Treasure-hunters have found the presents that French priests were intending to offer to Pope Pius IX in the wreckage of a ship that sunk off Corsica some 150 years ago. Pius IX, whose papal reign lasted from 1846 to 1878, was expecting to receive Jewels, silver objects and gold coins as a gift from French priests but the ship, called «General Abbatucci» sunk after it collided with a Norvegian vessel. Some 40 people, including 15 soldiers who were in charge of conveying the pay of the French army transiting through Italy, perished in this unfortunate event. The treasure, found on the seabed at a depth of 2500 metres, was sold by Christie's in London on October 10th 1997.
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