Marine Odyssey Exploration Loses Spanish Treasure Trove

Florida based Odyssey Marine Exploration has been ordered by an Atlanta judge to return to Spain the half million gold and silver Spanish coins recovered off the coast of Spain from the wreck of the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes. Odyssey Marine Exploration found the treasure in 2007 and quickly packed it under what they called "The Black Swan Project" bringing it to Florida.

The Mercedes was bringing the treasure back to Spain from it's colony in Peru in 1804 when British ships attacked sending the Mercedes to the ocean floor. There is also some talk that Peru may also have a claim on the find.

This case will probably go on for many years before it reaches a conclusion as I imagine it will come to an end with everyone a little richer, or allot!