Are you an avid treasure hunter? Or, do you enjoy the occasional adventures of carrying a metal detector and unearthing valuable artifacts? Well, there are a few valuable treasures out there that are yet to be discovered. To make it more interesting, the majority of these items are worth millions, with some labeled priceless. With a shovel and a map (at least), you may unearth one of the valuable lost treasures highlighted in this piece.
1. The La Circassienne au Bain
While it’s true that a lot of valuable items were lost when the RMS Titanic sank in 1912, none comes close to the La Circassienne au Bain. It was a big neoclassical oil painting by Merry-Joseph Blondel portraying a naked Circassian woman.
Mauritz Håkan Björnström-Steffansson (a Swedish businessman who survived the ship’s sinking) brought the painting to the Titanic. After the tragedy, Mauritz filed a compensation claim of about $100,000 (around $2 million to $3 million today), which was by far the most of any survivor. That makes the La Circassienne au Bain one of the most valuable lost treasures of the 20th century.
2. The Flor de La Mar
The Flor de La Mar is a Portuguese ship that sank in the Indian Ocean in 1512. Although many vessels have sunk over time, this was special; it had 200 chests ferrying diamonds, 60 tons of gold, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds on board. If this treasure were recovered, it would be worth billions of dollars.
3. 7 Romanovs Faberge Eggs
Faberge Eggs (a jeweled egg by the jewelry firm House of Faberge) are famous for attracting millions during auctions. Interestingly, out of the 50 Faberge Imperial Eggs that were created, 7 of them are missing.
These eggs started disappearing in 1917 (during the Bolshevik’s February Revolution) when they were transferred from the palace to the Kremlin in Moscow. Collectors believe that some people might unknowingly be in possession of these precious items. The most expensive Faberge Egg ever sold was worth $9.2 million – it was auctioned in 2002.
4. The Ark of the Covenant
According to Biblical text, the Ark of the Covenant was a wooden chest covered in gold that held the Ten Commandments God had given Moses. After reaching the Promised Land, the Ark of the Covenant was safely stored in the temple of Jerusalem built by King Solomon. When Babylon invaded Israel in 587 BC, the chest was stolen and has never been recovered to date. Besides the gold, the Ark of the Covenant has a massive religious significance among Christians. That’s why believers consider it a priceless lost treasure.
5. The Polish Royal Family Casket
Izabela Czartoryska was a Polish Princess famous for collecting a wide range of artifacts. She was the founder of the first Museum in Poland. In the 1800s, Izabella collected a wide range of artifacts from the Polish Royal Family, King John III’s ivory box, and stored them in a casket. Unfortunately, the casket was stolen during World War II by the Nazis and has never been recovered.
6. The Florentine Diamond
The Florentine diamond was a 137.27-carat gem that belonged to the Medici Family, an Italian banking family and political dynasty. When the last Medici, Anna Maria Luisa, died in 1743, the Florentine diamond was passed to the Austria Family. At the time, the diamond was worth $750,000.
Fast forward to World War I, the Austria Family collapsed, and the diamond mysteriously disappeared. Over time, many theories regarding the gem’s whereabouts have emerged, with the strongest being that it was stolen by one of the family members.
Unlike the other treasures lost one way, the Florentine Diamond was found in 1918, but it disappeared again shortly after.
7. The Honjo Masamune Sword
Made by one of the greatest sword makers in Japan, the Honjo Masamune sword is an unforgettable lost treasure among those who know its worth. It was passed down along the Masamune family, and many of its owners have experienced tremendous success, including Honjo Masamune, who won the 16th-century battle using it. The other owner, Tokugawa Leyasu, was declared the first shogun of Japan with the same sword. Unfortunately, the Americans took the sword in World War II, never to be seen again.
8. The Crown Jewels of England
King John ruled England in the 13th century – he is famous for signing the Magna Carta in 1215. He was hugely despised by his people, who called him “John the Bad.” As soon as he signed the document that stated the monarch and his government were not above the law, King John started running from his enemies who bayed for his blood.
The monarch carried with him the crown jewels of England. While on the run, he fell sick, and his entourage accidentally lost the gems in muddy water. The jewels have never been found.
9. The Confederate Gold
The Confederate Gold is one of America’s largest lost treasures. After the Civil War ended in 1865, it was discovered that gold worth millions of dollars had disappeared into thin air. Ever since, there has been lots of speculation as to where the precious items went, with some treasure hunters blaming the FBI for covering up the discovery of this gold. Others believe the Confederate Gold is sitting at the bottom of Lake Michigan.
10. Leon Trabuco’s Gold
A Mexican millionaire known as Trabuco buried 16 tons of gold in the New Mexico desert and died before telling anyone where it was. Together with several other business people, Trabuco hid the gold so that they could resell it when the prices went up. His accomplices died mysteriously, and Trabuco, being the last in line, the secret went with him.
