HISTORIC GOLD BAR STOLEN FROM FLORIDA MUSEUM

THIEVES STOLE A $550,000 GOLD BAR FROM A TREASURE MUSEUM WHERE IT WENT ON DISPLAY AFTER A FLORIDA SAVAGER RECOVERED IT FROM THE WRECK OF A SPANISH GALLEON THAT LAY ON THE OCEAN FLOOR FOR CENTURIES, THE MUSEUM'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAID. THE 74.85 OUNCE GOLD BAR WAS STOLEN ON WEDNESDAY FROM THE MEL FISHER MARITIME MUSEUM IN KEY WEST, FLORIDA, IN WHAT A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUSEUM CALLED 'A VERY QUIET SMASH AND GRAB'. THE 11 INCH GOLD BAR WAS INSIDE A GLASS CASE WITH A SMALL OPENING WHERE VISITORS COULD STICK A HAND INSIDE AND LIFT THE BAR TO EXAMINE IT. FOOTAGE FROM THE MUSEUM'S SECURITY CAMERA SHOWED TWO CULPRITS WHO MADE OFF WITH IT, AND THE FBI AND LOCAL POLICE WERE INVESTIGATING. THE MUSEUM'S INSURER OFFERED A $10,000 REWARD FOR ITS SAFE RETURN, THE MUSEUM SPOKESMAN ADDED. GOLD HAS HOVERED NEAR HISTORIC HIGHS AFTER HITTING A RECORD HIGH $1,266.50 AN OUNCE IN JUNE, BUT THE STOLEN BAR'S VALUATION REFLECTS HISTORIC VALUE FAR BEYOND ITS MELT-DOWN WORTH. MEL FISHER, A KEY WEST TREASURE HUNTER WHO DIED IN 1998, RECOVERED THE BAR IN 1980 FROM THE WRECK OF THE SANTA MARGARITA, A SPANISH GALLEON THAT SANK OFF THE FLORIDA KEYS DURING A HURRICANE IN 1622. THE GOLD BAR HAS SEVERAL DISTINCTIVE MARKINGS, INCLUDING ROMAN NUMERALS SIGNIFYING IT WAS 16 CARAT GOLD, A SYMBOL IDENTIFYING ITS OWNER, AND A SERIES OF DOTS INDICATING WHAT TAXES THE OWNER HAD PAID TO THE SPANISH CROWN. THE THEFT WAS THE TALK OF KEY WEST, AN ISLAND TOWN OF 25,000 PEOPLE AT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE FLORIDA KEYS.