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GOLD RUSH

Miners find 500-year-old shipwreck with a £9 million haul of gold in the middle of an African DESERT

Coins from Spain, Portugal and Italy discovered in Namibia alongside skeletons, swords and ivory tusks

DIAMOND miners uncovered a very different kind of treasure – when they dug up a shipwreck carrying a 500-year-old haul of gold coins.

Diggers from diamond giants De Beers were mining for precious stones when they uncovered the wreck of the Bom Jesus on the Namibian coast.

The haul of Portuguese, Spanish and Italian coins was discovered in the wreck of a ship on Namibia's notorious Skeleton Coast
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The haul of Portuguese, Spanish and Italian coins was discovered in the wreck of a ship on Namibia's notorious Skeleton CoastCredit: Dieter Noli
The discovery was made by engineers working for diamond giants De Beers. The firm had been searching for precious stones in the area when they made the find
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The discovery was made by engineers working for diamond giants De Beers. The firm had been searching for precious stones in the area when they made the findCredit: Dieter Noli
They had been carried on the Bom Jesus - a Portuguese vessel on the way around the Africa on the way to India. The ship did not make it past the Cape of Good Hope
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They had been carried on the Bom Jesus - a Portuguese vessel on the way around the Africa on the way to India. The ship did not make it past the Cape of Good HopeCredit: Dieter Noli

And closer inspection revealed a £9million haul of 16th-century gold coins.

The coins were on board the ship captained by Sir Francico de Noronha and bound for India from Lisbon.

All the crew were lost when the ship – which translates as Good Jesus – vanished in 1533.

It was found in 2008 after De Beers engineers – draining a coastal salt lake - uncovered the remains of the wooden vessel on the south east African nation’s notoriously stormy Skeleton Coast.

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At first the remains threw up skeletons, swords, ivory tusks, navigational tools and cutlery.

But on the sixth day of excavation the precious collection of gold coins was discovered.

The coins hail from Portugal, Spain and the former Italian city states of Florence and Venice.

World heritage chiefs at UNESCO have now placed the collection under protection and named it as one of the most important shipwreck discoveries of all time.

Namibia is set to keep the haul after Portugal waived the right to reclaim it.

Among the discoveries was a 500-year-old navigational tool. Skeletons were also uncovered on the ship
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Among the discoveries was a 500-year-old navigational tool. Skeletons were also uncovered on the shipCredit: Dieter Noli
Portugal has agreed to let Namibia keep the haul - worth an estimated £9million
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Portugal has agreed to let Namibia keep the haul - worth an estimated £9millionCredit: Dieter Noli
The Bom Jesus disappeared in 1533 after setting sail from Lisbon. The ship was captained by Sir Francico de Noronha
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The Bom Jesus disappeared in 1533 after setting sail from Lisbon. The ship was captained by Sir Francico de NoronhaCredit: Dieter Noli

Archaeologist Dr Dieter Noli told FoxNews.com “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.

“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.”

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