Cannon, the coins found in the “holy grail” of ships that sank 300 years ago with billions of dollars at stake

Cannon, three coins and a porcelain cup were among the first things Colombian scientists found in the depths of the Caribbean Sea where the Mythical Spanish where the Spanish of the Caribbean Gagleon San José It sank in 1708 after being attacked by English ships, authorities said Thursday.

The recovery is part of a scientific investigation commissioned by the government last year to study the wreckage and the causes of the sinking. Colombian investigators Found a galleon In 2015, leading to legal and judicial disputes. Its exact location is a state secret.

He was called “The holy grail of shipwrecks,” The ship believes it is holding 11 million coins and silverEmeralds and other precious cargoes from the colonies controlled by Spain, which could be worth millions of dollars if found.

The government of President Gustavo Petro said that the purpose of deep water extraction is research and not the destruction of heritage.

Colombia’s Ministry of Culture said in a statement on Thursday that the cannon, money and porcelain payment will face the process of preservation of the lab dedicated to this trip dedicated to that.

The wreckage about 2,000 meters deep in the ocean.

“This historic event shows the strengthening of the skills of the Colombian government, experts, and technology to protect and promote the identity of Colombian culture, as part of Colombian identity and history,” said the Minister of Culture, Arts, and Information, said in a statement.

A popular theory has been that an explosion caused a 62-gun, three-load gun to sink after being watered by an English crew. But the Colombian government suggested it may have died from other causes, including hull damage.

The ship has been the subject of a legal battle in the United States, Colombia and Spain over who owns the rights to the huge fortune.

Colombia is in the process of arbitrating the sea search Armada, a group of American investors, for economic rights in San José. The firm is putting up $10 billion, which it thinks is worth 50% of Galleon’s fortune, which it says it acquired in 1982.

Earlier this year, researchers analyzed well-designed gold coins near the wreckconfirming that they are from the icon of San Jose. The coins feature depictions of castles, lions and crosses on the front and “crowned pillars of Hercules” above sea waves on the back, according to a new study published in Ancient Gene.

In 2024, Colombian authorities said that one remote-controlled car also tested the accident, it revealed a lot of creativityincluding anchor, jugs and glass bottles.

The Colombian government announced last year that it would begin evacuation from a ship off its Caribbean coast, using several remotely operated vehicles. The exact location of the ship has been kept a secret to prevent the wreck from being leaked to potential hunters.

Since its discovery, several groups have filed claims for the shipwreck, including Colombia, Spain and the Indigenous Qhara QHARA BOLIVIDS who claim the treasures on board were stolen from them. The wreck has also been searched by the Sisvage-based Sea Search company SEASHA, which first discovered the accident more than 40 years ago.

The cause of the sinking of San Jose’s Swing was also discussed. British documents show the ship did not explode, according to the Colombian government, but Spanish reports suggest the ship was hit in the war.

Either way, the ship – with a chest of emeralds and nearly 200 tons of gold – sank with most of its crew while returning from the new land of Spain on June 7, 1708.

May 2024, Colombia announced the location of the shipwreck is a “protected archeological site.”