10 Unclaimed Treasures That Would Make You Filthy Rich

2. Treasure Of The Flor De La Mar

Modern Value: $2.6 Billion As far as ships with history go, the Flor de la Mar is a very strong example. The ship had travelled the world before it sank in 1511. At 400 tons, it was one of the largest Portuguese carracks built during the Portuguese age of seafaring. It was involved in the battle of Diu, the conquering of Goa and the capture of Malacca as Portugal extended her empire into the orient. The ships captain Alfonso de Albuquerque was a renowned seaman and able leader, and his ship was loaded with huge amounts of plundered treasure and war spoils from Malacca, as well as tributes to prevent war from the King Of Siam. Contemporary sources indicate that it was the largest amount of treasure ever assembled in the entire history of the Portuguese navy. She set off for Portugal, with four companion ships in the middle of 1511, but was caught in a storm near the Straits of Malacca. On the 20th of November, she sank on the reefs near Sumatra. The ship was torn in two by the storm and many young slaves drowned, along with all of the treasure aboard being lost. Captain Alfonso was rescued, however. Due to the inaccuracy of Portuguese maps of the oriental region, the location of the ship wasn't certain as she sank, and her two halfs may have drifted apart somewhat in the five hundred years since the sinking. To this day, not a single gold coin has been recovered from the wreck and the location is still unknown. The gold she carried alone is worth $2.6 Billion. When combined with the rest of the treasure left aboard as she sank, the wreck is not only historically priceless, but it may very well be literally priceless. However, estimates are not so enraptured by the marvel, and so very rough estimates of between $5-10 Billion has been made.