Catch the exclusive story of 17-tons of sunken coin treasure valued at more than $500,000 and the legal battle waged by Spain against one American treasure hunting company — Odyssey Marine Exploration on Stolen Gold: Black Swan Treasure.
Tampa-based Odyssey had discovered the shipwrecked treasure in 2007 in international waters about 100 miles west of the Straits of Gibraltar and code-named it “Black Swan.” The find, believed it to be that of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes (Our Lady of Mercy), ignited a firestorm of controversy. Who does the treasure belong to? What’s the story behind the discovery?
The Mercedes was in route from Portugal to Spain when it was sunk by British warships in 1804. After recovery, the treasure was temporarily stored in Gibraltar before most of it was moved to Florida but Spain took immediate steps in the matter, going so far as seizing two Odyssey vessels and subjecting them to searches.
Spain then turned to the U.S. court system which repeatedly ruled in the sovereign nation’s favor. Earlier this month, the United States Supreme Court refused to overturn lower court decisions which stated the treasure belonged to Spain. Odyssey was also denied a request to be reimbursed for preservation and storage of the treasure.
Stolen Gold: Black Swan Treasure premieres Sunday, March 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel.