Treasure discovered on ancient San José shipwreck

Three gold coins recovered from the San José.

The first items from an ancient treasure trove onboard the "holy grail of shipwrecks" have been discovered by Columbian scientists.

The shipwreck is a Spanish galleon named the San José which sank in the Caribbean sea in 1708 - and is thought to be the most valuable shipwreck in the world.

That's because the ship was carrying gold, emeralds and many other precious items which Spanish soldiers had taken from Panama, when it was attacked by a British fleet on its way back to Europe.

People think there could be billions of pounds worth of treasure onboard.

Treasure hunters tried to locate the shipwreck for many years, before Columbia announced that it had been found, back in 2015 - however there is a lot of debate over who owns the precious cargo.

What treasure has been discovered so far?

Colombian President Gustavo Petro looking at a bronze cannon from the wreck of the San José

Over the last few years, Columbian researchers have been studying the shipwreck, and collecting samples to understand more about what happened to it 300 years ago.

Now Colombian authorities have shared information about some of the items that have been recovered by the research missions.

So far, three gold and bronze coins, a canon and a porcelain cup have been revealed.

Colombia's culture ministry said that the items would go through a special conservation process at a laboratory to help preserve them.

The shipwreck's location is top secret and is protected by the Colombian authorities.

Who owns the treasure?

There has been lots of debate over the years of who owns the shipwreck and its treasure

The shipwreck is currently in the middle of a big legal battle between the US, Columbia and Spain over who owns it.

The Colombian government claims it first discovered the shipwreck in 2015.

However, a US company called Sea Search-Armada says it first found the shipwreck in the 1980s, many years before the Colombian government did.

Sea Search-Armada are now challenging the Colombian government in court for $10 billion (£7.63 billion) - half the estimated value of the treasure on the ship.

But the Colombian government disagrees with Sea Search-Armada's claim.

Spain has also claimed ownership of the ship and its contents under a United Nations convention.

Indigenous Qhara Qhara Bolivians have also said that the treasure originally belongs to them, and was stolen.