Top Ten Lost Treasures of the World
£70,000,000
Treasure:
King John’s Jewels and Gold
Lost:
1216
Estimated Value:
$70,000,000
Contents:
Crown jewels, gold goblets, silver plate, golden wand with a dove, the sword of Tristram, gold coins.
Location:
Great Britain / The United Kingdom
King John’s Jewels and Gold
Lost:
1216
Estimated Value:
$70,000,000
Contents:
Crown jewels, gold goblets, silver plate, golden wand with a dove, the sword of Tristram, gold coins.
Location:
Great Britain / The United Kingdom
King John’s Treasure
King John ‘the Bad’ was particularly
fond of collecting (stealing) jewellery and gold plate for himself and
coinage for his guards, soldiers and court followers. In 1216 King John
travelled to Bishops Lynn in Norfolk where he arrived on the 9th
October. The area is aptly named The Wash as it was once a huge expanses
of marshes and dangerous mud flats. At Bishop’s Lynn King John fell ill
with dysentery and decided to return to Newark Castle via Wisbech. He
took the slower and safer route around The Wash. However, his soldiers
and carts full of his personal possessions, including the crown jewels
he had inherited from his grandmother the Empress of Germany, took the
shorter route through the marshes.
Trapped by the tide they were drowned –
possibly close to Sutton Bridge. The treasure carts were lost and never
recovered. King John died a few days later on the 18th October 1216.
What really happened is probably much more complex.
Treasure:
Lost City and Gold of Paititi
Lost:
1572
Estimated Value:
$10,000,000,000
Contents:
Incan gold & artifacts, gold bars, jewellery, etc.
Location:
Brazil
Lost City and Gold of Paititi
Lost:
1572
Estimated Value:
$10,000,000,000
Contents:
Incan gold & artifacts, gold bars, jewellery, etc.
Location:
Brazil
The Secret City of Paititi
Most people have heard the story of El
Dorado, a city full of gold lost somewhere in the rainforests of South
America. In fact, El Dorado is actually a legend about a Muisca
Chieftain (the Golden One) who would cover himself with gold dust before
certain religious ceremonies. The real City of Gold is Paititi. In
brief, the Spanish had been at war with the Incas of Peru for nearly
forty years and the Incas had retreated to Vilcabamba Valley where they
held off the invaders until 1572. When the Spanish conquered the Incas
they found the city largely deserted. It appeared as if the Incas had
fled to a new location in the rainforests of southern Brazil taking
their vast treasure of gold with them. The new city was never found nor
was the gold and eventually the story was relegated to the status of a
myth.
However, in 2009 satellite photos of
deforested areas of the Boco do Acre region of Brazil have revealed that
there were once vast settlements. These can be clearly seen on Google
Earth and have forced historians and archaeologists to review their
thinking. It now seems possible once again that Paititi really did exist
and hidden within it is a potential hoard of lost Inca gold.
Treasure:
The Kruger Millions
Lost:
1890
Estimated Value:
$250,000,000.00
Contents:
Gold coins, ingots, gold dust, silver ingots & coins.
Location:
South Africa
The Kruger Millions
Lost:
1890
Estimated Value:
$250,000,000.00
Contents:
Gold coins, ingots, gold dust, silver ingots & coins.
Location:
South Africa
The Missing Kruger Millions
During the Second Anglo-Boer War the
South African descendants of the Dutch settlers, the Boers, realised
that their capital, Pretoria, would soon be captured by British troops
so they swiftly commandeered as much gold as they could from government
reserves, banks and the mines. They also minted many thousands of new
gold coins. Much of this gold is believed to have travelled with the
Boer President, Paul Kruger, as he journeyed eastwards through
Middleburg, Machadadorp and Waterfal Boven towards Mozambique to escape
the advancing British. He departed, by ship, for France on the 19th of
October 1900. The gold remained behind, hidden somewhere in the bushveld
of the North Eastern Transvaal. It has never been officially found
although it is a popular ‘scam’ for con men to try and sell the
whereabouts of the gold to gullible tourists. Claims that the treasure
(or part of it) was discovered in 2001 close to Ermelo are generally
considered somewhat dubious.
Treasure:
Temple of Solomon / Ancient Jewish Military Reserves
Lost:
Circa 100 BC
Estimated Value:
$1.2 Billion +
Contents:
Gold and silver coins, ingots and artefacts.
Location:
Israel / Jordon
Temple of Solomon / Ancient Jewish Military Reserves
Lost:
Circa 100 BC
Estimated Value:
$1.2 Billion +
Contents:
Gold and silver coins, ingots and artefacts.
Location:
Israel / Jordon
The Treasure of the Copper Scroll
Located to the west of the northern tip
of the Dead Sea and near to the town of Kalya is the Qumran
archaeological site. On a desert plateau carved by ravines are the caves
where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were initially discovered by bedouin
in 1946. The later excavation of 11 caves by archaeologists sponsored by
the Jordanian Department of Antiquities uncovered 972 parchment and
papyrus texts and two unusual scrolls made of copper. These would turn
out to be one scroll that had been divided into two pieces.
This rare find was discovered on the
14th March 1952 at the back of Cave 3, somewhat separate from the other
finds. The scroll was badly oxidised and fragile to touch but it was
obvious that it was different from the other leather and paper scrolls –
it was a detailed list of 64 locations where significant amounts of
gold and silver had been hidden. It was written as if anyone reading it
would have familiarity with the places mentioned and is believed to have
been created between 110 and 30 BCE. Although many historians believe
that some of the treasure may have been located by the Romans during
their occupation of the region it is reasonable to think that at least
some of the locations were never revealed.
For Example: Item 3. In the funeral
shrine, in the 3rd row of stones: One hundred gold ingots. Item 5: In
the ascent of the ‘staircase of refuge’, to the left-hand side, three
cubits up from the floor are forty talents of silver. Item 32: In the
cave that is next to (unknown) and belonging to the House of Hakkoz, dig
six cubits. Within are six ingots of gold.
Treasure:
Contents of the Flor de La Mar
Lost:
1511
Estimated Value:
$2.6 Billion + (54,431kg of Gold x $49,000 per Kg)
Contents:
Gold goblets, silver plate and extensive gold bullion
Location:
Off the coast of Sumatra
Contents of the Flor de La Mar
Lost:
1511
Estimated Value:
$2.6 Billion + (54,431kg of Gold x $49,000 per Kg)
Contents:
Gold goblets, silver plate and extensive gold bullion
Location:
Off the coast of Sumatra
The Treasure of the Flor de la Mar
The Flor de la Mar (Flower of the Sea)
was a 400 ton Portuguese carrack (frigate) built in Lisbon during 1502.
The naval history of the ship was impressive and it was involved in the
battle of Diu, the subjugation of Goa and the capture of Malacca.
Captained by Alfonso de Albuquerque the
ship was loaded with a vast treasure taken from Malacca as well as
tributes from the King of Siam. According to various historical accounts
it was the largest treasure ever assembled in the history of the
Portuguese navy.
The Flor de la Mar set sail for
Portugal, together with four other ships, but was caught in a violent
storm in the Straits of Malacca. On the 20th November 1511 it was
shipwrecked on the reefs of Sumatra. The ship broke in two and although
Alfonso was saved, the treasure and many young slaves were lost to the
waves.
The exact location of the shipwreck is
confused, probably due to the inaccurate maps of the time. It is
considered the richest treasure still to be found. Peter Carl Fabergé
(also known as Karl Gustavovich Fabergé) and his brother Agathon were
Russian jewellers of French descent based in St. Petersburg. They
rapidly became famous for the extraordinary quality and beauty of their
work.
Treasure:
Faberge Golden Eggs
Lost:
1917-1929
Estimated Value:
$90 – 150,000,000
Contents:
Eight Faberge Golden Eggs
Location:
Unknown / Russia
Faberge Golden Eggs
Lost:
1917-1929
Estimated Value:
$90 – 150,000,000
Contents:
Eight Faberge Golden Eggs
Location:
Unknown / Russia
The Lost Fabergé Eggs
In 1885 Tsar Alexander III (House of
Romanov) commissioned the production of the gold and enamel ‘Hen Egg’
for his wife the Empress Maria which she adored. Fabergé was made
‘Goldsmith by Special Appointment to the Imperial Crown’ and over the
next 33 years 52 eggs were made for the Russian Royal Family as well as a
further 15 for other private buyers.
The 1917 Russian Revolution toppled Tsar
Nicholas II who was executed along with much of the royal family in
July 1918. Fearing for his safety, Peter Carl Faberge abandoned Russia
travelling first to Latvia then Germany and finally Switzerland where he
died in Lausene in 1920.
The Fabergé eggs and many other treasures
of the Royal family were confiscated and stored in the vaults of the
Kremlin Armoury. Some were sold to raise funds for the new regime. Over
time eight of the original 52 Imperial eggs have vanished and their
whereabouts remain a mystery to this day. A full list of missing eggs is
below. In 2007, just one egg, ‘The Rothschild’ was sold at Christies
Auction House for $8,9 million.
The Missing Eggs: (1886)
The Hen Egg with Sapphire Pendant (1888) The Cherub with Chariot Egg
(PPC-USA) (1889) The Nécessaire Egg (PPC-UK) (1896) The Egg with
Alexander III Portraits (1897) The Mauve Egg (1902) Empire Nephrite Egg
(Alexander III Medallion) (1903) The Royal Danish (Jubilee) Egg (1909)
The Alexander III Commemorative Egg.
Treasure:
Spanish New World Treasure
Lost:
30 July 1715
Estimated Value:
$2 billion
Contents:
Jewels, gold goblets, silver plate, bullion, coin
Location:
Off the coast of Florida (USA)
Spanish New World Treasure
Lost:
30 July 1715
Estimated Value:
$2 billion
Contents:
Jewels, gold goblets, silver plate, bullion, coin
Location:
Off the coast of Florida (USA)
The San Miguel & The Lost 1715 Treasure Fleet
By 1712 AD Spain was desperately in need
of funds due to the War of Succession that had seen Phillip V take the
throne. To solve this problem the Spanish assembled one of the richest
treasure fleets. Come 1715 it consisted of five ships of the Nueva
España (Mexico) fleet and six ships of the Tierra Firme (Main Land)
fleet. Significant amounts of silver (plate), gold, pearls, jewels
(emeralds) and other precious items were loaded at Vera Cruz, Cartagena,
Nombre de Dios and Portobello. A further ship, a French merchantman,
the Griffon, also joined the convoy. As a further defence against
pirates and privateers the fleet waited until just before the hurricane
season before setting off from Havana. This was a mistake and a storm
destroyed the fleet just seven days after leaving Cuba. Thousands of
sailors died. Over the next four years the Spanish salvaged about half
of the treasure although pirates hampered their efforts. Items of
treasure still occasionally wash up on nearby shores. Largely due to the
efforts of Kip Wagner, a marine treasure hunter, seven of the ships
have been located but only a small percentage of the treasure has been
recovered. The San Miguel, a Nao class vessel, has yet to be found and
is believed to have separated from the fleet the day before the storm
struck. Carracks are lighter than Galleons and were often used to carry
treasure as they stood a greater chance of outrunning storms and
privateers. The objective, after all, was to get the treasure home. This
could mean that the San Miguel is actually one of the richest treasure
ships yet to be found.
Ships of the 1715 Spanish (Plate) Treasure Fleet that have never been found:
Nueva Espana Fleet – General Juan de Ubilla – The Maria Galante – Frigatilla / Frigate
Tierra Firma Fleet – General Antonio de
Echeverz – Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion – NAO Class (Carrack) – The
(El Senor) San Miguel -NAO Class (Fast Carrack) – El Ciervo (La Franecsa
) Galera Class (Galley)
Treasure:
The Amber Room / Amber & Gold Panels
Lost:
1943
Estimated Value:
$170,000,000
Contents:
Comprised of Danish amber, gold fittings, gold leaf, ornate mirrors, jewels, and numerous gold and amber fittings and decorations.
Location:
Poland / Germany / Russia / Unknown
The Amber Room / Amber & Gold Panels
Lost:
1943
Estimated Value:
$170,000,000
Contents:
Comprised of Danish amber, gold fittings, gold leaf, ornate mirrors, jewels, and numerous gold and amber fittings and decorations.
Location:
Poland / Germany / Russia / Unknown
The Amber Room
The original treasure room was a set of
extraordinary wall panels made from purest amber, set in and on gold and
mirrors. These panels were installed to create a room that was
effectively coated with amber and gold. It was designed by Andreas
Schlüter an architect from Hamburg, Germany and constructed at the
Charlottenburg Palace in Prussia, between 1701 and 1709 by the renowned
amber specialist Gottfried Wolfram of the Royal Court of Denmark. In
1716 the King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm I, gave it to the ruler of
the Russian Empire, Tsar Peter the Great to seal an alliance against
Sweden. It was taken first to the original Winter Palace in St.
Petersburg and then later moved to the Catherine Palace near the same
city where it was expanded by a team of German and Russian craftsmen. On
completion it used 5,440 kg of Amber and was 17 meters in length.
Considered to be unique and priceless it was the central showpiece of
the palace and famous in aristocratic circles. In 1941 it was discovered
by invading German soldiers and dismantled. Apparently it was packed
into 27 crates and shipped to Königsberg, near the Baltic Coast, where
it was put on display. In 1943 it was stored at Königsberg Castle.
Officially it was destroyed in an WWII Allied bombing raid but
significant evidence suggests that it was actually shipped out of the
city in the latter months of the war and taken to be hidden along with
many other treasures acquired by the Nazi regime. Priceless, it is
considered one of the world’s greatest lost treasures. “There have been
repeated claims in the media by treasure hunters that they have
discovered the location of the hidden Amber room. Nevertheless none of
them have actually produced the missing panels.
There have been repeated claims in the
media by treasure hunters that they have discovered the location of the
hidden Amber room. Nevertheless none of them have actually produced the
missing panels. Estimates that the room would be worth $170,000,000 on
the open market are considered conservative. A replica of the room made
from identical materials has recently completed in Russia. It was opened
by Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard
Schroederon the 31st May 2003.
Treasure:
The French Treasuries of the Knights Templar
Lost:
1307
Estimated Value:
$ Many Billions
Contents:
Gold and silver ingots, coinage, jewels, jewellery, gold & silver plate, land deeds, religious relics, weapons, documents and records, Middle Eastern trophies and artefacts, valuable curiosities and royal regalia held as securities.
Location:
Scotland / Unknown
The French Treasuries of the Knights Templar
Lost:
1307
Estimated Value:
$ Many Billions
Contents:
Gold and silver ingots, coinage, jewels, jewellery, gold & silver plate, land deeds, religious relics, weapons, documents and records, Middle Eastern trophies and artefacts, valuable curiosities and royal regalia held as securities.
Location:
Scotland / Unknown
The Treasure of the Knights Templar
The Knights Templar were a religious
military order formed in 1119 AD to protect Christian pilgrims on their
journey to holy lands of the Middle East. They established their
headquarters on the side of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and were
declared a charity by Pope Innocent II.
Over the decades donations from patrons
made the Knights Templar the wealthiest and most powerful military order
in Europe. They invented an early form of banking which made them even
richer but unpopular with people who had borrowed money. For nearly two
hundred years the Templars amassed a fortune in lands, castles, gold,
silver, jewels and precious objects. By 1291 AD the military prestige
of the Knights Templar had failed and they were forced out of the Middle
East. Their popularity fell further urged on by those who owed them
money such as Phillip VI the King of France. On Friday the 13th of
October 1307, and with the permission of the Pope, Phillip VI arrested
the key leaders of the Order based in France and tortured them into
confessions of heresy and devil worship. He seized their lands and
raided the treasury but found it much emptier than expected.
knights-templar-sealAcross the rest of
Europe the remaining Knights seem to have moved swiftly to hide their
portable treasure. A month later Pope Clement II issued the ‘Pastoralis
Praeeminentiae’ which instructed heads of state to arrest all Templars
and seize their possessions which were to be given to another religious
order – the Knights Hospitaller. This was only partially carried out but
it was already too late. The vast treasure of the Knights Templar had
largely disappeared and has never been found.
An equally intriguing mystery is what
happened to the majority of Knights who were never arrested. At least
several thousand men as well as a flotilla of ships simply vanished. In
particular, 18 ships that had been berthed at La Rochelle, France, on
the night of the 12th of October 1307 set sail under the cover of
darkness just before the initial persecutions and passed out of history.
A document, the Pergamino de Chinon, found in the Vatican archives in
2002 now shows that Pope Clement II actually absolved the Templars in
1308 AD.
Treasure:
Unknown / Pirate Hoard
Lost:
1500 – 1700AD
Estimated Value:
$Unknown
Contents:
Unknown (Pirate Hoard / Treasure of the Knights Templar / Spanish Gold)
Location:
Canada
Unknown / Pirate Hoard
Lost:
1500 – 1700AD
Estimated Value:
$Unknown
Contents:
Unknown (Pirate Hoard / Treasure of the Knights Templar / Spanish Gold)
Location:
Canada
The Oak Island Money Pit
This is probably the most excavated site
that has still failed to deliver up its treasure. Oak Island is
approximately 140 acres in size and located just off the southeast coast
of Nova Scotia. It is one of many small islands in the area and is now
linked to the mainland via a narrow causeway.
The story has been embellished and
distorted over the years but here are the basic facts. In 1795 Daniel
McGinnis (16) and a friend noticed a circular depression as if a pit had
been dug and then filled in again. Believing something of value may
have been buried there they dug to a depth of 9.1 metres. Initially they
discovered a layer of flagstones followed by traces of pickaxes on the
rocks. Some stories say they found platforms of logs approximately every
3 metres. They failed to find anything of value but the story spread
and was quickly linked to the missing treasure of Captain Kidd and even
the notorious Blackbeard – Edward Thatch (Teach).
Over the following centuries the pit has
been excavated many times and prospectors have even included an
American president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. It has not been an easy task
and the pit is claimed to be ‘booby trapped” and has regularly flooded.
The most tantalising clue found so far was a code inscription on a flat
stone which, when translated, apparently stated: “Forty feet below, two
million pounds lie buried.”
The deepest excavations reached 72
metres and over the years at least six people have died trying to find
whatever is buried on Oak Island.
Various theories pertaining to the contents of the Oak Island Money Pit include:
– Captain Kidd’s Treasure – Blackbeard’s
Treasure – The Fortress of Louisbourg Treasury – The Missing Jewels of
Marie Antoinette – Spanish Gold from a Shipwreck – The Treasure of the
Knights Templar – Treasure of the Freemasons – A Storage Pit for Walrus
Ivory – Documents of Sir Francis Bacon