10. Dry Tortugas Shipwreck
Estimated current value: billions of dollars* Disappeared in 1622; discovered in 1989
The Dry Tortugas, also referred to as the “ship trap,” was a well-known maritime route in the 1800s. This was due to the fact that as ship traffic in the canal rose, so did the powerful currents and hurricanes, which caused numerous ships to be lost to the wreckage. The number of documented shipwrecks in the area is estimated to be around 250 now, which makes the local salvage business rather prosperous.
Shipwreck of the Dry Tortugas | Passagemaker.com
Archaeologists consider the wreckage found there in 1989 to be the remains of Buen Jesus y Nuestra Senora del Rosario, one of the ships from the fleets of Atocha and Santa Margarita, which were intended to transport wealth from the New World to Spain. This debris contained several priceless artifacts that were excavated, including gold coins, ceramic pieces, and pearls.
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