Are Dark Tide Relics shipwreck coins authentic?

Every shipwreck coin and artifact sold by Dark Tide Relics is authenticated and accompanied by provenance documentation from recognized authorities such as the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society, NGC, or PCGS, plus a permanent digital provenance record via TreasureCheck.ai.

Which shipwrecks does Dark Tide Relics specialize in?

Dark Tide Relics curates artifacts from the Nuestra Señora de Atocha (1622), Santa Margarita, the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, El Cazador (1784), SS Central America (1857), Maravillas, Concepción, and other documented Spanish colonial and American Gold Rush wrecks.

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All orders ship via FedEx, fully insured and with adult signature required on delivery.

Does Dark Tide Relics buy shipwreck coins from collectors?

Yes. Dark Tide Relics actively acquires authenticated shipwreck coins and collections. Submissions can be made through the Sell Coins program at darktiderelics.com/sell-coins.

San José (1708)

Lost: 1708
Location: Off Cartagena, Colombia
Coordinates: 9.5800, -76.2600
Era: Spanish Colonial – Late 17th Century
Coinage: cob
Discovered by: Colombian Navy / WHOI survey
Recovery: 2015
Cargo: Gold cobs (Lima and Bogotá), Silver bars, Colombian emeralds, Chinese porcelain

Spanish treasure galleon sunk by the English off Cartagena during the War of the Spanish Succession — often called the "holy grail of shipwrecks" for its immense cargo of gold, silver, and emeralds.

History

The San José was the capitana of the Tierra Firme fleet in 1708, carrying the accumulated revenue of the Peruvian viceroyalty back to Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession. On 8 June 1708 she was intercepted by a British squadron under Commodore Charles Wager. In what became known as Wager's Action, the San José exploded — her powder magazine detonating — and she sank rapidly with an estimated 600 or more men. The cargo has been estimated in the billions of dollars; the wreck has been called the "holy grail of shipwrecks" and has generated significant international legal dispute over ownership between Colombia, Spain, and various salvage claimants.

Recovery

Colombia announced the location of the San José in 2015, working with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's AUV REMUS 6000. The site sits at roughly 600 metres depth. As of the mid-2020s, initial visual documentation has been carried out but no full excavation — the site remains at the centre of international legal proceedings.

Timeline

1706 — Commissioned — Enters service as a 64-gun Tierra Firme capitana.
1708 — Departs Portobelo — Carrying Peruvian silver and Colombian emeralds.
1708 — Wager's Action — Intercepted by British squadron; magazine explodes.
2015 — Located by Colombia / WHOI — REMUS 6000 AUV documents the wreck at 600 m.
2020s — Legal Dispute Ongoing — Ownership contested internationally; no full excavation yet.

Notes

Nicknamed the "holy grail of shipwrecks"
Sank when her powder magazine exploded during Wager's Action
Located in 2015 using WHOI's REMUS 6000 AUV at 600 m depth