Hidden treasures aren’t just for pirates, movies, and pirate movies—there’s actually treasure buried right here in the United States. While some buried treasures have been found, there’s still plenty out there just waiting to be discovered by metal detector, shovel, or puzzle-solving mind.
Sometimes treasures are recovered, but many are still missing. Here, Live Science takes a look at some of these lost treasures that may never be found. Some of these treasures are now likely destroyed, but some may still exist and one day be recovered.
Does treasure really exist in India?
In 2011, an underground secret vault in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, situated in Thiruvananthapuram, was opened on the court order and a collection of gold, diamonds, gems, silver ornaments, crowns and precious stones were uncovered. The estimated value of the treasure chest is around $22 billion.
Are there any real treasure chest?
The only authenticated treasure chest in the United States, once owned by Thomas Tew, is kept at the Pirate Soul Museum in St. Augustine, Florida. Pirate Olivier Levasseur, also known as “The Buzzard” (La Buse), was rumoured to have hidden treasure before his death in 1730.
Which treasures are still undiscovered?
Legendary Treasures That Haven’t Been Discovered… yet
- The Spanish Treasure Fleet. Estimated value: $100 million USD (today’s value)
- The Gold train of Walbrzych.
- The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang.
- The Amber Room – The Lost “Eighth Wonder of the World”
- The Lost Treasure of the Beale Ciphers.
- King John’s Lost Treasure.
What is the largest lost treasure?
Riches of the Flor de Mar – $2.6 Billion. Easily the biggest unclaimed treasure haul currently is that of the Portuguese ship, the Flor de Mar. This ship was sailing around the ancient island of Sumatra in 1511 before being caught in a violent storm.
How much gold is lost in the ocean?
As early as 1872, the British chemist Edward Sonstadt discovered that there was an unknown treasure on the ocean floor, but even today mankind has failed to bring it to the surface. Around 20 million tonnes of gold can be found there!
Which country has most treasure?
United States. With the largest official holdings in the world, the U.S. lays claim to nearly as much gold as the next three countries combined. It also has the third highest gold allocation as a percentage of its foreign reserves.
Who Owns found gold?
The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 states that any “archaeological resources” found on the land of the state belong to the government. This law has been extended to just about anything over 100 years old. Various state legislations have ruled that a “treasure trove” can be gold, silver, or paper money.
What is the richest treasure ever found?
The largest monetary treasure haul found was on the wreck code named Black Swan, discovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration in 2007 off of Gibraltar. The salvage team reportedly found 17 tons of coins valued at $500 million; an amount that is both staggering and said to be “unprecedented” in the treasure hunting world.
What happens if you find treasure?
The finder’s rights depend on how the found property is categorized. If the found property is lost, abandoned, or treasure trove, the person who found it gets to keep it unless the original owner claims it (so actually, unless the original owner claims it, the rule is “finders keepers”).
Do treasure hunters exist?
Buried and hidden treasure may be the stuff of legend and film, but treasure hunters exist – both professionals and hobbyists – and sometimes they do actually find something.
Is treasure hunting legal?
Any person desiring to hunt hidden treasures in government properties or portions of the public domain must first file an application for a permit with the Legal Office, Office of the President and shall sign a contract governing the disposition of all monies, articles and things of value which may be found.
Can you keep treasure you find in the ocean?
A discoverer who finds a shipwreck pursuant to the law of finds is entitled to the full value of all of the goods that are recovered. Since the owner of the vessel has given up trying to recover the shipwreck, the discoverer is deemed to have full rights to the content.
What is the oldest treasure ever found?
Varna Gold Treasure
What was it found? Bulgaria’s Varna Gold Treasure is considered the oldest processed gold in the world dating back to the time of the Chalcolithic (Eneolithic, Copper Age) the Varna Culture (is usually dated to 4400-4100 BC).
How many of the 12 treasures have been found?
three
Since 1982, only three of the 12 casques have been recovered. The first was located in Grant Park, Chicago, in 1984 by a group of students. The second was unearthed in 2004 in Cleveland by two members of the Quest4Treasure forum, and the third was found in Boston in 2019 by a father and his two children.
Why do pirates bury their treasure?
Some pirates buried treasure—most notably Captain William Kidd. Captain Kidd was at the time considered a pirate by authorities in the Caribbean, and headed to New York to turn himself in and hopefully clear his name. As a precaution he buried his treasure on Gardiner’s Island, off of Long Island near New York City.
Who is the richest treasure hunter?
Tommy Gregory Thompson, total value of treasure found: $150 million. Tommy Gregory Thompson became the toast of the treasure hunting world in 1988 after locating the fabled SS Central America, one of America’s greatest lost ships.
Has a pirates buried treasure ever been found?
The Whydah sank in 1717 carrying hundreds of thousands of gold coins and other artifacts. It is the only pirate treasure ever found. More is still being found at the wreck site off the coast of Cape Cod. The Whydah sank in 1717 carrying hundreds of thousands of gold coins and other artifacts.
Where is gold mostly found?
About 244,000 metric tons of gold has been discovered to date (187,000 metric tons historically produced plus current underground reserves of 57,000 metric tons). Most of that gold has come from just three countries: China, Australia, and South Africa.
Is there gold on the moon?
The moon isn’t so barren after all. A 2009 NASA mission—in which a rocket slammed into the moon and a second spacecraft studied the blast—revealed that the lunar surface contains an array of compounds, including gold, silver, and mercury, according to PBS.