Treasure Hunter Loses Battle to Change Shipwreck Rules

WASHINGTON — While Congress and the White House publicly battled over detainee policy in a new defense bill, a far more obscure fight erupted behind the scenes involving treasure hunters, doubloons and shipwrecks.

A small tweak in the House version of the defense bill — just two words and two commas — could have made it easier for Tampa-based treasure hunting firm Odyssey Marine Exploration to take custody of a $500 million trove of Spanish coins from an Atlantic shipwreck, which is believed to be the richest . . .

Read more at: Tampa Bay Times