Colombia’s government on Wednesday announced they’re ready to start collecting an estimated $17 billion worth of silver, gold, and emeralds from the wreck of a Spanish galleon sunk off its coast during a 1708 battle with a British warship in the War of the Spanish Succession, ABC News reports.
Spain’s foreign ministry had no comment, nor did ABC ask them. However it’s easy and fun to imagine that the Spaniards are pretty fucking pissed the Colombians are just going to help themselves to all the shit that was supposed to fund one of the sides in the war, ABC doesn’t say which. It was probably either the Habsburgs or not the Habsburgs. Or maybe one incest-deformed branch of the Habsburgs against a marginally less incest-deformed branch of the Habsburgs.
Anyway the Colombian Navy will start unloading the wreck of the San Jose next month. With an estimated 11 million gold coins to be found expect their government to invest heavily in advertising on Fox News, providing stiff competition for commercial slots against other collectible currencies.