There’s Gold In Those Herks

Photo by Amn David Tracy

Two Spanish Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft departed MacDill AFB, Florida, on 24 February 2012 after being loaded with approximately seventeen metric tons of Spanish gold and silver coins–worth approximately $500 million—that had been lost at sea in the 19th century. The Spanish government sent the two C-130 crews to retrieve the coins that had been in storage in Sarasota, Florida. MacDill Airmen palletized the coins as well as providing security and public relations support during the transfer. The gold was found by the Odyssey Marine Exploration treasure hunting corporation in 2007. Odyssey recovered the treasure from the Atlantic Ocean floor after finding the wreck off the coast of Portugal with a remote-controlled underwater robot.