10 lost treasures around the world humanity still hopes to find

If you were asked about your most priceless possession, what’s the first thing that pops into mind? And what would you do to protect it? Since time immemorial, pirates and princes, captains and mysterious men have acquired wealth and done the impossible to defend it. So much so that from treasure chests to gold-filled trains, some riches were hidden so well that they have vanished to this day. Let’s find out about 10 of the most unbelievable lost treasures around the world and try to imagine what we’d do if we found them.

The Amber Room, often called "The Eighth Wonder of the World", was an 18th-century opulent chamber made of six amber panels, gold leaf, and mirrors. It was commissioned in 1701 for Prussia’s King Frederick, and later gifted to Russia’s Tsar Peter the Great in 1716.

It was then installed in the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, Russia, until it was dismantled by German troops in just 36 hours in 1941 and moved to Königsberg Castle in East Prussia. Since 1945, amid Allied bombings, the Amber Room has disappeared without a trace, believed to have either been burned, buried, or sunk in the Baltic Sea.

It’s an armored 150-meter-long convoy rumored to be filled with 300 tons of gold, jewels, and stolen art. Allegedly, it vanished in May 1945 inside a secret network of unfinished tunnels in the Owl Mountains, near Walbrzych, Poland, as German forces fled the advancing Soviet Army.

Explorers and treasure hunters have launched many high-profile searches using groundbreaking technology to locate the train, but nothing has ever been found.

The Flor de la Mar ("Flower of the Sea") is a legendary Portuguese ship that sank in November of 1511, on its return from conquering a wealthy hub, now known as Malaysia. With it, an immense fortune estimated at $2.6 billion sank to the bottom of the ocean and was never recovered, making it one of the richest shipwrecks in history.

Over the centuries, countless marine salvage companies have attempted to recover the treasure, although political disputes over salvage rights between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Portugal have continuously interrupted such expeditions.

The Treasure of Lima is a massive fortune of gold, silver, and jewels (including a life-size solid gold statue of the Virgin Mary), valued at up to $208 million and missing since 1820.

It was stolen by British Captain William Thompson, who had originally been tasked with protecting the Spanish treasures and allegedly buried them on Cocos Island off Costa Rica, never to be seen again. When captured, he agreed to lead the Spanish forces to the gold, but instead escaped with his first mate into the thick jungle and vanished forever.

The infamous pirate Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard, left behind a treasure no one has ever found. He terrorized the Atlantic Coast and the Caribbean, capturing numerous ships and stealing gold, silver, and valuable goods from them.

Modern estimates suggest that his riches would be worth $150 million. Before his death in November 1718, he claimed his wealth was hidden where "nobody knows but me and the Devil."

The Oak Island Money Pit is a centuries-old mystery of buried treasure filled with traps and tunnels, located in Nova Scotia, Canada. It began in 1796 when teenager Daniel McGinnis found a circular depression under a tree and started digging with friends.

As they dug, they began to find oak logs 10 feet down, pointing to a man-made shaft, but water from a storm later flooded the pit. Rumors suggest there is a vault with pirate gold from Captain Kidd, Spanish artifacts, or Marie Antoinette's jewels, as searchers have found tropical coconut fibers and fragments of gold chain there; skeptics suggest it might’ve just been a natural sinkhole all along.

Of the 50 Imperial Fabergé Easter eggs created for the Russian royal family, up to eight remain unaccounted for. Notable missing pieces include the "Nécessaire Egg" (1889), the "Cherub with Chariot" (1888), and the "Hen with Sapphire Pendant" (1886).

While many were lost or stolen during the 1917 Russian Revolution, miraculous findings, such as the "Third Imperial Egg" recovered at a U.S. flea market after a century-long disappearance, keep collectors' hopes alive.

The Honjō Masamune Sword is a priceless Japanese samurai weapon that was lost after World War II. It is considered one of the finest blades ever forged by the master swordsmith Gorō Nyūdō Masamune, and remains a priceless cultural symbol of power.

Designated an official Japanese National Treasure in 1939, many experts remain hopeful it might appear in a private collection or attic.

The Beale Ciphers Treasure is a renowned unrecovered fortune of gold, silver, and jewels, with an estimated value of over $65 million.

In 1820, a mysterious man named Thomas J. Beale checked into a hotel in Lynchburg, Virginia, and left a locked iron box with an innkeeper, alongside three encoded messages. If cracked, they supposedly reveal the hidden fortune. For now, only one has been decoded. Some experts allege the entire mystery is a hoax, while others continue to try to decipher the codes to this day.

The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine is a famous, undiscovered gold deposit, said to be hidden somewhere near Apache Junction, in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains.

Legend claims it was found by Jacob Waltz, a German immigrant (misidentified as Dutch due to the old use of the term "Deutsch"), who settled in Arizona in the 19th century and supposedly kept its location secret before dying in 1891, except for the verbal hints he allegedly gave to his neighbor Julia Thomas, sparking modern treasure hunting to this day.

Let’s revive them!

Once lost, now found: These 12 forgotten words deserve a revival

Image: Nick Fewings

Since language is constantly evolving and changing, over the years, some truly amazing words have vanished from common use, even though they perfectly describe things we still experience today. Why should we settle for dull modern terms when we could revive these gems? Let’s take a trip through time and rediscover some unusual, long-lost words that are just begging to be used again. You might just find a new favorite!

Image: Omar Lopez

Forget "tipsy" or "sloshed." If you’ve ever seen someone having the time of their life after a few too many drinks, they were rouzy-bouzy.

This 17th-century word describes the kind of lively, uninhibited intoxication that leads to off-key karaoke and questionable dance moves. It comes from an old Dutch word for "boozy," making it a natural fit for those who enjoy a drink every other night. Unlike some less flattering terms for drunkenness, rouzy-bouzy sounds almost celebratory!

Image: Cytonn Photography

No, this isn’t someone with equal skill in both hands. An ambodexter is a person who takes bribes from both sides of an argument. First recorded in the 16th century, this word was a favorite in legal and political circles when describing particularly shady characters.

Today, we would call them "double-crossers" or "sellouts," but doesn’t ambodexter have a more dramatic twist?

Image: Nguyễn Phúc

The next time someone lowers their voice and starts whispering like they’re part of some great conspiracy, you can accuse them of engaging in hugger-mugger.

This term, which dates back to the 16th century, originally referred to secrecy and confusion, perfect for any sneaky dealings or hushed gossip sessions. Now, those who do it might be conspiring against something, but the world sounds quite playful!

Image: Apostolos Vamvouras

Have you ever met someone who applies their makeup with a trowel? Congratulations! You’ve witnessed pargeting in action. This word, which originally referred to decorative plasterwork in architecture, was later used to describe the act of overdoing your makeup.

In an age of contouring and airbrushing, perhaps we should bring back parget, right? A little mascara is fine, but when someone spends three hours sculpting their cheekbones, well… they’re definitely pargetting.

Image: Christin Hume

If someone offers you miracle cures that seem too good to be true, they’re a quacksalver. This wonderfully old-fashioned insult referred to fraudulent healers who claimed to have secret remedies for all ailments.

The word itself combines "quack" (as in a fake doctor) with "salve," a reference to their dubious balms and lotions. While modern medicine has come a long way, quacksalvers are still around today, so watch out and start spreading the word!

Image: Redd Francisco

A percher is someone who’s always trying to climb the social or professional ladder, often with a little too much enthusiasm. The term, which dates back to the 16th century, originally referred to birds perching on higher branches, that’s where its association with people reaching for higher status comes from.

We all know a percher: the one who name-drops important people, angles for promotions, or suddenly becomes best friends with whoever’s in charge. While ambition isn’t a bad thing, there’s a fine line between working hard and perching a little too aggressively!

Image: Afif Ramdhasuma

We’ve all experienced being so shocked or overwhelmed that we couldn’t even form a sentence. If you have, you were awhaped.

This medieval word describes that feeling you get when something absolutely astonishing happens. Originally used for moments that were too terrifying, the word has also been used to describe the kind of surprise that happy moments bring. Awhape is the perfect way to sum up that moment of pure, speechless amazement.

Image: Ruslan Valeev

Back in the days of Old English, if the skies darkened or someone’s mood suddenly changed, people would say things had swerked. This moody little word describes that exact moment when things go from bright and cheerful to stormy and brooding. Considering how many people feel a little swerk when Monday rolls around, this word is just begging for a comeback!

Image: Stefano Pollio

Some things are just downright tremblable, that is, so terrifying, they make you shudder. This long-lost word, which means "causing dread or horror," was once used to describe anything spine-chilling or awe-inspiring.

Picture haunted houses, ghost stories, or even your doctor’s bill, truly tremblable things. It’s got a poetic ring to it, much more dramatic than just calling something "scary." And necessary too, the modern world is a tremblable one, right?

Image: Ben White

A rouker is the kind of person who thrives on hushed conversations and spreading juicy tidbits of information. This word, which dates back to at least the 14th century, refers to someone who whispers or murmurs—often with the intent of stirring up trouble.

We all know a rouker or two, whether it’s that one neighbor who always "just happens" to know everyone’s business or the coworker who mysteriously knows about every office romance. And let’s face it, we’ve all been one at some point!