©Arne Hodalic/Corbis via Getty Images
The ocean is a vast space that covers most of the globe. Long before airplanes were flying around the world, ships were the only way to travel. For many, taking a job on a vessel was like playing Russian Roulette – but it could be incredibly lucrative.
Not every schooner made it home, sinking to the bottom of the beautiful briny sea and taking all sorts of untold treasure along with it. However, lost treasures aren’t just limited to old-fashioned boats and pirates. There are billions in Nazi gold lying in a lake in the Alps if legends are to be believed, along with much more…

1. The Underwater Sphinx

Est. Value Today: $1.2 billion*
Year Disappeared: 2,500 Years Ago
Year Discovered: 2014
Divers made an astonishing discovery a few years ago off the coast of the Bahamas, when they found a large stone statue resembling the Great Sphinx of Egypt, a structure that would have cost over $1 billion to build. James Neilson, who was part of the research team that investigated the divers’ discovery, said that the team was “not absolutely certain” what the “discovery mean[t].”

Underwater Sphinx @National Geographic/Twitter.com
What Neilson’s team could determine was that the 3,000-pound basalt monument was of Egyptian origin. Neilson said that, though the Sphinx was eroded by corals and other life forms, the “nature of the mineral used” indicates that it came from Wadi Rahanu, an Egyptian quarry.  How it ended up underwater has yet to be determined.

2. The Heracleion

Est. Value Today: Priceless
Year Disappeared: 2nd Century B.C.
Year Discovered: 2000
It’s no secret that the map of the world has changed over the years. Cities that once stood on steady ground disappeared into the ocean thousands of years ago. Back in 2000, one such place was discovered in Egypt by Frank Goddio. It was the ancient city of Heracleion.

The Heracleion @trappparis / Twitter.com
As you might imagine, the city was a huge discovery for historians. Archaeologists were able to pull priceless artifacts from the depths, including pottery, coins, and bog-standard treasure like gold and jewels. It’s impossible to put a price on a discovery this big, as it impacts the very course of history.

3. Captain Kidd’s Treasure

Est. Value Today: $33,144* (Price of Silver Bar Found)
Year Disappeared: 1600s
Year Discovered: 2015
This treasure is so valuable that Hollywood actually made a movie about it. William Kidd was a fascinating individual. He started out his career in the 1600s as a Scottish sea captain. Then, he became a pirate-hunter. After that, he switched teams and became a pirate. In 1701, he was tried and hung in London for the crimes of piracy and murder after he captured an English-owned French ship as a prize.

Captain Kidd’s Treasure @ancientorigins/Pinterest
Kidd buried a lot of treasure throughout his career. In 2007, a pirate ship that he’d abandoned in the 1600s was found near the Dominican Republic. In 2015, Captain Kidd’s treasure, a long-sought-after hoard, was discovered off the Madagascar coast. The treasure included a massive, 121-pound bar of silver.

4. The Esmerelda

Est. Value Today: $100 million*
Year Disappeared: 1503
Year Discovered: 1998
With so many ships lying at the bottom of the ocean, bringing them back to the surface and properly identifying them is no small feat. Although the wreck of The Esmerelda was first found back in 1998, the ship wasn’t recovered until 2016.

The Esmerelda @christypenney / Pinterest
What discoverers found was more than impressive. Not only did the ship itself provide some very valuable artifacts like a bell, but a host of rare coins were also onboard. It’s thought that the entire shipwreck and its contents are worth over $100 million. That’s worth waiting 20 years for.

5. The Portofino Jesus

Est. Value Today: $90,000*
Year Disappeared: 1954
Year Discovered: N/A
The Portofino Jesus, also known as Christ of the Abyss, was discovered in the Mediterranean Sea between Portofino and Camogli. Interestingly, various casts of this same statue have been discovered across the world in various underwater locations, museums, and churches. The submerged bronze statue was created by sculptor Guido Galletti.

The Portofino Jesus ©Cristian Umili / Shutterstock
The original Portofino Jesus was intentionally placed in the sea in 1954. It was designed to honor Dario Gonzatti, the first Italian diver to use SCUBA gear. It was placed where Gonzatti died in 1947, and the nine-foot-tall statue depicts Jesus offering a benediction, with his hands and head raised skyward.

6. The Roman City of Neapolis

Est. Value Today: Unknown
Year Disappeared: 1,700 Years Ago
Year Discovered: 2010
Neapolis, an ancient Roman city, was washed away by a huge tsunami that took place 1,700 years ago. Though tsunamis are known for their destructive power, this one must have been really violent to destroy an entire metropolis in one fell swoop. Eleven years ago, an archaeological expedition rediscovered the lost city.

The Roman City of Neapolis @Independent / Pinterest
Neapolis yielded quite a few interesting finds, including monuments, streets, and one-hundred tanks used for making garum. Garum was a fermented fish sauce used by ancient Romans and Greeks as a popular condiment. Judging from this unique discovery, garum production must have been a huge part of the Neapolis economy.

7. The Punic War Artefacts

Est. Value Today: $3-$4 million*
Year Disappeared: 241 B.C.
Year Discovered: 2017
The Punic Wars, for those who aren’t history buffs, were three wars between 264 and 146 B.C. Rome and Carthage fought in these bloody battles, which were sparked because Rome wouldn’t stop expanding its empire. Carthage was destroyed in the end, and its entire population was enslaved.

The Punic War Artefacts @magistramichaud / Pinterest
Artefacts from the Punic Wars have been found scattered across battle sites, both on-land and in the sea. Most recently, an underwater treasure hunt unearthed a bronze lion helmet. The helmet dates back to 241 B.C., and marine archaeologists found this undersea treasure off the coast of Sicily. The helmet is thought to have belonged to a personal bodyguard of the Roman Emperor.

8. The Whydah Galley

Est. Value Today: $120 million*
Year Disappeared: 1717
Year Discovered: 1984
The Whydah Galley crew likely never thought they would be captured by pirates on their maiden voyage, although it was a very real threat in those times. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened. Captain Black Sam got his comeuppance when the Whydah sank in 1717 when it encountered bad weather.

The Whydah Galley @atlasobscura / Pinterest
All the treasure in the hold sank with the ship to the bottom of the briny sea. It may sound like something from Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean, but this is all 100% real. The ship was found in 1984 and is said to be worth a total of $120 million thanks to the assets she was carrying.

9. The Portuguese Underwater Pyramid

Est. Value Today: Unknown
Year Disappeared: Last Ice Age (Maybe)
Year Discovered: 2021
This mysterious pyramid, which some are called the “sunken Atlantis pyramid,” is one of the more unusual undersea treasures on this list. The Portuguese Pyramid is 197 feet tall, with a base of 86,111 square feet. The massive structure was discovered by someone sailing off the coast of the Azores Islands of Portugal.

The Portuguese Underwater Pyramid @Jonathan Hutchins / Facebook.com
The sailor had been looking for good fishing grounds, but, instead, he found a huge pyramid. The Portuguese Navy was called to investigate. The current theory is that it was built before the last Ice Age in the northern hemisphere. When the glaciers melted, the pyramid was covered. As more exploration and research is conducted, there will likely be new discoveries about this strange structure.

10. The Antikythera Wreck

Est. Value Today: Priceless
Year Disappeared: Second century B.C.
Year Discovered: 1900
While finding gold is all well and good, it’s not very often that explorers can say they’ve found what could be the world’s first analog computer. This monumental discovery first made the news all the way back in 1900. To this day, no one is entirely sure what the Ancient Greek device actually does.

The Antikythera Wreck @DiscoveryCenter / Twitter.com
There are plenty of theories, including the idea that it’s made to track the sun and the moon. The mechanism itself was part of a much bigger haul from The Antikythera wreck. Tons of interesting items were found, from bronze sculptures to ceramics and everything in between. Everyone from YouTubers to documentary makers are fascinated by the entire discovery.

11. The Belitung Shipwreck

Est. Value Today: $32 million*
Year Disappeared: 9th century
Year Discovered: 1998
The more years that pass, the less likely it is that shipwrecks will be found. Or, that’s what popular belief dictates. However, there have been many cases of centuries-old vessels being discovered. Case and point: The Belitung. This incredible find hit headlines in 1998.

The Belitung Shipwreck @OnThisDayArEn / Twitter.com
The 9th-century ship sank while on a trade mission between China and the Middle East. While there wasn’t a hold full of gold, the artifacts on board were still very notable, including tons of items dating back to the Chinese Tang Dynasty that came in at a value of over $32 million.

12. The 1715 Treasure Fleet

Est. Value Today: $400 million*
Year Disappeared: 1715
Year Discovered: Various
When one ship sinks it’s bad enough, but when an entire treasure-carrying fleet sinks? There would have been a lot of cussing that day. Back in 1715, an entire Spanish fleet of almost a dozen ships sailed straight into a hurricane near Florida.

The 1715 Treasure Fleet @wikiplacemarks / Twitter.com
As you might have guessed, the treasure and the ships were lost. Florida residents have been benefiting from this tragedy for years as remnants of the forgotten gold have been known to wash up on the shores. Although some of the treasure has been recovered, it’s thought that around $200 million is still laying in the depths.

13. The North Carolina

Est. Value Today: Millions
Year Disappeared: 1840
Year Discovered: 2019
The North Carolina sank to the depths in 1840, but it wasn’t just any old steamship. It was loaded with gold. While the wreck itself was found earlier, in 2019 divers to the site started to find gold coins that were worth tens of millions of dollars.

The North Carolina @sharonwwalden / Twitter.com
It was such a shock to everyone involved that it made headline news. At the time of the ship’s sinking, one passenger alone claimed he lost $15,000. At the time, that was a considerable amount in today’s money. The wreck continues to be a point of interest to many keen divers, for obvious reasons.

14. The San Miguel

Est. Value Today: Millions (Exact Amt. Unknown)
Year Disappeared: 1551
Year Discovered: Still undiscovered
There are many different treasures that have been lost at sea over the years, but few are quite so fascinating as the wreck of The San Miguel. The famous vessel was carrying tons of Inca and Aztec treasures from Mexico to different territories when it encountered trouble and sank in 1551.

The San Miguel @panicdatabase / Pinterest
While the crew managed to escape the sinking vessel and survive, the cargo of treasure was lost to the murky depths of the ocean. To this day, The San Miguel has never been found, although plenty of divers have searched the waters near Santo Domingo. If it’s ever discovered, the lucky finder could become as rich as Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.

15. The Lake Toplitz Gold

Est. Value Today: $5.6 billion*
Year Disappeared: WW2
Year Discovered: Undiscovered
It goes without saying that World War 2 was a tumultuous time for many countries. The Nazi’s not only invaded countries, but they also took treasures from cities and towns alike. Rumor has it that they even dumped over $5.6 billion in stolen gold into Lake Toplitz in the Alps in the ‘40s, planning on returning to it at a later date.

The Lake Toplitz Gold ©Everett Collectiont / Shutterstock
But, as we all know, they didn’t win the war and supposedly, the treasure remained there. Needless to say, countless divers have tried to locate the gold, but because of the 300-feet-deep waters which are also lined with layers of logs, nothing has been found. Yet.