Gold from legendary 1708 shipwreck holding billions of dollars in treasure is seen in new images

Greater than three centuries after a legendary Spanish galleon loaded with treasure sank off the coast of Colombia, researches have uncovered new particulars about gold cash discovered scattered across the shipwreck.

Dubbed the “holy grail” of shipwrecks, the San Jose galleon was sunk by the British navy close to Cartagena in 1708, killing many of the roughly 600 crewmembers on board. The ship was believed to be holding gold, silver, gem stones and different treasure price billions of {dollars}.

Now researchers have analyzed intricately designed gold cash discovered close to the wreck, confirming they’re certainly from the enduring San Jose. The cash function depictions of castles, lions and crosses on the entrance and the “Topped Pillars of Hercules” above ocean waves on the again, in response to a brand new examine printed Tuesday within the journal Antiquity.

Researchers, together with specialists from Colombia’s navy, studied photographs taken by remotely operated autos of dozens of cash which can be scattered across the shipwreck almost 2,000 ft beneath the ocean’s floor. The examine’s authors stated the precise variety of cash on the seabed is troublesome to find out “because of the dynamic nature of the positioning.” However an evaluation of high-resolution photographs from the remotely operated autos exhibits every coin’s common diameter is 32.5 millimeters and weighs roughly 27 grams.

On among the cash, researchers had been capable of discern the letters “PVA” — representing a Latin motto that means “Plus Extremely” or “Additional Past.” That adage was used on foreign money to suggest the growth of the Spanish monarchy within the Atlantic, the examine’s authors stated. Numbers depicting the cash’ denomination and the date of minting (1707) may be seen.

The examine’s authors stated the cash from this era had been typically minimize from gold or silver ingots.

“Hand-struck, irregularly formed cash — often known as cobs in English and macuquinas in Spanish — served as the first foreign money within the Americas for greater than two centuries,” the authors stated in a press release.

Final August, Colombian authorities stated one remotely operated car surveyed the wreck, uncovering quite a few artifacts, together with an anchor, jugs and glass bottles.

The Colombian authorities introduced final 12 months it will start extractions from the ship off its Caribbean coast, utilizing a number of remotely operated autos. The ship was found in 2015, however its actual location has been stored secret to guard the storied wreck from potential treasure hunters.

Since its discovery, a number of events have laid declare to the shipwreck, together with Colombia, Spain and Indigenous Qhara Qhara Bolivians who declare the treasures on board had been stolen from them. The wreck has additionally been claimed by U.S.-based salvage firm Sea Search Armada, which says it first found the wreck greater than 40 years in the past.

The reason for the San Jose’s sinking has additionally been debated. British paperwork point out that the ship didn’t explode, in response to Colombia’s authorities, however Spanish stories recommend the ship was blown up in battle.

Both method, the ship — laden with chests of emeralds and about 200 tons of gold — sank with most of its crew whereas heading again from the New World to Spain on June 7, 1708.

In Might 2024, Colombia declared the positioning of the shipwreck a “protected archeological space.”

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