400 Year Old Jewel to Benefit Ukraine

by Rebecca Cuningham

This story features a rare emerald from Colombia. The jewel is famous for its years hidden beneath ocean waters in the Nuestra Señora de Atocha shipwreck. The current owner of the ring that features this stone is willing to sell it in order to benefit the Ukraine. 

Emerald ring, jewel from Atocha shipwreck Image Courtesy: Sotheby’s


Sothesby’s held an auction yesterday offering for sale the emerald ring valued at $50,000 to $70,000. Mitzi Perdue will donate the proceeds to a humanitarian organization working in the Ukraine. She has owned the ring since 1988, when Frank Perdue proposed to her with it. The two were married until 2005, when he passed away.

For over 350 years, the emerald was in the hold of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha that shipwrecked off the Florida Keys in 1622. It remained there, along with golden Spanish doubloons, and gold and silver ingots, until 1985. Treasure hunter Mel Fisher located the wreck after 16 years of searching and recovered its contents. Frank Perdue was one of his investors in the search and received a share of the find, including the emerald.

After a recent trip to the Ukraine where she saw the people’s suffering, Mitzi Perdue knew she wanted to find a way to support the women and children fleeing the country and prevent them from falling victim to human trafficking. She decided to offer the ring. It sold at the auction for $950,000. That is enough for a wonderful shelter for the refugees.

    Thanks to Repeating Islands for teaching me about this story!

    ¡Olé! –Rebecca 

PS: All the proceeds from Mitzi Perdue’s non-fiction book, Mark Victor Hansen: Relentless, are also going toward the Ukraine.

Sothesby’s Auctioneer. Photo: Online capture of live auction

Joya de 1622 Vendida para Apoyar a Ucrania

Esta es la historia de una esmeralda única originalmente de Colombia. La joya es famosa por los años escondida bajo el océano en el naufragio Nuestra Señora de Atocha. La dueña del anillo que contiene la piedra está dispuesta a venderlo para hacer una donación al pueblo de Ucrania.

Casa de subasta Sothesby’s vendió ayer el anillo que tiene un valor entre USD $50.000 y $70.000. Mitzi Perdue donará las ganancias a una organización humanitaria trabajando en Ucrania. Ella era dueña del anillo desde 1988, cuando Frank Perdue se lo ofreció cuando la pidió la mano. Los dos eran casados hasta 2005, cuando el se falleció.

Por más de 350 años, la esmeralda estaba en el buque del galeón español Nuestra Señora de Atocha naufragado cerca de los Cayos de Florida en 1622. Se quedaba allí junto con doblones dorados, y lingotes de oro tty plata, hasta 1985 cuando el caza tesoros Mel Fisher la localizó después de buscar por 16 años. Como Frank Perdue era uno de sus inversores, recibió parte del hallazgo, la esmeralda incluida.

Después de una visita humanitaria recién a Ucrania, donde vio el sufrimiento del pueblo, Mitzi Perdue sabía que quería encontrar una manera de apoyar a las mujeres y los niños saliendo de Ucrania para que eviten caer en el sistema de trata de personas. Decidió vender el anillo. Recibió $950.000. Es suficiente para buen alojamiento para los refugiados.

Gracias al sitio web caribeño Repeating Islands por enseñarme sobre esta historia.

    ¡Olé! –Rebecca

PD: Todo lo que gana con su libro sobre Victor Hansen: Relentless (Implacable), también dona Mitzi Perdue a la causa de Ucrania.

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Rebecca Cuningham

39 thoughts on “400 Year Old Jewel to Benefit Ukraine”

  6. And Ukraine needs the help. Those of us who worked with Ukrainians on a social media effort in the spring continue to connect. We send money to our Ukrainian friends’ charities as well as give moral support. Recently, I helped buy a walkie talkie for a friend’s friend on the battlefield. And there’s one former Ukrainian colleague in Rivne, Ukraine — https://www.facebook.com/skrynchyk — who collects money to buy essentials for displaced children and mothers. An emerald would help even more!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. That is a wonderful story. Colombian emeralds are magnificent. (My wife is Colombian as you may know)
    If I understood well, the auction has been held and close to a million will be donated to Ukraine?
    That is great.
    🇺🇦

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      3. Probably won’t watch. A few reasons. I’m not a big football fan. Sunday is also my birthday. (Gettin’ old!) We’ll have the family here for lunch. Qatar is not only suspicious of human rights violations, they have also just been uncovered in a major corruption scheme at the European parliament. And to see the idiot M*cron hug the Emir would make my blood boil. 😉
        Eventually, que le meilleur gagne. Qué gane el mejor…
        🙏🏻

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Pingback: *Press This* 400 Year Old Jewel to Benefit Ukraine #263 | Its good to be crazy Sometimes

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