21 JUNE, 2023
Ayaan Paul Chowdhury
Photo: Getty Images
Searches are underway for the missing submersible en route to the Titanic wreck - a treasure trove of history that has attracted the attention of many.
Photo: Getty Images
In the meantime, we explore the depths of maritime history and unimaginable wealth with this list of the world's most valuable sunken ships and shipwrecks.
Discovered in 1900 off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera, the wreckage contained ancient Greek artifacts, including the remarkable Antikythera Mechanism, and is valued at $160 million.
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The British cargo ship sunk by a German U-boat during World War II has an estimated worth of $210 million. It went down in the North Atlantic Ocean and contained a precious cargo of silver bars.
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The tragic sinking of the Titanic in 1912 captivates the world's imagination. Valued at $218 million, the ship's wreckage lies at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, carrying with it a wealth of artifacts and belongings.
Photo: California Gold Marketing Group
Sinking during a hurricane in 1857, the American steamship carries an estimated value of $300 million, loaded with gold and personal wealth from the California Gold Rush.
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The notorious pirate ship captained by Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy sunk in 1717 off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It is valued at $400 million due to its valuable cargo of treasure and artifacts.
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Worth around $400 million, the Spanish galleon sank in 1622 near the Florida Keys. Recovered treasure from the wreck includes gold, silver, emeralds, and other artifacts, making it a renowned shipwreck.
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With a worth of $1 billion, the Portuguese ship met its fate in 1622 off the coast of Brazil. It carried an impressive cargo of diamonds, gold, silver, and other precious materials destined for Portugal.
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Sinking in 1641, the English ship has an estimated value of $1.5 billion and went down off the coast of Cornwall carrying a cargo of gold, silver, and other valuable commodities from the New World.
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Valued at $2.6 billion, the Portuguese ship sank in 1511 near Sumatra, Indonesia, laden with immense riches from the conquest of Malacca, including gold, silver, precious gems, and thousands of artifacts.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
With an estimated value of $20 billion, the Spanish galleon is one of the most valuable sunken ships ever discovered that sank in 1708 during a battle off the coast of Colombia, carrying a vast treasure of gold, silver, and emeralds.