After an extensive investigation, Florida officials recovered dozens of gold coins valued at more than $1 million that were stolen from a shipwreck recovery nine years ago.

A professional treasure hunter has been charged in the theft of the 37 gold coins stolen from the wreckage of the 1715 Treasure Fleet.

Valued at approximately 600 billion yuan or US$83 billion, the discovery could be considered the largest and most lucrative reservoir of gold ever uncovered, surpassing the 900 metric tons estimated to lie within the mother of all gold reserves, South Deep mine in South Africa.

Officials say that a gold field deposit in Hunan province could yield over 1,000 tonnes of the precious metal.

China says it has discovered the world’s largest known deposit of gold, estimated to be worth over $80bn (£63bn). The deposit at the Wangu goldfield in central China could yield more than 1,000 tonnes of gold,