Some of my fondest memories from growing up were when my father lived down in Key West. The thing about my dad was that he was this larger than life personality who owned the popular club/theater, The Strand, right in the heart of Duval Street. Lots of notable acts rolled through there, and he employed a cast of characters who were pretty much pirates. Lots of them were able to pay off their bar tabs through gigs as shipwreck salvagers. Through some of these guys he became chums with the legendary, treasure hunter, Mel Fisher who found the Spanish ship, the Atocha, and all of its treasure booty off the coast of the Florida Keys. Fisher hit the mother load and like many others became charmed by my ol’ man, and personally gave him coins, keys, and other artifacts from the fabled ship. These pieces make up the heart of this collection.
