Bolivia lays claim to treasure sunk off Florida coast in 1622
Michigan
Posts: 4,942 ✭
This could get rather complicated legally speaking.
The Bolivian district of Potosi with the legendary Cerro Rico, the greatest silver deposit in the time of the Spanish conquest announced it was preparing an international demand to recover a sunken treasure which was lost in 1622 but was found three centuries later in 1985 along the coat of Florida, United States.
According to the local press Rene Joaquina mayor of Potosi signed a contract with a United States law office to recover the several tons treasure of silver and coins minted in the Potosi Minting House and which where en route to Spain aboard the “Nuestra Señora de Atocha” which sunk in the middle of a storm in 1622.
The current value of the several tons of precious metals is estimated in three billion US dollars and was recovered in 1985 by the US company Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum.
“The value of the treasure is three billion US dollars but the cultural heritage value is priceless”, said Ricardo Gonzalez, spokesperson for the government of Potosi who insisted once the treasure is recovered it will be exposed in Bolivia’s museum belonging to the National Minting Office.
This is the first time Potosi has initiated such a demand to recover the treasure that left the heart of Bolivia for Spain originally from the Cerro Rico, exploited in the time of the colony and destined to pay the Spanish Court’s bills.
The Spanish galleon with the treasure sunk on entering the Florida Strait when a fast moving hurricane surprised the heavily armed flotilla. It was recovered by the Mel Fisher company following fifteen years of surveying hundreds of miles in the area.
“Nuestra Señora de Atocha” according to the description in The Archives of the Indies in Seville, was carrying 24 tons of silver made up of 1.308 ingots; 180.000 coins; 582 ingots of copper; 125 gold rods and disks; 350 coffers of indigo; 525 bails of tobacco; 20 bronze canons and 1.200 lbs or finely worked silversmith, reports the local press.
The Bolivian district of Potosi with the legendary Cerro Rico, the greatest silver deposit in the time of the Spanish conquest announced it was preparing an international demand to recover a sunken treasure which was lost in 1622 but was found three centuries later in 1985 along the coat of Florida, United States.
According to the local press Rene Joaquina mayor of Potosi signed a contract with a United States law office to recover the several tons treasure of silver and coins minted in the Potosi Minting House and which where en route to Spain aboard the “Nuestra Señora de Atocha” which sunk in the middle of a storm in 1622.
The current value of the several tons of precious metals is estimated in three billion US dollars and was recovered in 1985 by the US company Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum.
“The value of the treasure is three billion US dollars but the cultural heritage value is priceless”, said Ricardo Gonzalez, spokesperson for the government of Potosi who insisted once the treasure is recovered it will be exposed in Bolivia’s museum belonging to the National Minting Office.
This is the first time Potosi has initiated such a demand to recover the treasure that left the heart of Bolivia for Spain originally from the Cerro Rico, exploited in the time of the colony and destined to pay the Spanish Court’s bills.
The Spanish galleon with the treasure sunk on entering the Florida Strait when a fast moving hurricane surprised the heavily armed flotilla. It was recovered by the Mel Fisher company following fifteen years of surveying hundreds of miles in the area.
“Nuestra Señora de Atocha” according to the description in The Archives of the Indies in Seville, was carrying 24 tons of silver made up of 1.308 ingots; 180.000 coins; 582 ingots of copper; 125 gold rods and disks; 350 coffers of indigo; 525 bails of tobacco; 20 bronze canons and 1.200 lbs or finely worked silversmith, reports the local press.
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roadrunner
President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay
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You can bet this was entirely started by a lawyer here in the US who decided he wanted to try to get a cut of the Atocha. He looked for some thin legal argument and called up the Bolivian government and said "hey, do you want some money? I won't charge you anything unless you win."
so, 21 years later the potosi mayor wants to `reclaim` what he believes
ultimately is the Potosi Minting House`s property?
spain could try to get in on it too saying it was bound there and ultimately theirs!
but, fisher spend 15 years on the finding and recovering of the lot.
since the despute occured in international waters, wouldnt they have to settle
in some international court?
anyway, hasnt alot of the treasure been dispursed amongst museums and collectors?
or where is it all now and, what will be outcome of it all in the future.
i figured it may be divided up to the respective parties, or should be imo.
Spain’s power declined during the rest of the 17th century, as the Dutch, English and French attacked her in Europe and overseas, taking control of many of her Caribbean colonies.
In 1715 and 1733, entire fleets were lost off the Florida coast, and the Spanish tried to salvage what they could from these wrecks, too, in spite of harassment from the English based in Virginia and the Carolinas. In 1817, the United States bought Florida, ending Spain’s influence, and leaving the lost treasure fleets, including the Atocha, to be forgotten.
It doesn't say exactly why it was left, but in my oppinion, it was simply forgotten after almost 100 years already passed.
Also in my oppinion, this will be ruled in favor of the fisher family. They faught a huge battle already, against the US, and won that one, getting it all. So, as time has passed, and laws have changed, it has been grandfathered into the sole possesion of the fisher family. So Bullivia is a good way of saying they have no claim.
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Get the book "Treasure" by Robert Daley (1997 Random House) It is a must read about the search for the Atocha and I highly recommend it and guarantee you won't be able to put it down. You can sometimes find a copy on e-bay.
BTW, I have visited the Casa de la Moneda in Potosí, Bolivia. There's no way they could house even a small fraction of these coins there.
Cerro Rico, the original silver mine is still operating. When the silver gave out in the early 19th century, they began mining tin, and have been doing so ever since. You can take a tour into the mine if you wish.
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