Nuestra Senora de la Luz

The shipwreck of Nuestra Senora de la Luz left Buenos Aires in the summer of 1752 with a galleon full of gold and set sail towards Spain. While stopped and anchored in Montevideo, specifically on the estuary of the River Plate (Rio de la Plata) in Uruguay, for provisions, she got pushed into the shoreline by a large storm, claiming all lives on board and spewing her treasure in a very wide area.

Approximately 90% of the treasure was recovered shortly thereafter; however the powder hold was never found. Ironically this is where approximately 200,000 pesos (mostly silver) of treasure was tucked away for over 250 years.

She was discovered in April of 1992 when she gave up her treasure: approximately 800 coins dated 1751 and 100–150 dated 1750, and several gold ingots. Most of the gold coins were milled (bust type) 8 Escudos from the Mint of Santiago, Chile.

These precious pieces were auctioned off in New York (by Sotheby's) and Montevideo (since the treasure was split with the Uruguayan government). These auctions offered 95 gold cobs and 353 silver cobs, from Lima Peru, Bogota and some 4 and 8 Reales from Potosi.