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What Is Mel Fisher’s Net Worth
Mel Fisher, the celebrated American treasure hunter, had a net worth of approximately $100 million at the time of his death in December 1998. This substantial wealth was primarily accumulated through his successful treasure hunting expeditions, most notably the discovery of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha shipwreck in 1985.
The Atocha Discovery and Its Enormous Value
Fisher’s most significant achievement was the discovery of the wreck of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha on July 20, 1985. This galleon, which sank in 1622 during a hurricane, was found approximately 35 miles southwest of Key West, Florida. The “Atocha Motherlode,” as it became known, held an estimated $450 million worth of treasure. The recovered items included approximately 40 tons of gold and silver, around 114,000 Spanish silver coins known as “pieces of eight”, gold coins, Colombian emeralds, various artifacts, and 1,000 silver ingots. After a lengthy legal battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, Fisher was granted ownership of the recovered treasure, provided that 20% of the artifacts were donated to the state.
The Atocha was heavily laden with treasure, including 24 tons of silver bullion in 1,038 ingots, 180,000 pesos of silver coins, 582 copper ingots, 125 gold bars and discs, 350 chests of indigo, 525 bales of tobacco, 20 bronze cannons, and 1,200 pounds of worked silverware when it sank in 1622. The Nuestra Señora de Atocha was added to the Guinness Book of World Records in 2014 as the most valuable shipwreck recovered, with approximately 40 tons of gold and silver and 71 pounds of emeralds.
Early Life, Career Beginnings, and Other Ventures
Born on August 21, 1922, in Hobart, Indiana, Melvin “Mel” Fisher developed an early fascination with the sea. Before his treasure hunting days, Fisher attended Purdue University and later opened the first diving shop in California, named “See Da Sea.” In 1953, he married Dolores “Deo” Horton, who became his business partner. Deo was one of the first women to learn how to dive and set a women’s record by staying underwater for 50 hours and 37 minutes. Together, they had five children: Terry, Dirk, Kim, Kane, and Taffi. The Fisher family moved to Florida in the 1960s to pursue treasure hunting ventures.
Fisher’s company, Salvors Inc., also discovered the remains of the slave ship Henrietta Marie and the Santa Margarita. In 1972, while searching for the Atocha, Fisher’s company discovered the wreck of the slave ship Henrietta Marie. Artifacts recovered from the Henrietta Marie included bilboes, iron shackles used to restrain slaves. In 1980, Mel Fisher discovered more than $20 million worth of gold and other riches from the Santa Margarita, a sister ship of the Atocha that was lost in the same 1622 storm. Fisher hired Duncan Mathewson as his chief archaeologist for the Atocha find.
Legacy and Continuing Search Efforts
Mel Fisher’s legacy extends beyond his personal wealth. He established the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum, a non-profit organization that displays artifacts found during his expeditions and preserves maritime history. The museum is located at 200 Greene Street in Key West, Florida, and attracts approximately 200,000 visitors annually. In the late 1980s, Fisher purchased a former Key West Naval Station to house the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum.
After Mel Fisher’s death in 1998, his family has continued the search for the remaining treasure of the Atocha. It is estimated that around $250 million worth of treasure may still be located on the ocean floor. The ongoing search is led by Fisher’s son, Kim Fisher, who organizes the annual Mel Fisher Days festival. In June 2011, divers from Mel Fisher’s Treasure Salvors found an antique emerald ring believed to be from the Atocha wreck. The ring was estimated to be worth $500,000. The ring was found 35 miles from Key West, along with two silver spoons and other artifacts.
