Shipwreck's Identity Confirmed: Gold Coins Discovered Accompanied the San Jose, also Known as the "World's Richest Shipwreck," Strengthening Its Identification
Here's a reimagined look at the treasure-laden "richest shipwreck in the world," the fabled San José:
Grab your treasure maps, mateys! Marine archaeologists and the Colombian Navy have been delving into the submerged secrets of the legendary Spanish galleon San José. Long considered a myth, this sunken ship now seems all too real as it mirrors records of the 18th-century Spanish galleon.
San José was nothing short of a floating vault, a galleon treasure ship designed to safeguard a fortune worthy of Pirates of the Caribbean. Clocking in at around 45 meters (150 feet) long, San José was doomed in a battle during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1708.
Dubbed "the greatest of all maritime prizes" and the "grail of shipwrecks," the alleged worth of San José's treasure ranges from $17 billion to overinflated estimates, serving as a tantalizing lure to adventurers. While the exact riches are shrouded in secrecy, scholars remain confident that the seabed around the wreck teems with ancient artifacts and historically valuable relics.
The Colombian government finally announced in 2015 they'd located San José off their northern coast, sparking a heated legal brawl over ownership. Recent studies have unlocked high-resolution digital images from remotely operated subs, offering unprecedented insights into the fabled vessel.
Intriguingly, these images revealed coins on board were minted specifically in 1707 in Lima, Peru - a minting city known to have been involved in the same mass treasure shipment as San José. This finding strongly suggests the wreckage is, indeed, the highly anticipated Spanish ship that sank in 1708.
The study's author, Daniela Vargas Ariza from the Escuela Naval de Cadetes Almirante Padilla and ICANH, pointed out the significance of the coins, stating: "Coins serve as critical time markers in shipwreck contexts, particularly for understanding material culture. These hand-struck coins, known as cobs or macuquinas, were the primary currency in the Americas for more than two centuries."
As for the legendary gold, it's still waiting to be claimed. The study kept mum about the quantity of treasure or artifacts on board, but the investigations are ongoing...
The study will be published in the esteemed journal, Antiquity.
Note 1: While the relics and coins have been identified, the physical recovery of the treasure is yet to be initiated. The main focus remains on non-invasive surveys to comprehensively study the site before any excavation takes place.
Note 2: There are ongoing legal disputes over ownership of the wreck and its contents, involving Colombia, Spain, and an American salvage company named Sea Search Armada. Indigenous groups further claim reparations for the treasure that they believe was illegally taken from their ancestors. No recovery efforts have been undertaken while these issues are being resolved.
The ongoing research on the San José shipwreck involves marine archaeologists and scientists, delving into the secrets of the sunken Spanish galleon using advanced technology, such as remotely operated subs, to study the site without invasive excavation.
Scholars believe that this technological approach in the study of the San José, which has unlocked high-resolution images, will reveal historically significant relics and artifacts, shedding light on material culture during the 18th century, particularly the coins discovered on board that served as critical time markers in shipwreck contexts.
