The first treasures have been raised from the galleon 'San Jose': 17 billion dollars after 300 years.

According to ТСН: The first part of the treasure worth 17 billion dollars, which lay at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea for more than three centuries, has been brought to the surface. Researchers have finally recovered artifacts from the wreck of the legendary galleon 'San Jose', which sank in the 18th century.

In June of this year, scientists published the results of their research, confirming that they managed to discover part of the treasures from the sunken Spanish ship, which had been resting at great depths. Experts estimate the potential value of the treasures at around 17 billion dollars. Among the raised items are gold coins, silver, and jewelry, which are believed to come from Spain's colonies in South America.

The history of 'San Jose'

On June 8, 1708, 'San Jose' was carrying about 200 tons of valuable cargo when it was attacked and sunk by the Royal Navy during the War of the Spanish Succession. After the disaster, the ship was considered lost without a trace. Only in the 1980s did some organizations claim to have found traces of it, but the true location was confirmed only in 2015.

The Colombian government kept the coordinates secret to avoid attempts at looting. After three centuries underwater, a dispute arose over who has the right to the treasures. Among the contenders are the USA, Colombia, Spain, and even Bolivia. Meanwhile, the first artifacts have already been raised, providing insight into the scale of the ship's wealth.

Found artifacts

Among the items discovered, besides gold coins, are pieces of porcelain and a large cannon resembling those seen in movies about 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. All findings have become part of a large scientific project being carried out near the coast of Cartagena, Colombia.

Starting in 2024, the Colombian government plans to launch the program 'To the Heart of San Jose', which aims to conduct a detailed study of the history of the legendary ship. Together with scientists and marine archaeologists, remotely operated underwater vehicles are being used, which descended to great depths and helped to discover the first gold coins. After that, work began on the recovery and analysis of historical objects.

The discovered coins turned out to be macuquinas - handmade cast coins used in Spanish colonies in America from the 16th to the mid-18th century. Scientists plan to employ various methods for their study to determine the precise time frames and technologies used in their production, which will help better understand the trade routes and economic processes of the colonial era.

Researchers' assumptions

Researchers believe that these findings may help establish the reasons for the ship's sinking. Although it is known that 'San Jose' was destroyed as a result of an attack by the British fleet, the details of this disaster remain a topic of discussion. One hypothesis suggests that a cannonball pierced the hull and struck the gunpowder magazine, causing an instantaneous explosion, but this hypothesis has yet to be confirmed.

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Knowledge of Colombia emphasized: 'This historical event demonstrates the strengthening of the Colombian state's technical, professional, and technological capabilities in protecting and promoting underwater cultural heritage as part of Colombian identity and history.'

At present, the exact value of the treasure remains unknown. However, researchers have already found that many of the coins discovered in the initial stages of the work bear the letter 'L', indicating their origin from Lima. Other marks suggest they were minted in 1707.

It should be noted that a perfectly preserved piece of an ancient wall was recently found in Jerusalem.