Cool Finds

A Discovery in the Archives Became a Treasure Map Leading a Diver to a 17th-Century Shipwreck Carrying Coins and Gold Jewelry

See artifacts recovered thanks to a clue about the last resting place of a lost captain from an East India Company ship that went down near the Isles of Scilly

Michele Debczak | Correspondent

July 2, 2026 1:45 p.m.

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The British ship Phoenix, helmed by William Wildy, sank off the coast of Cornwall, England, in 1680, bringing down loads of precious cargo with it. Thanks to a resourceful diver, some of those treasures have finally been recovered and now they’re set to go on display at the Isles of Scilly Museum not far from where the vessel made its final voyage.

Scuba diver and author Todd Stevens stumbled upon a clue to the wreck’s final resting place as he looked at an old map from the archives of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. When he read the words “Cap Wildy lost” written over an area west of the island of Samson, he was inspired to check out the site for himself, reports Steve Weinman for Divernet.

His investigation took him to the Western Rocks, a treacherous part of the Isles known for its history of wrecks. Suited up in his scuba gear, he explored rocky depths 15 to 130 feet below the surface and identified the remnants of a ship. Its unusual ballast, which was made from broken pieces of cannon, confirmed it was a match for the Phoenix.

Stevens was able to bring numerous artifacts to the surface, including coins, jewelry, sword fragments, navigational instruments, and personal items that likely belonged to the captain and crew, Lisa Young reports for BBC News. He’s since donated his findings to the local Isles of Scilly Museum, which is dedicated to showcasing the archipelago’s natural, archaeological and maritime history.

“It’s hard to believe these items have been sitting on the seabed for nearly 350 years,” museum curator Xavier Duffy says, per Divernet. “This donation ensures that the material can now be shared with the public and preserved for future generations as part of the islands’ heritage.”

Phoenix was a 46-gun ship constructed in 1670. It sailed under charter to the East India Company, a massive, English enterprise that ferried goods such as silk, tea, and spices across global trading routes from 1600 into the 19th century. Bad weather brought down the vessel near the Isles of Scilly on January 11, 1680. Though much of the cargo from the ship’s recent trip to China was salvaged at the time, Stevens’ recovery mission provides a glimpse at the valuables that had been lost for hundreds of years.

The unfortunate fate of the Phoenix wasn’t an anomaly. Over the centuries, nearly 1,000 ships have met their match attempting to navigate the unforgiving archipelago. Incidents include the infamous sinking of the HMS Association in 1707, one of the deadliest maritime disasters in British history, as well as the grounding of the HMS Colossus in 1798, which remains one of the best-preserved shipwrecks in Britain.

Per BBC News, poor visibility, crowded fishing channels, and hidden rocks have contributed to the area’s dangerous history. “The coasts of the Scilly Isles and West Cornwall have probably proved more lethal than any comparable area in the world,” according to John Fowles’ 1974 book Shipwreck.

Michele Debczak | Read More

Michele Debczak is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York. She appears in seasons four through six of History Channel’s “The Food That Built America,” and her work has been featured in Mental Floss, IndieWire, Eater and Vice.