The billion-dollar shipwreck and the man who tried to find it
Summary
Journalist Julian Sancton explores the discovery of the San Jose, a 1708 Spanish galleon carrying over a billion dollars in gold and silver. The episode details the 30-year obsession of Roger Dooley, a Cuban-American archaeologist who finally located the wreck in 2015 after years of archival research and lobbying. The story highlights the intense legal battles over ownership involving Colombia, Spain, and private investors, as well as the complex history of the ship’s sinking during the War of Spanish Succession.
Topics discussed
Introduction and sponsor read
The mystery of the San Jose and Roger Dooley
Contacting the 'ghost' and verifying his story
Historical context: The Spanish treasure fleets
The 1708 battle and sinking of the San Jose
Sensory details of the naval combat
The cargo value and the birth of a legend
Early American treasure hunts and Sea Search Armada
Roger Dooley's background and 1984 discovery
Archival research: Maps and coordinates
Lobbying the Colombian government for permission
The 2015 expedition and the moment of discovery
Why Dooley succeeded where others failed
Political secrecy and Dooley's public erasure
Sponsor read
The legal battle: Competing claims to the wreck
The Hague arbitration and Dooley's exclusion
Who should own the treasure? Preservation vs. profit
Conclusion and book details
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