When a team of treasure hunters claimed they’d discovered the resting place of The San Jose galleon in 2015, many archeologists and experts scoffed at the idea. If true, it would mean that the “Holy Grail” of shipwrecks had been found after 300 plus years of searching. Now, the authenticity of the discovery has been confirmed, and the resulting find is worth some $17 billion.
Yes, that’s billion with a b. The ship was massive in scope and housed 64 cannons. The ship was built and launched during 1698 and was part of Spain’s storied treasure fleets. At the time, this was particularly dangerous. In addition to environmental threats like storms and massive waves, Spain was also battling with France as part of the War of the Spanish Succession.
In 1708, The San Jose was sunk by a French vessel, taking its wealth of emeralds, silver, and precious gemstones to a watery grave. Because the discovery is so significant and worth so much, a number of legal battles are playing out in the court system. At least two different groups of researchers are claiming that the ship was their find.
For the time being, History.com says the shipwreck will remain somewhere deep off the coast of Colombia, but that could change depending on legal rulings in the future.