Legendary TreasuresLegendary Treasures

Treasure of the PharaohsTreasure of the Pharaohs

• Vast treasure found in the tomb of a relatively insignificant pharaoh, King Tutankhamen

• There should be so much more in the tombs of the great pharaohs!

• Relocation of the tombs by Herihor

• His tomb has yet to be found

http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8660304

Copper Scroll TreasureCopper Scroll Treasure• The copper scroll is one of the Dead Sea scrolls,

known for its unique writing style.• A list of 63 locations containing gold and silver treasure• Value is estimated at $1.2 billion• It may be the treasure of the Jewish temple, hidden

from the Romans, or it may have belonged to a particular Jewish community.

• The copper scroll describes another scroll, the key scroll, which contains the complete details on the locations of the treasure. But this scroll has yet to be found…

The Ark of the CovenantThe Ark of the Covenant• Referenced in Hebrew scripture• Disappeared after the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem• Several churches from different traditions claim to have

the ark in their possession.• Others believe that it was hidden or destroyed.• Possible locations:

– Middle East– Eastern Africa– Europe– United States

The Lost City of AtlantisThe Lost City of Atlantis

• The legend comes from the writings of Plato.• Atlantis supposedly sank into the sea

in “a single day and night of misfortune.”• Many view the story as nothing

more than a fable or myth.• Some modern scientists believe

that Atlantis is real.• The most prominent theories place

Atlantis somewhere in the Mediterranean, or in Europe and the Atlantic Ocean.

Treasure of AlaricTreasure of Alaric

• Alaric was king of the Visigoths during the 4th century. He is most famous for his sack of Rome in 410, which contributed to the fall of the Roman empire.

• After his death, he was buried under a riverbed in southern Italy, along with his vast wealth of treasure.

• No one knows, to this day, exactly where he is buried.

KusanagiKusanagi

• A legendary sword of Japanese mythology

• May have been removed from the imperial palace, stolen, or lost at sea

• Last seen in 1993

• Said to be housed at the Atsuta Shrine, but its existence cannot be confirmed

Genghis Khan’s TreasureGenghis Khan’s Treasure

• Modern archeologists have found what they believe to be Khara Khorum - the Palace of the Great Khan, capitol of the Mongol empire - buried in the Mongolian desert.

•

Holy GrailHoly Grail

• A religious relic

• Several literary references

• Supposed to be the cup used by Jesus during the Last Supper, though others interpret it to have a metaphorical meaning

• King Arthur’s quest

• Various churches claim to be in possession of the Holy Grail.

Knights Templar TreasureKnights Templar Treasure• A Christian military organization, sponsored by the

Catholic Church from 1119-1312• Supposed to have hidden a great treasure, to keep it

from falling into the wrong hands• Various organizations have tried to claim links to the

original Knights Templar. • Often associated with religious relics,

including the Holy Grail• Possible locations:

– The Holy Land– Somewhere in Europe – Northeastern United States– Nova Scotia

King John’s Crown JewelsKing John’s Crown Jewels

• Missing when the king was buried in 1216• Various theories as to what happened:

– Legend has it that the baggage train carrying King John’s treasures was lost in the Wash, while the king himself barely escaped.

– If that is the case, the jewels may have already been discovered.

– King John may have sold the crown jewels to pay off his debts.

– Or they may have been stolen…

El DoradoEl Dorado

• The legendary lost city of gold

• Attracted Spanish conquistadores and other explorers during the 16th century

• Modern explorers exhibit renewed interest

• Somewhere in Central or South America

• May be worth $10 billion!

El Dorado ShipwreckEl Dorado Shipwreck• In 1502, a fleet of 32 Spanish ships were caught in a

storm in the Mona Passage.• Twenty-seven ships were lost, among them the flagship

El Dorado, which is believed to contain a great treasure of gold and pearls.

• Since that time, much has been recovered from these shipwrecks, but there was no sign of El Dorado’s treasure. If these accounts are true, then two to three million dollars worth of gold and pearls still lies buried in the depths of the Mona Passage.

Montezuma’s GoldMontezuma’s Gold• Treasure of ancient Aztec civilization• Emperor Montezuma captured by the infamous

conquistador Hernan Cortes• Aztec people revolt, driving the Spaniards out• The Spanish re-take the city, but the treasure is nowhere

to be found.• Possible locations:

– Lake Tezcuco near Tenochtitlán (present-day Mexico City)– Casa Grande ruins or elsewhere in Arizona– The Grand Canyon near what is now Hoover Dam– White Mountain in Kanab, Utah– The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine– Guatemala

Flor De La MarFlor De La Mar

• A large Portuguese frigate• Carrying 60 tons of gold

and 200 chests filled with precious gems

• Sunk off the coast of Sumatra in 1511

• The ship has yet to be found.• An American treasure hunter, Robert Marx, says

“It's the richest vessel ever lost at sea.” He is said to have spent $20 million attempting to recover the treasure.

Treasure of Sir Francis DrakeTreasure of Sir Francis Drake

• An English privateer famous for circumnavigating the globe

• He also raided Spanish ships in the Caribbean.• In 1573, Drake and his crew attacked a richly

laden mule train and captured more treasure than they could carry.

• They may have buried the bulk of the treasure near the town of Nombre de Dios in Panama.

• Today, it is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

SantissimaSantissima ConceptionConception

• AKA “El Grande”

• Sailing from Central America to Spain, bearing gold, silver, emeralds, pearls, and other goods

• Shipwrecked off the Florida coast in 1683

• Its treasure has yet to be found.

The Ship in the DesertThe Ship in the Desert• Legend tells of an ancient ship buried in the California desert • Possibly a Spanish galleon, containing a fortune in pearls• The disappearance of Charley Clusker• Challenges:

– The whole region is covered in sand. – Most of the area is currently submerged under highly

polluted water. – Much of the adjacent land is

under military control and is used as a bombing range.

Salton SeaSalton Sea

Gulf of California

Colorado River

French Gold in Minerva, OhioFrench Gold in Minerva, Ohio

• In the 1760’s, French officials buried a ton of gold outside of Pittsburgh to prevent it from being taken by the British forces.

• The value of the treasure would be worth over $38 million today.

• Over the years, many have tried to locate the treasure, but it has yet to be found.

Captain Kidd’s TreasureCaptain Kidd’s Treasure• The only pirate known to have actually buried treasure• Treasure hunts take place among the islands off

New York, Connecticut, and Nova Scotia.• Quedagh Merchant found in 2007 in shallow waters off

the Dominican Republic

Blackbeard’s TreasureBlackbeard’s Treasure

NOT!

Oak Island Money PitOak Island Money Pit• A small island in Nova Scotia• Over 200 years of treasure hunting history• First discovered in 1795, by 18-year-old Daniel McGinnis• Now owned by Oak Island Tours Inc. • There has been wide-ranging speculation among

enthusiasts as to who originally dug the pit and what it might contain. Some of the prominent theories are:– Captain Kidd’s treasure– Naval treasure– Knights Templar treasure

• It could be a natural sinkhole that holds no treasure at all.

San MiguelSan Miguel

• Part of a Spanish treasure fleet that sank after leaving Cuba in 1715

• The San Miguel was a small, fast ship. • It may have been carrying a large portion of the

treasure. • It is thought to have

separated from the other ships before the storm hit.

• The ship and its treasure have yet to be found.

Orval AbbeyOrval Abbey

• Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette may have had one of their faithful servants hide their treasures at Orval Abbey in Belgium during the French Revolution.

• Orval Abbey is also linked to legends of the Knights Templar treasure.

• The Belgian government has denied permission for an archaeological excavation of the site.

The Beale CiphersThe Beale Ciphers• Three cipher texts, one of which describes

the location of a buried treasure of gold, silver and jewels

• Now estimated to be worth over $63 million• The treasure was buried by Thomas

Jefferson Beale in Bedford County, Virginia, in 1820.

• Beale entrusted the cipher texts to a local innkeeper named Robert Morriss.

• Moriss gave the cipher texts to a friend before he died.

• The three cipher texts were published in a pamphlet in 1885.• Since then, a number of attempts have been made to decode the two remaining cipher texts and to locate the treasure, but none have succeeded.

The San Saba TreasureThe San Saba Treasure

• Located at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas• The site of one of the most famous battles in American

history, during the Texas Revolution of 1836• Millions of dollars worth of gold and silver treasure were

brought to finance the war effort. • Thought to be buried under the historic well at the Alamo site • Historical researcher and fortune hunter Frank Buschbacher

is currently excavating the area. Several artifacts have been found, but so far there is no sign of any gold or silver treasure.

Treasure of LimaTreasure of Lima

• Stolen by Captain William Thompson, after he was entrusted to transport it from Peru to Mexico in 1820

• Treasure includes 113 gold statues (including a life-size Virgin Mary), 1,000 diamonds, 200 chests of jewels, swords with jeweled hilts, solid gold crowns, chalices, and hundreds of gold and silver bars

• Valued at around $260 million today• He is said to have stashed his plunder on Cocos Island,

an uninhabited island off the coast of Costa Rica.• This story may have been the inspiration for Robert

Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

Benito Bonito’s TreasureBenito Bonito’s Treasure

• Benito “Bloody Sword” Bonito was a legendary pirate.

• According to legend, he may have buried treasure on Cocos Island or hidden it in a cave near Queensland in Victoria, Australia.

• The treasure is valued at over $300 million today.

The Treasure of GasparillaThe Treasure of Gasparilla• Gasparilla was a legendary pirate. • He set up his headquarters on Gasparilla Island, on the west coast

of Florida, where he amassed a great treasure worth $30 million. • The legend started with Juan Gómez, who claimed to be a member

of Gasparilla’s crew. • A local hotel and railroad line used the story in its advertising

brochure in 1900, making the island a popular tourist destination.• Gasparilla’s treasure has never been found. • Tall tale or true story?

Singer’s TreasureSinger’s Treasure

• John Singer and his family settled on Padre Island after being shipwrecked there in 1847. There, they found a wooden chest, containing a fortune in gold coins and jewelry from lost Spanish galleons. They buried the $60,000-80,000 worth of treasure in a place they called “money hill.”

• During the Civil War, Singer sided with the Union and, fearing the Confederates, he and his family left the island for the mainland, where they felt it would be safer. After the War, Singer came back for his treasure but storms had changed the Island so much that he was never able to find it.

• To this day, treasure hunters still comb Padre Island, looking for Singer’s buried treasure.

Padre Island TreasurePadre Island Treasure

• May be the treasure of famous pirate Jean Lafitte• Over $500,000 worth of treasure• “Enough to ransom a nation”

Confederate GoldConfederate Gold

• Hidden cache of gold lost after the American Civil War

• Probably worth about $500,000

• Still unaccounted for…– The money may have been spent or distributed

among Confederate officers.– It may have been stolen, or it could still be hidden

somewhere in the South.

Tokugawa TreasureTokugawa Treasure

• Shoguns of the Tokugawa family ruled Japan for 264 years, from 1603 until 1867.

• When the balance of power shifted and the imperialist armies marched against him, the Shogun decided to hide his family’s wealth in Mt. Akagi.

• Descendants of the Tokugawa family search for the treasure today.

• The wealth – on the order of hundreds of millions of dollars – belongs to the people of Japan.

Tuamoto TreasureTuamoto Treasure• Originally from the church in Pisco, Peru• Treasure consists of 14 tons of gold, gems, and other

valuable items, estimated at $1.8 million• Stolen by a group of four Australian mercenaries in 1859 • Buried it in the Tuamotu Atolls in the South Pacific • 1913 Charles Howe’s expedition • 1932 George Hamilton takes over• Supposedly, the gold can be found in a pear-shaped

pool somewhere in the Tuamotu Atolls, presumably right where Howe left it.

Pitt Lake GoldPitt Lake Gold

• The story begins in 1858.• Evolution of the legend

– Natives found the gold first.– Later, white settlers discovered it.– Each person who found the gold became ill and died shortly

thereafter, but not before passing on information about the treasure’s location.

– Interviewer Jack Mahony contributed to the growth of the legend.

• Many people died, searching for the treasure.• The area is unlikely to hold great wealth in placer

deposits, as the legend claims. Nevertheless, people continue to search for the lost gold mine of Pitt Lake.

TheThe Lost Adams DiggingsLost Adams Diggings

• The legend dates back to the 1860’s

• A canyon rich in gold, somewhere in western New Mexico or in eastern Arizona

The Lost Dutchman MineThe Lost Dutchman Mine

• The legend dates back to 1870.

• Evolution of the story– Dr. Thorne & the Apache gold– The real Jacob Waltz– The soldiers’ lost mine

• Thought to be in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona, or elsewhere in the Southwest

The Treasure of the Far WestThe Treasure of the Far West• A lost shipment of gold buried near the Little Bighorn

battle site• In 1876, Captain Grant Marsh was in command of a

steamboat named the Far West. He was to follow the Bighorn River to the Little Bighorn, where he would then rendezvous with General Alfred H. Terry and resupply his troops. When news of Custer’s defeat reached Captain Marsh, he was told instead that he would be taking the wounded men back to Bismarck.

• The Far West was carrying gold at the time. It is unclear where the gold came from, but it was buried onshore, either to hide it from hostile natives, or to make room for more firewood to fuel the steamship on its return journey. Marsh returned to search for the gold, but was unsuccessful.

• Two possible sites where the treasure was buried:– ½ mile from the Yellowstone River– 15-20 miles from the mouth of the Little Bighorn

Fabergé EggsFabergé Eggs• Jeweled eggs created by Peter Carl Fabergé and his

company from 1885 to 1917• The most famous are the Imperial eggs, made for the

Russian Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II. • Sixty-five eggs are known to have been made, and 8 of

them are missing. • Of the eggs that are accounted for, most

are in Russia (15 of them belonging to collector Viktor Vekselberg). Others are in museums in the United States. A few are in Switzerland and the UK. Finally, some are in private collections.

• Where are the lost eggs?

Kruger MillionsKruger Millions

• South African president Paul Kruger took the gold from the bank and mines and hid it, in order to prevent it from being seized by the British during the Anglo-Boer war in 1900.

• Accounts vary as to the value of the treasure, but many believe it is the biggest undiscovered hoard of treasure in the world today, valued at $243 million.

• Supposedly, it is buried on a farm or hidden in a cave somewhere near the border of Machadodorp and Mozambique.

Barber DimesBarber Dimes

• Millions of coins were minted in 1907.

• Just over a dozen exist today.

• What happened to the rest?

• Supposedly, a large shipment was lost in the Black Canyon of Colorado.

• Worth over $3 million today

Irish Crown JewelsIrish Crown Jewels

• Stolen from Dublin Castle in 1907

• Probably lost forever

Pancho Villa’s TreasurePancho Villa’s Treasure

• Pancho Villa was a leader during the Mexican Revolution, in the early 1900’s.

• 122 silver bars said to be buried with one of his men, at an unmarked grave site

• The majority of his treasure may have been hidden in a cave in Mexico, or perhaps just north of the border.

Lasseter’s ReefLasseter’s Reef

• Discovered by Lewis Harold Bell Lasseter either in 1911 or in 1897

• Lasseter claimed to have found "a vast gold bearing reef in Central Australia."

• 1930 expedition• Lasseter’s companions question his sanity• Lasseter’s death• Is the treasure real? What do you think?

http://vimeo.com/41760330

Dutch Schultz’s SafeDutch Schultz’s Safe

• A New York City mobster hid his $7 million fortune in a safe somewhere in upstate New York.

• Thought to be in the Catskill Mountains

Leon Trabuco’s GoldLeon Trabuco’s Gold• Leon Trabuco bought up Mexico’s gold reserves to

resell in the US when the price went up. • With the help of pilot Red Mosier, Trabuco and his

men smuggled 16 tons of gold into the United States in 1933 and buried it near the Navajo Indian Reservation in New Mexico.

• The Gold Reserve Act of 1934 made the gold more valuable, but at the same time made the private ownership of gold illegal, so Trabuco could not sell the gold.

• Today, researcher Ed Foster believes he may have found the key to uncovering Trabuco’s treasure.

Victorio PeakVictorio Peak

• A network of tunnels in southern New Mexico, discovered by Doc Noss in 1937

• Said to contain gold, silver, and jewels worth $1.7 billion

• First attempt at excavation accidentally sealed off the entrance

• Then, the US Army took over.• There may still be treasure hidden deep within

the tunnels of Victorio Peak.

The Amber RoomThe Amber Room• An exquisite room decorated

with amber and gold leaf• Part of Catherine Palace in

Saint Petersburg, Russia• Originally built in the 18th

century• Looted by Nazis during WWII• Brought to a city in eastern

Germany• Then it was lost…• Reconstructed in 2003• What happened to the original

Amber Room?

The Royal CasketThe Royal Casket

• A large wooden casket containing 73 precious relics that once belonged to the Polish royal family

• Looted by Nazi soldiers during WWII

• Probably gone forever

Nazi PlunderNazi Plunder

• Treasure and artifacts looted during WWII• Gold was melted down and made into bullion, then

converted to currency.• It disappeared into the European banking system

– Swiss National Bank– The Vatican

• Counterfeit notes produced during Operation Bernhard were dumped into Lake Toplitz.

Nazi PlunderNazi Plunder

• One financial ledger listed the contents of a single cache with a total value of $37,000,000,000.

• $92,000,000 worth of treasure looted from the Hungarian National Bank

• Both treasures are thought to be hidden somewhere in Austria.

• Another story tells of a hoard of treasure worth $72,000,000 hidden in a cave in Italy.

Lue Treasure MapLue Treasure Map

• Created by a Nazi loyalist in the United States• Describes a cache containing 100 tons of gold

bullion, intended to crash the US economy• Possibly connected to the Knights Templar• The Nazis tried to recover the treasure, but

were unsuccessful.• Later, the CIA and the FBI were also

unsuccessful. The map was made public, but the treasure has yet to be found.

• It is thought to be in the southwestern United States, in Colorado or New Mexico.

Yamashita’s GoldYamashita’s Gold• Loot from Southeast Asia collected

by the Japanese during WWII • Named for General Tomoyuki Yamashita,

“The Tiger of Malaya”• Thought to be hidden in caves, tunnels and

underground complexes in the Philippines

Rogelio Rosas supposedly discovered the treasure in 1971, but the items he had collected were taken from him by the then president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, and his wife Imelda.

Awa Maru ShipwreckAwa Maru Shipwreck

• Japanese ocean liner used by the navy during WWII

• Sunk by a US submarine in 1945

• Thought to have carried $5 billion in treasure

• In 1980, the Chinese government attempted to recover the treasure, but there was none to be found.

• Either the treasure was never on board the ship, or it had already been delivered to Singapore, on its way to Thailand.

Rennes-le-ChâteauRennes-le-Château

• Parchments describing a ransom of 28,500,000 gold pieces, collected by the French crown

• The treasure was supposedly discovered by 19th century priest Bérenger Saunière.

• Inspired writers from the 1950’s to modern times• These stories generated public interest in the

village, which has since become a major tourist attraction.

Lufthansa HeistLufthansa Heist

• A robbery that took place at JFK international airport in New York City in 1978

• $6 million in cash and jewels stolen by Jimmy Burke and his gang

• The “bad guys” all died or went to jail.

• What happened to the loot?

Ivory CoastIvory Coast Crown JewelsCrown Jewels• Golden artifacts stolen from a museum during a

political conflict in 2011• These treasures are an important part of the

history of the Ivory Coast, valued at $6 million.• The crime was reported to INTERPOL, so the

items cannot be sold without being recognized. That means that they are in danger of being destroyed.

Fenn TreasureFenn Treasure• Created by collector Forest Fenn• Lockbox full of treasure,

containing gold nuggets, rare coins, jewelry and gemstones

• Value is estimated at $1 million or more

• Hidden in the Rocky Mountains north of Santa Fe

• He has written several books giving clues to his treasure.

• Many people have attempted to locate the treasure, and a few have become newsworthy.

http://www.today.com/news/want-find-his-hidden-treasure-worth-millions-head-outdoors-1C8576285

Planning Your Own ExpeditionPlanning Your Own Expedition

• Choose your treasure

• Estimate its value

• Target area for search

• List necessary equipment

• Calculate travel expenses

• Anticipate issues that may arise

• Prepare a funding proposal