$500M Treasure Ship Found In Atlantic

Explorers Believe Colonial-Era Treasure Is Richest In History; Location Of Ship Kept Secret

(AP)  Deep-sea explorers said Friday they have mined what could be the richest shipwreck treasure in history, bringing home 17 tons of colonial-era silver and gold coins from an undisclosed site in the Atlantic Ocean. Estimated value: $500 million.

A jet chartered by Tampa-based Odyssey Marine Exploration landed in the United States recently with hundreds of plastic containers brimming with coins raised from the ocean floor, Odyssey co-chairman Greg Stemm said. The more than 500,000 pieces are expected to fetch an average of $1,000 each from collectors and investors.

"For this colonial era, I think (the find) is unprecedented," said rare coin expert Nick Bruyer, who examined a batch of coins from the wreck. "I don't know of anything equal or comparable to it."

Citing security concerns, the company declined to release any details about the ship or the wreck site Friday. Stemm said a formal announcement will come later, but court records indicate the coins might come from a 400-year-old ship found off England.

Because the shipwreck was found in a lane where many colonial-era vessels went down, there is still some uncertainty about its nationality, size and age, Stemm said, although evidence points to a specific known shipwreck. The site is beyond the territorial waters or legal jurisdiction of any country, he said.

"Rather than a shout of glee, it's more being able to exhale for the first time in a long time," Stemm said of the haul, by far the biggest in Odyssey's 13-year history.

He wouldn't say if the loot was taken from the same wreck site near the English Channel that Odyssey recently petitioned a federal court for permission to salvage.

In seeking exclusive rights to that site, an Odyssey attorney told a federal judge last fall that the company likely had found the remains of a 17th-century merchant vessel that sank with valuable cargo aboard, about 40 miles off the southwestern tip of England. A judge signed an order granting those rights last month.

In keeping with the secretive nature of the project dubbed "Black Swan," Odyssey also isn't talking yet about the types, denominations and country of origin of the coins.

[deviola11]

TO ALL PEOPLES INVOLVED IN THIS SLAVE ARGUMENT! You have all admitted that the treasure should belong to the people of countries who contributed to its existance. Therefore the treasure does in ALL REALITY belong to All Ot Us, Slave and Freeman alike. Realize that it is goverments to which the stated laws allow the salvagers to reap the benifits. Let's all concluded that we are were slaves at one point!
Also that some countries goverments still have slave like laws.
Furthermore, A law should be implemented which allows for all to share in the bounty!

[michellem99-2009]

I am 52 BYBW and born in New England.I could not get out of my grandmum,she told me we are are Americans.But she would not say where our family originally came from if she knew. What she knew went to the grave. I know the books are sanitised for the school kids. Geo Washington was a brit born in British America. The books we used was writ as pipils I had to wonder what was real and what not. The money belongs to the nation that minted it. So will America be a gracious nation to return it to that nation. I don't know.

[bybw]

Continued......
William Wilberforce. Read about him - he wasnt bloody french or American! When Britain abolished Slavery we were proactive - we waged war on everyone! sinking french portugese spanish and american ships or anyone engaged in those awful activities. Oh and by the way the Arabs were big into slavery centuries ago and still are! and in West Africa, black tribesmen fetched their own countrymen to ports to sell! We didnt have to go looking! The world was no different then than it is now -still driven by greed and the Black man as guilty as the White.

[bybw]

The Industrial Revolution in Britain was fueled by workers - some as young as six in mines mills and factories - there was no Slavery just need and little choice. The entire nation was driven by men of vision and ideals - wealthy yes, but still pioneers, and the great majority were altruists - would the English have it any other way? No!
And a good job too. otherwise you lot wouldnt have this Forum to bleat away on.
I am sick of listening to these so called victims of British colonialism - were they there?
The world got a great and good deal from our little country and still is! So get a life and read a few books you ungreatfull set of knuckle dragging whingers or we might just bring Slavery back! Remember WW2 It was an expensive little shindig and Great Britain paid the bill and fought alone untill the USA decided to get off the fence-nudged by deals that would bankrupt Britain. The history you were taught at school was Propaganda - not the truth. post war Britain was poverty struck whilst the USA dined out in style on the stolen wealth of a nation.
In reading lies knowledge - but only if you read the right books.

[whitebear7]

Historic agreement with the British looters??? Pardon me?! What kind of irony we are speaking of %u2013 to be precise: If anything goes to Britain, no blood can be clean from those coins forever!

%u201CHistoric agreement%u201D What a Mafioso idea!
You should melt those and give to the looted countries as well as to those Africans that you had massacred %u2013 as well as to the others you ever robbed around the world through the %u201Crich%u201D history of the Empire of the Crown.

[sjw1253]

I do not understand all of the cursing and nasty personal attacks on this discussion.

Why do any of you take things personally and attack each other personally?

I come on this to learn objectively different people's thoughts and information on the topic. Anyone who wants to discuss the slavery issues has their rights without prejudicial and racist comments along with all of the vulgarity involved.

Each person is deserving of their own opinions without being personally attacked by ridiculously immature people who play games with the keyboard to overcome the blocks placed on the board to protect it from the abuse of vulagity and cursing.

People who do this will certainly destroy the great privledge many of us enjoy of being able to post our ideas by playing these games. CBS has already felt the need to take away the capability for many of us to post to some topics - it may come to the point where they cannot continue with these boards because of the people who enjoy taking away any of the protections they try to design to protect it from the abuse the few of you have done especially with this topic.

[thgdriver]

get in line hawksprings if you want a share, hundreds will be lining up for a piece of this pie just like they did in 1985. this will be in the courts for years.

[thgdriver]

By the way, as no larger gold rush era treasure was ever lost in history, by definition no greater treasure can ever be found, making the SS Central America find in 1985 a unique event.

[hawksprings]

Dang! Why didn't I find that! I was just fishing that spot and got a snag on my line, thought it was just a boot. That treasure should be mine!!

[thgdriver]

They ain't rich yet by a long shot. When they found the SS Central America in 1985 that had sunk during a hurricane back in 1857 insurance company's laid claim to the millions in treasure. The folks that found it fought in the courts for over 10 years before it was settled and the ins. co. got plenty.

[cfin5]

Finally! A story with some good interesting news for a change. Congratulations on your reward for taking a great financial risk!

[zootallures2]

That's good. First time all year a company got rich without cheating, plundering, or killing anyone...LOL! No need to go back to the colonial era and slavery and ruin such an achievement.

[a-ji]

No problem Phoenix, just continue your family's good deeds in helping others. Not all treasure are made of silver and gold. (Except for this news.) Hvae a great day people!

[phoenix1218]

whytgrlzrule,
If you would like to know how my family helped go here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmington,_Massachusetts ...There is only a little blurb (Wilmington is also home to the Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern, which served as a stop on the underground railroad and now houses the Wilmington Town Museum.) but it state the facts. Unlike some people (whytgrlzrule) I have fact behind what I state.

[phoenix1218]

YES!!! Shut the FU(K UP about slavery phoenix you BLOWHARD!!!! Posted by whytgrlzrule

Wow, your knowledge of the english language astounds me. Where did you go to school so I know where NOT to send my children because I do not want them to learn about hatered such as you have, if your name is anything to go by.

Phoenix, so why didn't you say it in as plain as simple as your last post? And just a reminder this is about a sunken treasure not about slavery. Posted by A-JI

A-J1, I'll apologize to you because you seem to be a genuine person who does not spew hatred like whytgrlzrule. I'm sorry if you thought my posts were too long or too many. But whytgrlzrule need some anger management classes.

[phoenix1218]

Oh WHO gives a cr@p??? OoooOOOO my great grandpappy frEEEEEEEd dem slaaaaves! Oh really? REALLY?? Who ARE you anyway? Huh? What's your name, let's look this alleged HERO up!!!!
Posted by whytgrlzrule

Did anyone notice your name...whytgrlzrule...sound it out, white girls rule...Gee, would you happen to be a member of a certain group that mainly populates the south?

[a-ji]

Phoenix we know Casper did mention it first, but yours is too much. Where your last post says all your point, plain and simple and nice to hear that your family once helped to free the salves. All the other that you and Casper posted were applicable if the news is about slavery. But sad to say its about the $500M sunken treasure. Just don't get me wrong...

[whytgrlzrule]

Oh WHO gives a cr@p??? OoooOOOO my great grandpappy frEEEEEEEd dem slaaaaves! Oh really? REALLY?? Who ARE you anyway? Huh? What's your name, let's look this alleged HERO up!!!!

[a-ji]

Phoenix we know Casper did mention it first, but yours is too much. Where you last post says all your point, plain and simple and nice to hear theat your family once helped to free the salves.

"I may be boring but i'm making a point....there WERE black slaveowners and they were NOT always slaveowners in order to free their relatives. If you don't like what I post, don't read it, plain and simple. I think I've made my point though.

And just so you know, and don't think I am racist, my family helped free slaves through the Underground Railroad."

[phoenix1218]

A-JI,
I am not the one who made it about slavery, Casper is ...

BELONGS TO WHO? All of this money should be given to the descendents of slaves, as it was procured during the COLONIAL period when SLAVES were doing all the WORK and gettin no benefits at all. This money must be placed in banks for DESCENDENTS of Slaves to draw from each year a certain amount ? 500 dollars each, to help settle the books. Posted by CASPER10X