In 1687 Captain William Phips arrived in English waters with forty tons of treasure rescued from the wreck of the Concepcin, sunk forty years before in the middle of the ocean. The great British treasure-hunting boom had begun. Over the next two centuries, many such adventures, most based on extremely dubious information, were begun. World-renowned historian Peter Earle returns with an extraordinary history of outstanding bravery, exceptional recklessness, and above all, dreams of treasure. Peter Earle is emeritus reader in economic history at the University of London and the author of The Pirate Wars.