Treasure

 

     Though many books and movies tell stories about buried treasure the truth is that very few pirates buried  their treasure.  Captain William Kidd is suspected to have buried his treasure on Oak Island which is near Nova Scotia, Canada.   Pirates got treasure by stealing it from the treasure fleets.  These fleets were sent to the New World by several countries, but mostly by the Spanish.  Not only did the Spaniards steal the gold and silver from the Indians they forced them to melt down their own gold and silver.  They also made them mint their gold and silver into money for the Spanish.  The gold coins were called doubloons and the silver coins were called pieces of eight.  The Spanish loaded the gold and silver money onto their ships and sent it across the Spanish Main and the Atlantic Ocean to Spain.  The pirates knew that the gold and silver carried by the Spanish ships was stolen, so they didn't think that taking it away from the Spanish thieves was wrong.  Most of the treasure never reached Spain.  Many ships sank during strong storms and the treasure was lost at the bottom of the sea.  Some, however, was taken by the pirates. 

Spanish Doubloon

Spanish Pieces of Eight

           

Atocha Treasure

                                                                                                  
                                      Tea Pots                                                                                              Emerald Stone