Archaeology: Millions’ worth of treasure found on shipwreck in ‘once in a lifetime’ haul
The ship was found containing a remarkable 3,100 gold coins, 45 gold bars and more than 80 pounds (36 kilogrammes) of gold dust, all of which have captivated researchers. The treasure was languishing on SS Central America, which was discovered in 1988 by Bob Evans and his colleagues. Amounting to £38million, the riches on board were described as as the greatest lost treasure in US history. In 2018, Mr Evans spoke of his arduous efforts to hand clean every single piece of gold by hand.
He said: “This is a whole new season of discovery.
“We are now peering beneath the grime and the rust that is on the coins, removing those objects and those substances and getting to look at the treasure as it was in 1857.”
Mr Evans used paintbrushes and cleaning solution to try and restore the gold.
Some of it had been completely covered by black gunk after sitting in the ocean since 1857, when it sank during a hurricane off the coast of South Carolina.
