The modern form of humans is thought to have evolved about 200,000 years ago. With that being said, it only makes sense that we haven’t been able to keep up with some valuable treasures throughout the centuries.
Over the years, archaeologists have taken note of hundreds of different treasures that were never seen past a certain time in history. From crown jewels to some of the biggest diamonds in the world, there is plenty for us to explore and uncover. In this article, we will discuss 21 lost treasures that hunters are still looking for to this day.
The Scepter of Dagobert
Estimated Value: unknown
The Scepter of Dagobert forms part of the French crown jewels. Once a very important part of French history, this scepter has not been seen for the past 223 years.
Due to its value, the treasure was stolen by an unknown party in 1795 and has yet to be recovered.
To this day, archaeologists all over the world dedicate their lives to finding this piece of history.
The Florentine Diamond
Estimated Value: $750,000
The Florentine Diamond is often compared to the Hope Diamond. However, a major difference between these famous jewels is that this particular diamond has been missing since the early 1900s.
Famous for its unique color and large size, this jewel is one of the most expensive diamonds in the world.
The origin of this jewel is also unknown. One thing’s for sure, though — no matter where the diamond came from, it is worth the hunt.
Tucker’s Cross
Estimated Value: $2 million
Tucker’s Cross was originally discovered by an explorer named Ted Tucker.
This emerald-adorned gold cross is believed to have been part of the bounty that sank with San Pedro in the late 1500s. However, the cross was only lost during the mid-1900s.
It had been on display at a museum in Bermuda for hundreds of years before government officials realized that the jewel was actually a fake. To this day, nobody knows where the real cross is located.
The Patiala Necklace
Estimated Value: $25 million +
The Patiala Necklace was first created in the early 1900s.
However, just 20 years after this, the expensive piece of jewelry was lost from the Patiala National Treasury.
In total, the necklace has just short of 3,000 diamonds, including a number of rubies from Burma. Interestingly, a section of the necklace was found at a thrift store in London in 1998.
The Crown Jewels of Ireland
Estimated Value: $1.5 million
The Irish crown jewels were stolen from Dublin over 100 years ago.
This famous heist included the removal of the famous diamond star pendant. Also, the collars of knights of The Order were stolen.
Archaeologists predict that the crown jewels would be worth a total of 1.5 million dollars today.
The Treasure at Little Bighorn
Estimated Value: $350,000
A boat captain by the name of Grant Marsh agreed to do locals a favor by transporting $350,000 across the Little Bighorn river.
However, instead of completing the favor, Marsh decided to steal and store the cash along the riverbank in a secret location.
To this day, the money has not been found. With that being said, many locals of the area have committed their lives to searching for it.
The Amber Room
Estimated Value: $504 million
The Amber Room was famous for its unique interior and decorations. To be more specific, the room was filled with gold and amber finishings.
However, during WW2, the room was pillaged by Nazi soldiers. The original pieces of furniture have, to this day, not been found.
With that being said, the room has since been recreated using replicas.
The Amaro Pargo Treasure
Estimated Value: unknown
Amaro Pargo was a pirate who lived during the 18th century.
When he died, a list of directions leading to hidden treasure was found in his will. However, to this day, no such treasure has been found.
Archaeologists and explorers still spend their days in search of this fortune, as it is expected to include numerous diamonds and pure gold jewels.
The Flor Do Mar
Estimated Value: $3 billion
The Flor Do Mar was a 16th-century sailing ship that disappeared after a Malaysian conquest.
The nobleman who first collected the treasure was saved from the sinking ship. However, the jewels and treasures that were on board have yet to be discovered.
The ship sank off the coast of Sumatra during the early 1500s. If you are looking to become an instant billionaire, this may be the place to start looking.
The Ivory Coast Crown Jewels
Estimated Value: $6 million
Ivory Coast had its crown jewels stolen as recently as 2011.
In total, more than 70 pieces of treasure were stolen from the country’s largest museum. The total loss was valued at more than 6 million dollars.
To this day, the masks, statues, and artifacts that were stolen have still not been located.
The Graff Diamonds
Estimated Value: $65 million
The biggest robbery in Graff Diamond history took place just a few years ago.
In 2009, a Graff Diamonds store located on New Bond Street was robbed of more than 65 million dollars worth of watches and jewelry.
Even though the thieves have been arrested, the fortune is yet to be found.
The Tomb of Tu Duc
Estimated Value: unknown
Even though there is a monument dedicated to the Nguyen leader in Vietnam, the actual Tomb of Tu Duc has never been found.
The emperor passed away in the late 1800s. After his death, both his body and fortune were hidden in a secretive tomb.
In fact, the tomb is so secretive that every single person involved in its creation was beheaded after its completion.
The Dead Sea Scrolls Treasure
Estimated Value: up to $3 trillion
The Dead Sea Scrolls are believed to contain information regarding a number of buried treasures.
To be more specific, the Copper Scroll includes a code that points readers in the direction of 63 different fortunes.
However, to this day, not a single item has been found. With that being said, most historians agree on the fact that the scrolls are real and that the treasure is still out there.
The Victorio Peak Treasure
Estimated Value: $1.7 billion
According to archaeologists, there is a lot of treasure to be found in New Mexico.
Victorio Peak is apparently home to a large amount of hidden treasure. However, to this day, nothing has been found.
Treasure hunters have been flocking to this area over the years to get their hands on the wealth of gold supposedly hidden amongst the San Andes Mountains.
The Heirloom Seal of the Realm
Estimated Value: $1 billion
This heirloom is over 2,000 years old and has been missing for nearly half this time.
The Chinese artifact was carved out of He Shi Bi (a famous jade disk) and was passed down through the dynasties.
However, even though many treasure hunters have been on the lookout for this important piece of Chinese history, it has never been located.
The Nuestra Senora De Atocha Treasure
Estimated Value: $40 million
The Nuestra Senora de Atocha was a Spanish sailing ship that stored thousands of jewels, diamonds, and pieces of gold.
However, after sinking in the early 1600s, a portion of this treasure was lost forever. Even though large amounts were found, some artifacts seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.
This treasure included an emerald ring worth roughly half a million dollars. To this day, hunters still dedicate their lives to finding more of the lost treasure.
Honjo Masamune
Estimated Value: $1000,000 +
The Honjo Masamune was a famous Japanese sword created by one of the best swordsmiths in history.
The artifact was thought to be one of the most expertly crafted swords ever made. It even became a Japanese national treasure in the mid-1900s.
However, the piece of history was lost during WW2. After being handed over to the police, it was never seen again.
The Just Judges
Estimated Value: unknown
The Just Judges panel was an expertly crafted panel that formed part of the polyptych Ghent altarpiece.
The altar was first created in the mid-1500s and was stored in St. Bavo’s Cathedral. Even though most of the altarpiece remains intact, this particular section was stolen by a group of Germans in the mid-1900s.
When the altar was discovered to be missing, police found a simple note in its place, claiming that it had been stolen.
The Awa Maru
Estimated Value: up to $10 billion
The Awa Maru was a Japanese ship that stored millions of dollars worth of treasure.
However, when the ship was torpedoed in the mid-1900s, the treasure onboard was lost at sea. To this day, not one single piece of gold has been found.
Archaeologists and treasure hunters have spent countless years at sea in search of the missing jewels and gold bullion. It is believed that more than 7 million dollars worth of treasure was lost that day.
The Antwerp Diamonds
Estimated Value: $100 million
One of the most infamous diamond heists of all time took place in 2003.
A group of thieves took it upon themselves to rob a vault in Antwerp, Belgium. This particular vault was used to store numerous diamonds, pieces of gold, and extremely valuable jewelry.
In total, the vault’s belongings were valued at just over 100 million dollars. Even though there are many theories about who took the treasure, nobody has ever been arrested, and the missing treasure has never been found.
The Second Temple Menorah
Estimated Value: unknown
The menorah of Jerusalem’s second temple was initially stolen by a group of Romans hundreds of years ago.
However, after this, it was placed in the Roman Temple of Peace, where it remained for a number of years.
In the year 191 AD, a major fire broke out at this temple and left a pile of ash in its wake. Experts believe that the menorah would have survived the fire. However, to this day, it has never been seen again.
Summary
Hundreds of different artifacts and pieces of history have been lost over time. Hopefully, you have enjoyed reading about just a few of these long lost items.
Archaeologists and treasure hunters dedicate their lives to finding these hidden treasures, but these items are often left undiscovered for thousands of years.