answer --- and, finally he has. Like most things worthwhile, it was a major challenge to get it started. First, he persuaded a major USA bronze foundry to agree to melt the Atocha copper, skim the sand and impurities, and re-cast into smaller, 15 pound user-friendly units that are then shipped to the copper-smith who casts the copper into Jack's authentic treasure designs. The castings are then shipped to Jack's silversmith who painstakingly fits actual Atocha hand cast silver components to the copper coins, medallions, pendants, earrings and more. The finished product, stunning with its contrasting hues, is protected against oxidation, antiqued and hand polished. Original mint marks, manifest numbers, tax stamps and other primitive inscriptions are all captured in beautiful, wearable treasure jewelry.
Since presumably no one else world-wide has gone to this much trouble to produce jewelry, Magne' has been described variously as an obsessed genius, or just plain crazy. Thus, www.pmacoins.com , is short for Precious Metal Advocates originally a marketer of rare coins only, now presents the Ghost Galleon Collection at special affordable introductory prices. Jack's insistence on quality is combined with his original commitment to make the Atocha shipwreck treasure affordable to the average person.
GHOST GALLEON
Through the years that Fisher spent
In search of HIS shipwreck
No lucid dream - the lure was real
Like cannons on ship - deck
Today's the day - or so he thought
Path clues would disappear
The galleon moved, or so it seemed
Elusive - yet so near
For sixteen years, the sea hid back
Atocha's secret hold
The pirates' quest - the treasure chest
And ghostly stories told
The eery mist gave up one day
Something less surreal
The silver, gold and copper too
The ghost Mel found was real
Jack Magne'
Regular readers may not be aware that Jack Magne', President of Treasure Sails, Inc., and creator of the Ghost Galleon Collection has a serious, dedicated side, which has resulted in the production, and launch of what may be one of the most unique treasure offerings ever created. We believe Jack's alleged confinement- possibly self imposed in his mountain cabin in Northern California is only a temporary, humorous glitch which has come in the middle of an otherwise successful launch of one of the world's most unique jewelry presentations. Jack has sent us a somewhat cryptic message- along with a poem, which appears later in this writing.
Magne's passionate, if not obsessive, pursuit of a goal he set many years ago has finally come to fruition. His name is pronounced monyea, was the first entrepreneur to find a way to market many of the silver bricks, called ingots that were recovered by Mel Fisher in perhaps the world's most famous and celebrated 1622 shipwreck "Atocha". Most prominent in the treasure cargo were 1000 silver bars and 562 copper ingots- laid in close proximity, (side by side) almost four centuries ago.
Beginning in 1988, Jack, with some assistance from Mel Fisher, was able to market Atocha shipwreck silver, cast into authentic designs inspired and recreated from actual one-of-a-kind recovered artifacts. Jack successfully launched his first treasure jewelry at D.H.Holmes department stores headquartered in New Orleans. Other chains such as Dillards and JC Penney followed and were spectacular successes.
Here is the rub: No one in the world, in the 25 years, since the location and salvage of the Atocha has been willing or able to utilize BOTH Atocha Silver AND Atocha copper incorporated into the same piece of jewelry. Spurred on by the fact that the Atocha copper is actually, (at 562 ingots), more rare than the Atocha silver (at 1000 bars), a fact not lost on collectors and seekers of treasure- Jack has never abandoned his goal of combining, once again, the copper and silver- but now as treasure jewelry. Fisher's original contention that there is naturally occurring gold in Atocha's copper ingots was substantiated by him with an early sampling of 6 randomly chosen copper ingots which contained varying small, but significant percentages- This additional, yet little known, uniqueness of the special copper further propelled Magne's passion. While no one else cared, Magne' has collected and stored the Atocha copper along with the silver, in bank vaults over the years.
There are many reasons casting of Atocha copper had been problematic. First, in the New World, in the 1600's the ingots were crudely cast in dug-out sand holes. The surface embedded sand, along with over three centuries' gathered sedimentation beneath the ocean had made the copper difficult to manage and destructive to the equipment small-batch casters work with. Add to this the fact that silver smiths are not copper smiths - and usually have no desire to be.
Undaunted, the tenacious Magne' has tried repeatedly over the years to come up with the appropriate answer --- and, finally he has. Like most things worthwhile, it was a major challenge to get it started. First, he persuaded a major USA bronze foundry to agree to melt the Atocha copper, skim the sand and impurities, and re-cast into smaller, 15 pound user-friendly units that are then shipped to the copper-smith who casts the copper into Jack's authentic treasure designs. The castings are then shipped to Jack's silversmith who painstakingly fits actual Atocha hand cast silver components to the copper coins, medallions, pendants, earrings and more. The finished product, stunning with its contrasting hues, is protected against oxidation, antiqued and hand polished. Original mint marks, manifest numbers, tax stamps and other primitive inscriptions are all captured in beautiful, wearable treasure jewelry.
Since presumably no one else world-wide has gone to this much trouble to produce jewelry, Magne' has been described variously as an obsessed genius, or just plain crazy. Thus, www.pmacoins.com , is short for Precious Metal Advocates originally a marketer of rare coins only, now presents the Ghost Galleon Collection at special affordable introductory prices. Jack's insistence on quality is combined with his original commitment to make the Atocha shipwreck treasure affordable to the average person.
GHOST GALLEON
Through the years that Fisher spent
In search of HIS shipwreck
No lucid dream - the lure was real
Like cannons on ship - deck
Today's the day - or so he thought
Path clues would disappear
The galleon moved, or so it seemed
Elusive - yet so near
For sixteen years, the sea hid back
Atocha's secret hold
The pirates' quest - the treasure chest
And ghostly stories told
The eery mist gave up one day
Something less surreal
The silver, gold and copper too
The ghost Mel found was real
Jack Magne'
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