The 15 Most Valuable Shipwreck Treasure Hauls Ever Recorded

The lure of sunken treasure is captivating. The mystery of finding long-lost jewels, coins, and artifacts at the bottom of the ocean can be very alluring. Sunken ships also offer us a window into the past and a connection with the people, and the artifacts they left behind, from long ago.

There is also a big business behind treasure hunting in the open sea. Ocean explorers are often funded by investors in their hunt for valuable treasure. And when they get lucky and strike it big, the reward can be in the billions. It’s been estimated there are currently billions of dollars of sunken treasure sitting on the ocean floor today, just waiting to be discovered. 

From the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and beyond, we’ve rounded up some of the most valuable shipwrecks that have been found as of today. Click the gallery above to see 15 of the most valuable shipwreck hauls ever recorded.

15. Igara

• Value: $25 million 
• Year Found: 2005
• Year Sunk: 1973
• Location: East coast of Malaysia

The Igara was loaded with Brazilian iron ore when it sank off the coast of Malaysia.

14. 1715 Treasure Fleet

• Value: $50 million
• Year Found: 1965 – present day
• Year Sunk: 1715
• Location: Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida

Decades later, hunters continue to find gold at the site of the 1715 Treasure Fleet.

13. SS City of Cairo

• Value: $50 million
• Year Found: 2011
• Year Sunk: 1942
• Location: Southern Atlantic Ocean

The British ship, SS City of Cairo, was sunk by a German torpedo during World War II as it carried 100 tons worth of silver rupees from India to Britain to help fund the war effort.

12. Belitung

• Value: $80 million
• Year Found: 1998
• Year Sunk: 9th Century AD
• Location: Java Sea off the coast of the Belitung Island, Indonesia

This ancient shipwreck provided evidence that trading existed between the Middle East and China during the 9th century.

11. Antikythera

• Value: $120 to $160 million
• Year Found: 1900
• Year Sunk: First-century B.C.E.
• Location: Aegean Sea

The ancient Antikythera shipwreck’s most famous artifact recovered is the Antikythera mechanism, otherwise known as the world’s first computer.

10. SS Republic

• Value: $150 million
• Year Found: 2003
• Year Sunk: 1865
• Location: Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Georgia

The paddle wheel steamship was carrying 20,000 gold coins when it sunk in a hurrican to help the recovery efforts after the Civil War.

9. Queen Anne’s Revenge

• Value: $142 million 
• Year Found: 1996
• Year Sunk: 1718
• Location: Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Carolina

The Queen Anne’s Revenge was the ship of the infamous pirate Blackbeard.

8. Titanic

• Value: $190 – $200 million
• Year Found: 1985
• Year Sunk: 1912
• Location: North Atlantic Ocean

The most famous of all shipwrecks, the Titanic was carrying 1,500 passengers and crew members, in addition to gold, diamonds, silver, and other expensive artifacts.

7. SS Gairsoppa (The British Treasury Ship)

• Value: $210 million
• Year Found: 
• Year Sunk: 1941
• Location: Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland

The SS Gairsoppa sunk when hit by a torpedo from a German U-boat during World War II. It was carrying 110 tons of silver bars and 1,765 tons of tea.

6. SS Central America

• Value: $300 million
• Year Found: 1988
• Year Sunk: 1857
• Location: Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the Carolinas

The SS Central America, also known as the Ship of Gold, sank in a hurricane while carrying 15 tons of gold on its way to New York City.

5. Whydah Gally

• Value: $400 million
• Year Found: 1984
• Year Sunk: 1724
• Location: Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Cape Cod

The Whydah Gally was a pirate ship captained by the infamous pirate Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy. While carrying a treasure trove of pirate’s booty, the ship went down during a severe nor’easter in New England.

4. Nuestra Señora de Atocha

• Value: $400 million
• Year Found: 1985
• Year Sunk: 1622
• Location: Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of the Florida Keys

The Nuestra Señora de Atocha was wrecked in a hurricane on the way from Cuba to Spain. The ship was carrying gold and emeralds.

3. Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes (Black Swan)

• Value: $500 million
• Year Found: 2007
• Year Sunk: 1804
• Location: Off the coast of Portugal

The Black Swan was a Spanish ship carrying gold and silver from South America. It was sunk in 1804 during a battle with the British.

2. Salcombe Shipwrecks

• Value: $800 million
• Year Found: 1977
• Year Sunk: 1000 B.C.
• Location: Atlantic Ocean near Devon, United Kingdom

The Salcombe Shipwrecks are three wrecks with ships dating back to the Bronze Age.

1. San José

• Value: $17 billion
• Year Found: 2015
• Year Sunk: 1708
• Location: Caribbean Sea near Cartagena, Colombia

The San José shipwreck, discovered by the Colombian navy in 2015, was carrying a fortune in silver, gold, and emeralds.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/TonyBaggett