Reading Old Archives, Man Discovers 100 Gold Bars in Riau Waters
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — Tales of hidden treasure in Indonesia never lose their allure. Driven by curiosity, such hidden wealth has led several hunters to reap enormous profits. Among them, Michael Hatcher is one of the most prominent figures.
Born in 1940, Hatcher worked as a marine explorer, a profession that was often underestimated at the time. Yet, it was this very job that eventually made his name and filled his coffers.
His interest in treasure hunting began in 1975 while researching archives at the Dutch National Archives. From records of sunken VOC and Dutch East Indies ships, Hatcher concluded that the seabed held not only shipwrecks but also various valuable items that sank with them, such as gold bars, precious jars, and silver. If recovered and sold, these items would fetch a high price. He subsequently began mapping areas in Indonesia where ships were likely to have sunk.
Retrieving the treasure was no easy task. Hatcher had to dive to depths of more than 50 metres. The deeper he went, the greater the danger, with visibility decreasing and currents growing stronger.
Nevertheless, in 1986, Hatcher succeeded. He discovered the VOC ship Geldermalsen, which had sunk in the Karang Heliputan waters of Riau. He recovered 100 gold bars and 20,000 pieces of Chinese porcelain (other sources mention 225 gold bars and 160,000 ceramics) from the Ming and Qing dynasties. This operation was conducted illegally and covertly to avoid detection by the government.
All the items were auctioned at Christie’s in Amsterdam, fetching US$15 million (equivalent to Rp 210 billion at the time), according to Widiati in ‘Keramik Kuna Dari Dasar Laut Perairan Indonesia’. Hatcher maintained that his operation was not problematic, claiming he had permission from the Dutch government, which reportedly received a 10 per cent share of the sale. He told Tempo magazine in October 1986 that the Dutch government had stated the treasure was found in international waters and that they had actually asked him to search for it.
Hatcher’s success in finding treasure and earning US$15 million inspired other individuals and groups in Indonesia to attempt similar ventures. However, the news angered the Indonesian government. President Soeharto, unaware of the vast treasure potential on the seabed, felt blindsided. In the 1980s, Rp 210 billion was a substantial sum; with the construction of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah costing Rp 10 billion, the New Order regime could have built 20 such parks across the country.
Consequently, Soeharto issued Presidential Decree No. 43 of 1989 concerning the National Committee for the Salvage and Utilisation of Valuable Objects from Sunken Ship Cargo. Through this regulation, he established a team chaired by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs to hunt for sunken treasure, a regulation that remains in effect today.
Hatcher’s success did not end there. In 1999, he explored the Chinese vessel Tek Sing in the waters off Bangka. The intact ship measured 42 by 10 metres and weighed 900 tons. Before sinking in February 1822, the ship was recorded as carrying 350,000 pieces of Chinese ceramics, along with thousands of iron, brass, and bronze cannons, all originating from Fujian in the 19th century, as noted by Trigangga in ‘Eksplorasi Kapal-Kapal Karam di Indonesia’. Hatcher recovered these items and transported them to an auction in Stuttgart, Germany, in November 2000. The treasure was estimated to be worth Rp 500 billion, making it the largest treasure find from a shipwreck in history.
According to Detik.com archives from 30 April 2010, the man dubbed ‘The Wreck Salvage King’ later attempted another hunt in the waters off Subang for Ming Dynasty treasure worth US$200 million. This time, however, the government successfully prevented him.