Any stockholders in Odyssey Marine ?

Search

Rx God
Joined
Nov 1, 2002
Messages
39,226
Tokens
TAMPA, Florida (AP) -- Deep-sea explorers said Friday they have mined what could be the richest shipwreck treasure in history, bringing home 17 tons of colonial-era silver and gold coins from an undisclosed site in the Atlantic Ocean.
Estimated value: $500 million.
A jet chartered by Tampa-based Odyssey Marine Exploration landed in the United States recently with hundreds of plastic containers brimming with coins raised from the ocean floor, Odyssey co-chairman Greg Stemm said. The more than 500,000 pieces are expected to fetch an average of $1,000 each from collectors and investors.
"For this colonial era, I think (the find) is unprecedented," said rare coin expert Nick Bruyer, who examined a batch of coins from the wreck. "I don't know of anything equal or comparable to it."
Citing security concerns, the company declined to release any details about the ship or the wreck site Friday. Stemm said a formal announcement will come later, but court records indicate the coins might come from a 400-year-old ship found off England.
Because the shipwreck was found in a lane where many colonial-era vessels went down, there is still some uncertainty about its nationality, size and age, Stemm said, although evidence points to a specific known shipwreck. The site is beyond the territorial waters or legal jurisdiction of any country, he said.
"Rather than a shout of glee, it's more being able to exhale for the first time in a long time," Stemm said of the haul, by far the biggest in Odyssey's 13-year history.
He wouldn't say if the loot was taken from the same wreck site near the English Channel that Odyssey recently petitioned a federal court for permission to salvage.
In seeking exclusive rights to that site, an Odyssey attorney told a federal judge last fall that the company likely had found the remains of a 17th-century merchant vessel that sank with valuable cargo aboard, about 40 miles off the southwestern tip of England. A judge signed an order granting those rights last month.
Secret project

In keeping with the secretive nature of the project dubbed "Black Swan," Odyssey also isn't talking yet about the types, denominations and country of origin of the coins.
Bruyer said he observed a wide range of varieties and dates of likely uncirculated currency in much better condition than artifacts yielded by most shipwrecks of a similar age.
The Black Swan coins -- mostly silver pieces -- likely will fetch several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars each, with some possibly commanding much more, he said. Value is determined by rarity, condition and the story behind them.
Controlled release of the coins into the market along with their expected high value to collectors likely will keep prices at a premium, he said.
The richest ever shipwreck haul was yielded by the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha, which sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys in 1622. Treasure-hunting pioneer Mel Fisher found it in 1985, retrieving a reported $400 million in coins and other loot.
Odyssey likely will return to the same spot for more coins and artifacts.
"We have treated this site with kid gloves and the archaeological work done by our team out there is unsurpassed," Odyssey CEO John Morris said. "We are thoroughly documenting and recording the site, which we believe will have immense historical significance."
Publicly traded company

The news is timely for Odyssey, the only publicly traded company of its kind.
The company salvaged more than 50,000 coins and other artifacts from the wreck of the SS Republic off Savannah, Georgia, in 2003, making millions. But Odyssey posted losses in 2005 and 2006 while using its expensive, state-of-the-art ships and deep-water robotic equipment to hunt for the next mother lode.
"The outside world now understands that what we do is a real business and is repeatable and not just a lucky one shot deal," Stemm said. "I don't know of anybody else who has hit more than one economically significant shipwreck."
In January, Odyssey won permission from the Spanish government to resume a suspended search for the wreck of the HMS Sussex, which was leading a British fleet into the Mediterranean Sea for a war against France in 1694 when it sank in a storm off Gibraltar.
Historians believe the 157-foot warship was carrying nine tons of gold coins to buy the loyalty of the Duke of Savoy, a potential ally in southeastern France. Odyssey believes those coins could also fetch more than $500 million.
But under the terms of a historic agreement Odyssey will have to share any finds with the British government. The company will get 80 percent of the first $45 million and about 50 percent of the proceeds thereafter.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
<!--startclickprintexclude-->
  • <LI class=cnnStoryToolsLabel>Tools:
  • Save |
  • Print |
  • E-mail |
  • Most Popular |
  • <SCRIPT language=javascript src="http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/.element/ssi/js/1.3/oo_engine.js" type=text/javascript charset=windows-1252></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=javascript type=text/javascript charset=windows-1252> O_GoT('
    opinionBlue.gif
    Feedback');</SCRIPT> Feedback
Next story in U.S.
U.S.


<SCRIPT>if(window.location.pathname.indexOf('/2007/US/05/18/treasure.ship.ap/index.html')!=-1){cnnAddCSI('cnnNextStoryCSI','/.element/ssi/auto/1.4/sect/US/nextStory0.exclude.html','','');} if(window.location.pathname.indexOf('/2007/US/05/18/delta.whales.ap/index.html')!=-1){cnnAddCSI('cnnNextStoryCSI','/.element/ssi/auto/1.4/sect/US/nextStory1.exclude.html','','');} if(window.location.pathname.indexOf('/2007/US/05/16/philly.homicides/index.html')!=-1){cnnAddCSI('cnnNextStoryCSI','/.element/ssi/auto/1.4/sect/US/nextStory2.exclude.html','','');} if(window.location.pathname.indexOf('/2007/US/05/18/deputies.shot.ap/index.html')!=-1){cnnAddCSI('cnnNextStoryCSI','/.element/ssi/auto/1.4/sect/US/nextStory3.exclude.html','','');} if(window.location.pathname.indexOf('/2007/US/05/17/lottery.misprint.ap/index.html')!=-1){cnnAddCSI('cnnNextStoryCSI','/.element/ssi/auto/1.4/sect/US/nextStory4.exclude.html','','');} </SCRIPT><IFRAME id=iframecnnNextStoryCSI style="VISIBILITY: hidden" name=iframecnnNextStoryCSI align=right src="/.element/ssi/auto/1.4/sect/US/nextStory0.exclude.html?domId=cnnNextStoryCSI" width=0 height=0></IFRAME><!-- USECL: 22 --><SCRIPT language=javascript><!--WM_setCookie( "msreturn", document.URL, "", "/", ".cnn.com" ); function getSelectedButton() { if (document.alertbox.alertradio.length) { for (var i = 0; i < document.alertbox.alertradio.length; i++) { if (document.alertbox.alertradio.checked) { var newArray = (document.alertbox.alertradio.value).split("|"); document.alertbox.type.value = newArray[0]; document.alertbox.value.value = newArray[1]; return true; } } } else { // there is only one alertradio button so the browser does not treat it as an array. if (document.alertbox.alertradio.checked) { var newArray = (document.alertbox.alertradio.value).split("|"); document.alertbox.type.value = newArray[0]; document.alertbox.value.value = newArray[1]; return true; } } alert("Please choose an alert to create."); return false;}function CNN_stripeAlertsTable() { if (document.getElementsByTagName) { var tables = document.getElementsByTagName("table"); for (var i=0; i<tables.length; i++) { if (tables.className == "cnnAlertsTable") { var rows = tables.getElementsByTagName("tr"); for (var j=0; j<rows.length; j++) { var cells = rows[j].getElementsByTagName("td"); if (j == 1) { rows[j].className = "cnnTopAlertsRow"; } if (j % 2 == 0) { rows[j].className = "cnnAlertsOddRow"; } for (var ii=0; ii<cells.length; ii++) { if (ii % 2 == 0) { cells[ii].className = "cnnAlertsLeftCol"; } else { cells[ii].className = "cnnAlertsRightCol"; } } } } } }} //--></SCRIPT>
hdr.follow.topics.gif


<FORM name=alertbox onsubmit="return getSelectedButton()" action=http://audience.cnn.com/services/cnn/alerts/activateAlert.jsp><INPUT type=hidden value=cnn name=source><INPUT type=hidden name=type><INPUT type=hidden name=value> <TABLE class=cnnAlertsTable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=cnnAlertsOddRow><TH class=cnnAlertsLeftCol>Search Topic</TH><TH>E-mail Alerts</TH></TR><TR class=cnnTopAlertsRow><TD class=cnnAlertsLeftCol>Odyssey Marine Exploration Incorporated
</TD><TD class=cnnAlertsRightCol><INPUT type=radio value="publiccompany|Odyssey Marine Exploration Incorporated" name=alertradio>
</TD></TR><TR class=cnnAlertsOddRow><TD class=cnnAlertsLeftCol>Florida
</TD><TD class=cnnAlertsRightCol><INPUT type=radio value=location|Florida name=alertradio>
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnAlertsLeftCol>Great Britain
</TD><TD class=cnnAlertsRightCol><INPUT type=radio value="location|Great Britain" name=alertradio>
</TD></TR><TR class=cnnAlertsOddRow><TD class=cnnAlertsLeftCol></TD><TD class=cnnAlertsRightCol><INPUT class=cnnFormButtonNm type=submit value=ACTIVATE name=activate></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></FORM>
What are E-mail Alerts? | Manage Alerts | Create Your Own
<HR>
<!---->
hdr.top.story.gif


<!----><!----><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=130> </TD><TD class=cnnTrvlngHmPgBlrb vAlign=center align=left>Both sides have problems with immigration plan

The bipartisan immigration bill that could allow citizenship to an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States will run into bipartisa ...
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<HR>
hdr.latest.news.gif

mostpop_over.gif

topstories.gif

bestvideo.gif


  • Marine makes it big (2:30)
  • Helping the whales (1:46)
  • Weekend movie preview (8:05)
  • LeMond: I was threatened (2:09)
  • Now In The News (Updated: 1:20 p.m. ET)


<!--endclickprintexclude--><!--endclickprintinclude--><!--startclickprintexclude--><!-- USECL: 1 --><!-- REAP --><!-- PURGE: /2007/US/05/18/treasure.ship.ap/story.treasure.ship.ap.jpg --><!-- KEEP --><!----><!--===========IMAGE============-->
story.treasure.ship.ap.jpg
<!--===========/IMAGE===========--> <!--===========CAPTION==========-->Odyssey co-founder Greg Stemm, left, looks at coins recovered from the "Black Swan" shipwreck.<!--===========/CAPTION=========-->

<!-- /PURGE: /2007/US/05/18/treasure.ship.ap/story.treasure.ship.ap.jpg --><!-- /REAP --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript>var cnnStoryUrl = 'http://robots.cnn.com/2007/US/05/18/treasure.ship.ap/index.html';var cnnDisplayDomesticCL = 1; var cnnDisplayIntlCL = 1;</SCRIPT>ADVERTISER LINKS





<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> if(cnnEnableCL) { var clStoryUrl = ( typeof cnnStoryUrl != "undefined" ? cnnStoryUrl : "" ); if (location.hostname.indexOf('cnn.com') < 0) { cnnAddCSI( 'storyCLLinkSpots', '/.element/ssi/www/story/1.5/misc/contextual/STORY-LINKS.html?domId=storyCLLinkSpots&id=cnnus&origin=cnnsafe&site=cnn_us_dyn_ctxt&nkw=3', ''); cnnAddCSI( 'storyCLSponsoredLinks', '/.element/ssi/www/story/1.5/misc/contextual/STORY.html','category=cnnus' + ( clStoryUrl ? '&url=' + clStoryUrl : '' ) + '&site=cnn_us_dyn_ctxt&maxCount=3'); } else { cnnAddCSI( 'storyCLLinkSpots', 'http://cl.cnn.com/ctxtlink/jsp/cnn/cl/1.5/cnn-story-ls-main.jsp?domId=storyCLLinkSpots&id=cnnus&origin=cnnsafe&site=cnn_us_dyn_ctxt&nkw=3', ''); cnnAddCSI( 'storyCLSponsoredLinks', 'http://cl.cnn.com/ctxtlink/jsp/cnn/cl/1.5/cnn-story-cl.jsp','category=cnnus' + ( clStoryUrl ? '&url=' + clStoryUrl : '' ) + '&site=cnn_us_dyn_ctxt&maxCount=3'); } }</SCRIPT><!--endclickprintexclude-->
<!--========================================================--><!--===============Paste story between here=================--><!--========================================================--><!-- ================== /content ================== -->
 

Forum statistics

Threads
1,106,904
Messages
13,439,439
Members
99,345
Latest member
08winlink
The RX is the sports betting industry's leading information portal for bonuses, picks, and sportsbook reviews. Find the best deals offered by a sportsbook in your state and browse our free picks section.FacebookTwitterInstagramContact Usforum@therx.com