Although not a match to those listed on the Atocha's manifest, this ingot is extremely rare because all of its markings are on the rounded side of the bar. (It was customary for bars to be officially stamped on their flat sides.) For this important reason alone, this piece is different from all other silver bars salvaged from the wreck site. RESERVE

Artifact #: 4919, Stamped "A269"
Shipwreck: Atocha 1622. Recovered in 1985.
Weight: 7160 grams, 230.20 oz t
Dimensions/Karats: 33.5cm x 10.5cm x 3cm, 2380 Karat, Class 0.6

When the Atocha sank, nearly 1,000 silver ingots weighing nearly 35 tons sunk with it. The majority of the silver ingots belonged to a plethora of wealthy individuals, while some were tax payments due to King Philip IV. Each bar bore its owner's insignia and a serial number which was recorded on the ship's manifest. After the bars were found by Mel Fisher's team, their individual serial numbers combined with the weight was absolute proof that each ingot was from the Atocha. They were also marked with a purity stamp in Roman numerals - what equated to 2380 out of 2400 - which is purer than most silver today.