11 Astonishing Underwater Treasures That Made Fortunes and Defy Belief

6. The Esmeralda

The Esmeralda: Relic of the Age of Exploration Estimated Value: $100 million* Year Lost: 1503 Year Found: 2008 The Esmeralda, a ship from Vasco da Gama’s fleet, is the oldest known shipwreck from the European Age of Exploration. Lost in a violent storm in the Arabian Sea in 1503, its remains were hidden for centuries until their discovery in 2008.

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The Esmeralda Shipwreck: A Historic Discovery First identified in 1998, excavation began in the early 2000s. Artifacts included rare coins, a ship’s bell, and a mariner’s astrolabe believed to be the oldest of its kind, dating back to the late 1300s.