Coins

Ancient Origin stated on the discovery, “The gold was in the form of coins, more than 2,000 in total, mainly Spanish excelentes bearing the likenesses of the monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, but also some Ventian, Moorish, French and other coinage.”

Other Objects

Insoll shared, “Portugese sailors were on the cusp of opening up the known world around 1533, but historical sources have been limited in describing everyday life. The mix of discoveries is particularly impressive – and the bones can give archaeologists an idea of the sailors’ typical diet, for example. While it is of course the gold that grabs the headlines, the other items found on the ship are potentially even more exciting going forward.”

Protecting

The responsibility of protecting the remains of the shipwreck is on The diamond mine’s security. They have kept muskets, cannonballs, timber, and swords damp just like they used to be since the 16th century. Notably, these remains have been kept in a secretive location.  

Gold Goes To

So who was going to get all these gold? The answer is the Namibian government. “The Namibian government – every single coin,” Noli explained. “That is the normal procedure when a ship is found on a beach.  The only exception is when it is a ship of state – then the country under whose flag the ship was sailing gets it and all its contents.”

Let Go Of It

“And in this case the ship belonged to the King of Portugal, making it a ship of state – with the ship and its entire contents belonging to Portugal. The Portuguese government, however, very generously waived that right, allowing Namibia to keep the lot.”

A Public Museum

The ship is one of the most amazing discoveries in history. So there are talks that the government might change the site into a public museum for people to see the magnanimous pieces of a shipwreck that stayed hidden beneath the sand for about half a millennia.