15 #BIGGEST #COIN #Discoveries
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00:00Hey everyone, in today's video we're uncovering the most jaw-dropping moments in treasure
00:04hunting history.
00:06As we count down the top 15 biggest coin discoveries ever made, these remarkable discoveries have
00:11made people fortunes overnight.
00:13Let's start with number 15, Seton Down Hoard.
00:17The Seton Down Hoard is one of the largest collections of Roman coins ever discovered
00:21in Britain, dating back over 1700 years.
00:25These coins span from late 260 A.D. to almost 350 A.D. and offer a glimpse into the late
00:30Roman Empire.
00:32This hoard consists of about 22,000 coins, making it the fifth-largest find of Roman
00:36coins in Britain.
00:37But it wasn't a team of scientists or archaeologists with the best equipment who found it.
00:42No, it was one man, Lawrence Egerton, a semi-retired builder and metal-detecting enthusiast from
00:48East Devon, who stumbled upon this incredible hoard.
00:51While using his metal detector in a field, he found two ancient coins near the surface.
00:56Digging a little deeper, he uncovered a large stash of copper alloy coins.
01:00Excited by this discovery, he immediately contacted archaeologists and stayed on the
01:04site, even sleeping in his car for three cold nights to ensure the area remained undisturbed.
01:11Archaeologists excavated thousands more coins buried about a foot deep.
01:15These coins were in remarkably good condition with clear portraits that could be identified.
01:19Experts at the British Museum began cleaning, identifying, and cataloging the coins for
01:23nearly a year.
01:25The museum described the scale of the find as remarkable, noting it as one of the largest
01:30hoards ever found within the Roman Empire.
01:32The coins provide a family tree of the House of Constantine, with various portraits illustrating
01:37the lineage and reign of this influential dynasty.
01:41At the time of their burial, these coins wouldn't have been exceptionally valuable, estimated
01:45to be about worth four gold coins, equivalent to about two years' pay for a Roman worker.
01:51The Royal Albert Museum and Art Gallery in Exeter is raising funds to acquire the collection,
01:56appealing to the public for donations.
01:5814.
02:00The Mohenjo-Daro Hoard
02:02Mohenjo-Daro, located in present-day Pakistan, is a significant site that dates back to around
02:072600 BC.
02:09It was a major city of the ancient Indus Valley civilization, which is considered one of the
02:13oldest urban cultures in the world.
02:16This ancient city was abandoned around 1800 BC, likely due to climatic changes that caused
02:21the environment to dry out.
02:23But it wasn't too long ago that an astonishing hoard of copper coins was discovered within
02:27the ruins of a Buddhist stupa at Mohenjo-Daro.
02:30These coins are believed to be over 2,000 years old and date back to the time of the
02:34Kushan Empire, which ruled from the 2nd century BC to the 3rd.
02:38The hoard's weight, approximately 12 pounds, is estimated to contain between 1,000 and
02:431,500 individual coins.
02:45These coins have a greenish hue due to copper erosion, and some of them depict a standing
02:50figure, likely representing a Kushan king, while others feature Hindu symbols.
02:55The discovery of these coins is significant, as it marks the first artifacts uncovered
02:59at the stupa's ruins since 1931.
03:02The coins bear a resemblance to those found in the 1920s and 30s, further enhancing the
03:07narrative of the site.
03:09In recent years, discovery like this one and a unique Buddha pendant unearthed at the site
03:13have provided valuable insights into the region's history and cultural legacy.
03:18The findings not only highlight the importance of Mohenjo-Daro as a center of ancient civilization,
03:23but also underscore the influence of Buddhism in the region.
03:2713.
03:28The Kamakura Cache In central Japan's Maibashi city, a remarkable
03:33cache of 100,000 ancient coins was unearthed during construction.
03:37This hoard, historically placed between the 7th and 13th centuries, includes a rare example
03:42of the banlong, China's first unified currency.
03:46These coins were bundled in groups of 100, with a total of 1,060 of these bundles, and
03:51they were secure with straw cords, suggesting a strategic concealment during a period of
03:56war.
03:57The site, measuring some 2 by 3 feet, revealed straw remnants indicating the coins were wrapped
04:01in straw matting before burial.
04:04From the 334 coins examined, at least 44 of them were variants that were confirmed to
04:09be between 175 BC and 1265 AD.
04:14The banlong coins were initially introduced by China's first emperor, Qixing Huang, around
04:18210 BC, and used until they were replaced by the wuzhu coins in 118 BC.
04:24The latest coin in the hoard, dating back to 1265, suggests the collection was buried
04:28about 1185 to 1333.
04:31This period began with the rise of the Kamakura Shogunate in AD 1192, and it was marked by
04:35significant events.
04:37It was a time of turmoil, with civil wars, uprisings, and conflicts as various samurai
04:42clans vied for power and territory.
04:45This led to the development of a feudal system in Japan, with powerful regional lords exercising
04:50considerable autonomy over their domains.
04:53This area encompasses significant sites such as the Shosha Burial Mounds and the San'o
04:58Temple Ruins.
05:00The discovery site spans about a kilometer and is believed to have been a central point
05:04in the Kozuke Province during the Kofun Period, from the late 3rd century to the late 7th
05:09century, which preceded the Gunma Prefecture.
05:13Number 12.
05:14The Lacatien II Hoard.
05:16For three decades, metal detectorists Reg Mead and Richard Miles meticulously searched the
05:21same field on the Channel Island of Jersey, finding occasional stray coins.
05:27In May of 2012, though, they discovered a significant concentration of coins.
05:31Recognizing the importance of their find, they immediately refilled the hole and contacted
05:36the Jersey Heritage, the island's professional museum body.
05:40A team of local archaeologists, including a conservator, was assembled to investigate
05:44the discovery.
05:45Initially, the team expected to uncover a small hoard of a few coins, possibly in a
05:50pot.
05:51However, the excavation revealed a much larger find.
05:54By the end of the second day, the edges of a massive hoard were exposed.
05:59Thousands of coins, fused together by a layer of green corrosion, formed a mass approximately
06:03140 by 70 centimeters and 15 centimeters thick.
06:07The hoard contained silver and copper staters and quarter staters, made by a tribe of Celts
06:11from the neighboring French coast, dating to around the middle of the first century
06:15B.C.
06:16Given the hoard's importance, it was decided to excavate it intact in a single block.
06:21To keep the coins damp during their recovery, a layer of thin earth was left on the hoard's
06:25top and side surfaces.
06:27To ensure the safe extraction, hand tools were used to dig four evenly spaced parallel
06:31tunnels beneath the hoard, reducing its contact with the ground.
06:35A metal scaffold structure was constructed around the hoard, and four nylon belts were
06:39fitted through the tunnels around the scaffold to lift the hoard out by crane.
06:44Due to an eclectic makeup of the hoard, it was decided to disassemble it on an object-by-object
06:49level to reveal all its contents.
06:51The size of the hoard and task of conserving its contents were unprecedented.
06:55The decision was made to clean the coins only enough to allow identification, rather than
06:59polishing them to display.
07:0211.
07:03THE VEIL OF YORK HOARD
07:05The Veil of York Hoard, also known as the Harrogate Hoard, is a significant Viking hoard
07:11dating back to the 10th century A.D.
07:13Discovered by metal detectorist David Whelan and his son, Andrew, in January of 2007, the
07:19hoard was found in a field south of Harrogate in North Yorkshire.
07:23This remarkable find, made after five years of metal detecting as a hobby, stands as one
07:28of the most important Viking discoveries in the UK in the past 150 years.
07:33This hoard consists primarily of silver coins and other silver objects, reflecting an extensive
07:37international cultural contact of the medieval period.
07:41The bowl, decorated with running animals, including lions, beasts, and prey, is thought
07:45to have been used in church services before ending up in the Viking hands, either as loot
07:50from a monastery or as tribute paid to the Vikings.
07:53Within this bowl, the hoard contained a total of 617 silver coins, including a dirham from
07:57the Islamic world.
07:59This coin, traded up rivers into Russia and through Scandinavia, exemplifies the wide-reaching
08:04trade networks of the Vikings.
08:05Most of the other coins, though, originate from Anglo-Saxon territories and the Viking
08:09settlement of York.
08:11In addition to the coins, the hoard also contained about 60 other silver objects, primarily hacksilver,
08:16pieces of silver broken up for their bullion value.
08:19Many of these objects had small nicks cut into them to test the quality of the silver,
08:24aligning with the Viking practice of valuing silver by weight.
08:27The presence of these varied hacksilver and coins suggest that the hoard's owner was involved
08:32in diverse forms of trade and business.
08:3610.
08:37The Hoxne Hoard
08:39The Hoxne Hoard, discovered in the village of Hoxne in Suffolk in the UK, stands as one
08:44of the most remarkable and significant finds from the late Roman period.
08:48Unearthed on November 16, 1992 by Eric Lawes, a retired gardener equipped with a metal detector,
08:54the hoard was initially discovered after he tried to find a lost hammer.
08:58Instead, Lawes stumbled upon a treasure trove that would become the largest hoard of late
09:02Roman gold and silver ever found in the UK, and indeed anywhere within the Roman Empire.
09:08The hoard consists of over 15,000 objects, predominantly coins, but also including a
09:13remarkable assortment of jewelry and tableware.
09:16The sheer volume of coins, numbering over 15,000, forms the bulk of the hoard and provides
09:21invaluable insights.
09:22In addition to the coins, the hoard includes dozens of silver spoons, various gold objects,
09:27and some of the most exquisite pieces of Roman craftsmanship, such as the Empress Pepperpot.
09:32This particular artifact, a silver container shaped like a noblewoman, is noted for its
09:36details, depicting the woman's hairstyle, clothing, and jewelry with remarkable precision.
09:42The hoard's burial has been dated to no later than 450 AD, a period characterized by significant
09:47turmoil in the Roman Empire.
09:49This era of instability likely prompted the Roman-British citizens to conceal their valuables,
09:55hoping to retrieve them once peace was restored.
09:58The fact that hoards such as the Hoxne Hoard have been discovered today indicates that
10:01their owners never managed to return for their hidden treasures.
10:06The discovery of this hoard is really significant when compared to other hoards of the same
10:09period.
10:10While many of them consist solely of coins, the Hoxne Hoard's inclusion of various personal
10:14and utilitarian items offers a more comprehensive glimpse into the lives of its owner.
10:19The diversity of the hoard's contents provides a richer understanding of the social status
10:23and even the personal lives of its owners, setting it apart from other contemporary finds.
10:309.
10:31Coins in the Kitchen In 2019, a couple living in an 18th-century
10:35village home in Ellerby, North Yorkshire, embarked on a kitchen renovation project,
10:40expecting to improve their home's aesthetics and functionality.
10:44Little did they know that their efforts would lead to the discovery of a rare and valuable
10:48coin hoard hidden beneath their kitchen floor.
10:51The renovation workers, while tearing out the old floorboards, stumbled upon a collection
10:55of more than 260 coins dating from 1610 to 1727 AD.
11:01This unexpected find would eventually be valued at around $280,000.
11:07The initial discovery was quite unassuming.
11:09The workers encountered an obstruction they believed to be an electrical cable buried
11:13in the concrete.
11:14However, further investigation revealed a salt-glazed earthenware tumbler no bigger
11:19than a soda can, buried about six to eight inches below the ground.
11:23Upon opening the tumbler, they discovered it was filled with ancient coins, a truly
11:27rare and unusual hoard.
11:30The find included a pretty diverse range of coins, and among them, a single Brazilian
11:34coin that had been in circulation in England during the 1720s.
11:38Notably, the hoard contained two coins with mint errors, significantly increasing their
11:43value.
11:44A George I guinea from 1720, featuring two tail sides instead of the king's head on
11:49one side, was valued at about $4,500.
11:53Another coin, a Charles II guinea from 1675, had the king's name misspelled and was expected
11:58to fetch around $1,700 at auction.
12:01Gregory Edmond, an auctioneer with Spink and Son, described the find as, quote, fascinating
12:06and highly important discovery.
12:08He did emphasize the rarity of such a large collection of English gold coins entering
12:12the marketplace, noting that the hoard is one of the largest on record from Britain.
12:16The hoard contained coins that reflect the currency used in England between 1610 and
12:22a valuable glimpse into the economic history of the period.
12:25Under British law, though, the coins didn't meet the criteria for treasure, allowing the
12:30couple to retain ownership of the hoard, except for the Brazilian coin.
12:35This legal detail ensured the couple could fully benefit from their discovery.
12:39The coins, disclaimed by the state as treasure, were scheduled to go on auction in October
12:43of 2022, with proceeds expected to more than cover the couple's renovation expenses.
12:508.
12:51HORSEHOPE CRAGHORD
12:53In the stories of old, treasure hunters cut through the dense jungles, dive down to dangerous
12:58shipwrecks and search for buried artifacts with high market value in an industry fueled
13:04by rare antiquities.
13:05But in the real world, as we've already seen today, it's everyday people who find the
13:10rarest of treasures.
13:12On June 21st of 2020, an amateur metal detectorist uncovered an exceptionally rare Bronze Age
13:18treasure hoard in a field near the village of Peebles, about 22 miles south of Edinburgh.
13:23The prize of this Bronze Age treasure cache was a rare and priceless 3,000-year-old sword.
13:29While the sword wasn't jewel-encrusted, it will provide gems of archaeological data pertaining
13:33to a time in Scottish history from which only a few artifacts have ever been recovered.
13:39Marius Stepien, a 44-year-old metal detectorist, was the lucky person who found the long-lost
13:45hoard.
13:46Following UK law to the letter, Stepien and his friends immediately contacted the Scottish
13:50government's Treasure Trove, who sent a team of archaeologists to the site.
13:54He was so dedicated to the discovery he set up a campsite and slept in the field for 22
13:59nights while archaeologists excavated the Bronze Age treasure hoard.
14:03This hoard included a horse harness, buckles, rings, ornaments, a sword still in its scabbard,
14:09and axle caps from a chariot.
14:12These finds are now being studied in Edinburgh at the National Museum's Collection Centre.
14:16The jewel in the crown of this hoard was the sword still in its scabbard, representing
14:20the first of its type ever discovered in Scotland, and only the third found anywhere in the UK
14:25to date.
14:26The soil had preserved the organic elements of the hoard, allowing archaeologists to trace
14:30the leather straps that once connected the bronze rings, discs, and buckles to form a
14:35horse's harness.
14:36Emily Freeman, the head of the Scottish Treasure Trove unit, noted that the opportunity to
14:40recover not only bronze artifacts but also rare organic material was amazing due to the
14:46scarcity of Bronze Age treasure hoards in Scotland.
14:49A rare find indeed.
14:52Moving on to number seven, the Licking Dog Hoard.
14:56In the realm of real-world treasure hunting, two metal-detecting enthusiasts made a once-in-a-lifetime
15:02discovery when they unearthed a hoard of Roman bronze artifacts at an undisclosed location.
15:07The most exciting of these finds is an intact healing statue that has been linked to the
15:11Roman Lydney Temple, the same temple that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to add a key element
15:16to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
15:19The Guardian reports that the 4th-century bronze hoard was discovered by Pete Cresswell
15:24and Andrew Broughton in Gloucestershire.
15:27Archaeologist Kurt Adams and the Gloucestershire and Avon Finds liaison officer describes the
15:31finely-detailed healing statue of a standing dog as a unique find for British archaeology.
15:38It is the only known sculpture of a licking dog dating to Roman times to be found in Britain.
15:43The Licking Dog statue, with its tongue out, stands out among the other bronze pieces,
15:48which appear to have been deliberately broken and hidden.
15:51Gloucester was probably founded by the Romans in around 90 A.D., and it was a prominent
15:55Roman town, denoted as a colonia.
15:58These settlements were either completely new or based on previously established forts,
16:02as was the case for Gloucester.
16:03The area was then allotted to the veterans of Legio II Augusta, and according to the
16:08Association for Roman Archaeology, the town would have been predominantly, if not exclusively,
16:13populated by Romans.
16:15After the removal of the military in 407, the town began to decline.
16:19The site of the Lydney Camp was originally an Iron Age hill fort, mined by the Romans
16:24for iron ore around the 3rd century.
16:26During the 4th century, they built a Romano-Celtic temple dedicated to the Celtic deity Nodens,
16:32which is known due to the inscriptions of the name found at the site.
16:366.
16:37The Saddle Ridge Hoard The Saddle Ridge Hoard is a treasure trove
16:41of over 1,427 gold coins.
16:44It was unearthed in the gold country of the Sierra Nevada, California, in 2013.
16:50The coins, with a face value of $27,000, were assessed to be worth a staggering $10 million.
16:57This collection, comprised of $20 coins, $500 and $10 coins, and about $20 and $5 coins,
17:03dates from 1847 to 1894.
17:06The discovery of this hoard happened in February of 2013 on private property in California's
17:11gold country.
17:12For privacy reasons, the exact location hasn't been disclosed, other than confirming it's
17:16in a hillside area near the site of the Gold Rush of 1849.
17:20The couple stumbled upon the treasure while walking their dog, a route they had hiked
17:24numerous times before.
17:26It was only when they noticed a rust-covered metal can poking out of the ground that they
17:30decided to investigate.
17:32Before finding the trove, they'd observed some unique features in the area, such as
17:35an old empty can hanging from a tree and an oddly-shaped rock on a nearby hill, which
17:40they had nicknamed Saddle Ridge.
17:43The coins were hidden in an old ice chest buried under a pile of wood to protect the
17:47find initially.
17:49After some research, they contacted Kagan's, a numismatics firm in Tiburon, California,
17:53to represent them.
17:55This historical and monetary value of the Saddle Ridge Hoard is immense.
17:59Not only does it reflect a significant part of California's Gold Rush history, but it
18:03also stands as a monumental find in the realm of buried treasure discoveries.
18:095.
18:10The Fromme Hoard The Fromme Hoard, unearthed in April of 2010
18:15by metal detectorist Dave Crisp near Fromme in Somerset, England, stands as a remarkable
18:20discovery.
18:21Composed of over 52,000 Roman coins contained within a ceramic pot measuring 18 inches in
18:26diameter, the hoard dates from 253 to 305 AD.
18:31These coins, primarily made from debased silver or bronze, represent one of the largest coin
18:35hoards ever found in Britain.
18:37The discovery happened on April 11th of 2010, when Dave Crisp was metal detecting in a field
18:42near Fromme.
18:43He had previously found late Roman silver coins in the same area, and upon receiving
18:47what he described as a funny signal, began digging.
18:50At a depth of around 14 inches, he found a small coin at the top of a small pot, recognizing
18:56the importance of his find, he prudently stopped digging and filled in the hole, marking the
19:00spot for further professional excavation.
19:03The coins in the hoard span 67 different types, with the majority made from bronze,
19:08although five are solid silver.
19:10The hoard actually includes 14,788 coins minted under the Central Roman Empire, 28,377 under
19:18the breakaway Gallic Empire, and 766 under the Britannic Empire of Coruscius.
19:25Notably, about 5% of the identifiable coins date from the period of Coruscius, including
19:29five silver denarii issued by him, which were unique as the only type of silver coin
19:34struck in the Roman Empire at that time.
19:36Valued at over 320,000 pounds, the Fromme hoard was acquired by the Museum of Somerset
19:41in Taunton in 2011.
19:43This acquisition was made possible through the Treasure Valuation Committee's assessment
19:47in October of 2010.
19:49The preservation of coins and the intact state of the ceramic pot suggest that the hoard
19:54might have been a communal votive offering to the gods.
19:58This theory, proposed by Sam Moorhead of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, is bolstered
20:02by the fact that the pot was too large and fragile to be easily recovered without breaking,
20:07indicating it wasn't intended for retrieval.
20:10Following its discovery, the Fromme hoard captured the interest of both the public and
20:14academic communities.
20:15Selected coins were displayed at the British Museum and the Fromme Library in 2010.
20:20The entire hoard was subsequently exhibited at the British Museum before becoming a central
20:24feature at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton.
20:294.
20:30THE ATOCHA TREASURE
20:31The story of the Atocha Treasure begins with Nuestra Senora de Atocha, a Spanish galleon
20:36that sank near the Florida Keys in September of 1622.
20:40Laden with a staggering $1.1 billion worth of plundered indigenous treasures, the Atocha's
20:46cargo included a stunning array of items, such as Colombian emerald crucifix, a royal
20:51orb, and a golden emerald ring.
20:54The treasure, now displayed in New York, holds a rich and tumultuous history that spans
20:59centuries.
21:00On September 4th of 1622, the Tierra Thermae fleet, comprised of 20 heavily loaded ships,
21:06departed from Havana, Cuba, en route to Spain.
21:09The very next day, a hurricane struck the Florida Straits, sinking eight of the ships,
21:13including the Atocha, which served as the rear guard of the fleet.
21:17Its inventory included 24 tons of silver bullion in over a thousand ingots, 180,000 pesos of
21:23silver coins, 582 copper ingots, 125 gold bars, 350 chests of indigo, 525 bales of tobacco,
21:3220 bronze cannons, and 1,200 pounds of worked silverware, and maybe even a partridge in
21:38a pear tree.
21:39In addition to the official cargo, the ship carried unregistered jewelry and personal
21:43goods smuggled to avoid taxation.
21:47While the treasure remained pretty elusive until 1969, when Florida treasure diver Mel
21:52Fisher embarked on a 16-year quest to find Atocha's main pile.
21:57Fisher, renowned for his relentless optimism, encouraged his team daily with the motto,
22:01Today's the day!
22:03In 1973, his team discovered three silver bars that matched the weights and tally numbers
22:09recorded on the cargo manifest, housed at the Archive of the Indies in Seville.
22:14However, tragedy struck in 1975 when Fisher's son Dirk and his wife died after a salvage
22:19boat capsized.
22:21Undeterred though, Fisher and his team continued their search, and finally in July of 1985
22:26they discovered the main treasure pile in the ship's hull.
22:29This incredible hull included 70 pounds of Colombian emeralds, 180,000 silver coins,
22:35and 24 tons of Bolivian silver.
22:38Today, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida displays a wide array of artifacts
22:43from the Atocha.
22:44One emerald ring from the Atocha hull was valued at over $60,000 and sold for over a
22:49million at auction.
22:51According to Gabby Harvey, head of business development at Muzo Emerald Colombia, these
22:55items are considered priceless.
22:57The Muzo's mine collection, known as the Private Collection, is the largest privately-owned
23:01collection of emerald artifacts from the Atocha and is not for sale.
23:06The collection is displayed to highlight the legacy of the mine and its current focus on
23:10sustainability.
23:113.
23:12The Panagorist Treasure The Panagorist Treasure, a remarkable set
23:18of gold vessels from Panagorist, a town in southern Bulgaria, is one of the most significant
23:23archaeological finds of the 20th century.
23:26Discovered by accident in 1949, this treasure is dated between the late 4th and early 3rd
23:31century B.C., and it belongs to the Thracian civilization.
23:35Beyond the sheer amount of gold used to create these vessels, the artifacts are celebrated
23:39for their exceptional craftsmanship.
23:41It was unearthed on December 8, 1949, by three brothers, Pavel Petko and Mikhail Dekov, who
23:47were digging for clay in the yard of a ceramic factory in Panagoriste.
23:51At a depth of around seven feet, they encountered yellowish objects embedded in the clay.
23:55The artifacts were thoroughly cleaned and displayed in a showcase at the district council
23:59before being secured in a bank for safekeeping.
24:02The director of the Sofia Archaeological Institute and Museum received the message several days
24:07later.
24:08The director of the museum promptly traveled there to collect the treasure and brought
24:12it back to Plotiv.
24:13Thus, Plotiv became the permanent home of the Panagorist Treasure.
24:16It consists of nine items, four ritons, three ritonized pitchers, a ritonized amphora, and
24:22a large shallow phylae.
24:25These objects, crafted entirely from gold, weigh a total of 13 pounds.
24:30The details in them reflect craftsmanship of the Thracians, offering insights into their
24:34worldview as they reshaped Bulgaria's image on the world stage.
24:38For the next decade, the treasure was displayed in the Central Hall of the Archaeological
24:41Museum.
24:43In the 1960s, the treasure embarked on its first international tour, starting in Rome,
24:47then traveling to Paris, Munich, Leningrad, Budapest, Warsaw, and Montreal.
24:52By the end of the decade, the treasure returned to Plotiv, remaining there for three years.
24:57In 1972, it became the centerpiece of an exhibition called Thracian Art, debuting in Sofia during
25:02the First International Congress of Thracology.
25:05The exhibition subsequently traveled to numerous museums worldwide, introducing Bulgaria's
25:10Thracian heritage to a global audience.
25:14NUMBER 2.
25:15THE SAN JOSE
25:16The San Jose, a Spanish galleon that lies off the coast of Colombia, is at the heart
25:21of a major recovery project initiated by the Colombian government.
25:25The shipwreck, believed to contain treasure valued at approximately $20 billion, has become
25:31a top priority.
25:32The San Jose is often referred to as the Holy Grail of shipwrecks, which has a rich and
25:37tragic history, having been sunk by the British Navy in 1708.
25:41In the early 18th century, the San Jose was part of a fleet transporting immense wealth
25:45collected over six years, including silver from Bolivia, emeralds from Colombia, and
25:5011 million gold coins.
25:52This treasure was meant for the Spanish crown, a significant prize that made the ship a target
25:57during the Spanish War of Succession.
25:59On June 8, 1708, near the Baru Peninsula off the coast of Cartagena, the San Jose encountered
26:04a British squadron.
26:06A fierce battle ensued, during which the ship's powder magazines detonated, leading
26:10to its sinking.
26:12Tragically, 600 sailors perished, with only 11 surviving.
26:15In 2015, the Colombian government announced that a group of Navy divers had located the
26:20vessel at a depth of nearly 3,100 feet.
26:23This discovery reignited interest and controversy.
26:27In 1981, a U.S. salvage consortium named Glocamora claimed to have found the San Jose and provided
26:33coordinates to the Colombian government, expecting to receive half of the treasure
26:37upon its recovery.
26:39However, Colombia asserted that it independently discovered the galleon in 2015 at a different
26:44location from the one claimed by Glocamora, leading to a protracted legal dispute.
26:50The U.S. consortium has taken the case to arbitration in London, citing the U.S.-Colombia
26:54Trade Promotion Agreement, and is seeking $10 billion, which they believe represents
26:59half of the estimated treasure's value.
27:02The treasure aboard the San Jose includes an array of valuable items.
27:05The cargo, once intended for the Spanish crown, has vast quantities of silver, gold, and precious
27:10emeralds, which have been preserved remarkably well.
27:13The Colombian government's objective is not only to recover the treasure, but also
27:17to establish an archaeological laboratory for cleaning, researching, and inventorying
27:21the artifacts before displaying them.
27:23This endeavor aims to celebrate and preserve the rich maritime heritage associated with
27:28the San Jose.
27:301.
27:31Staffordshire Hoard The Staffordshire Hoard, discovered in 2009,
27:36is the largest known collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and metal artifacts.
27:41This remarkable treasure trove was unearthed by Terry Herbert, an amateur metal detectorist,
27:45on July 5, 2009.
27:47Herbert was searching farmland in Hammerwich, Staffordshire, in England when his metal detector
27:51signaled the presence of something.
27:54What he found was an extraordinary hoard of over 3,500 pieces of gold and silver, transforming
28:00a routine day into a historical discovery.
28:04Over five days, Herbert collected 244 bags filled with golden objects.
28:09Recognizing the site held more historical significance than he could handle alone, he
28:13contacted Duncan Slark, the find's liaison officer for the Staffordshire and West Midlands
28:18Portable Antiquities Scheme, and the landowner granted permission for a formal excavation.
28:24Birmingham Archaeology led the project, which covered an area of about 30 by 43 feet, and
28:29the team uncovered over 3,500 pieces, and the exact location and the operation was kept
28:34secret to protect the site.
28:36The announcement of the find on September 24, 2009 generated huge interest, with a dedicated
28:41website receiving over 10 million views within a week.
28:45The hoard was valued at over $5 million and declared treasure, making it property of the
28:50Crown.
28:51Further excavations in 2010 and 2012 unearthed additional pieces, reaffirming the site's
28:56historical importance, and the total collection now includes 11 pounds of gold and 3 pounds
29:01of silver, making it the largest discovery of Anglo-Saxon gold to date.
29:06One of the hoard's most enigmatic items is probably the bishop's headdress.
29:11This headdress is crafted from gold and inlaid with garnets and glass, and dates from a period
29:16when Christianity was being re-established across many local kingdoms.
29:20It features both Christian crosses and pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon designs, symbolizing the merging
29:25of old and new religious influences.
29:28The reasons behind the hoard's burial remain speculative, Michael Lewis, deputy head of
29:33the Portable Antiquities Scheme at the British Museum, suggests two possibilities.
29:38The hoard might have been buried as an offering to pagan gods, or it could have been hidden
29:43as a treasure that was lost or never retrieved.
29:46The precise motives and circumstances surrounding the burial of the Staffordshire Hoard continue
29:51to intrigue historians and archaeologists.