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Silver "wedge" ingot (contraband or amalgam), 719 grams, from the 1733 Fleet, ex-McKee Museum.

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Shipwreck Ingots Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 1,500.00 USD
Silver  wedge  ingot (contraband or amalgam), 719 grams, from the 1733 Fleet, ex-McKee Museum.
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This item SOLD at 2017 Nov 02 @ 12:42UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Silver "wedge" ingot (contraband or amalgam), 719 grams, from the 1733 Fleet, ex-McKee Museum. 4" x 3" x 1-3/4". "Wedge" ingots like this are fairly normal finds from the Spanish Fleets of 1715 and 1733, and while the predominant theory for their existence is contraband (arranged in a pie at the bottom of a barrel, so the story goes), it is significant that most of the wedges are much lighter than their size would indicate, lending credence to the opposing theory that they are simply an intermediate stage in the silver refining process in which the silver is still a lighter amalgam. In any case this piece is typically unmarked and shows a dark gray tone all over with spots of orange in crevices. Despite a lack of certification from the McKee Museum itself, we have seen a letter from Art McKee's personal files showing that this piece was to Mr. Jack Carr in 1955. From the 1733 Fleet, pedigreed to the McKee Museum and to our Auction #16, with original lot-tag #214, and to our Auction #8 (lot #420).