Name |
Existence |
Year lost |
Image |
Description |
Kusanagi |
Legend |
1185 !1185 |
Artist's depiction |
A sword and one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan that legitimize the rule of the Emperor. Lost at sea in the Battle of Dan-no-ura in the Genpei War.[1] Current government claims possession, but has not permitted outside verification. |
La Noche Triste treasure |
Legend |
1520 !1520 |
— |
Gold artwork looted from the palace of Moctezuma II. Occurred during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.[2] |
Oak Island money pit |
Legend |
1795 !1795 |
| |
A possible treasure trove located in a large hole on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada.[3][4] |
Polish Crown Jewels |
Confirmed |
1795 !1795 |
Replicas |
Polish crown regalia consisting of several crowns, sceptres, orbs, swords and jewels. Looted by the Germans after the Third Partition of Poland and destroyed on the order of Frederick William III of Prussia in March 1809.[5] |
Treasure of Lima |
Legend |
1820 !1820 |
— |
Gold, silver and jewellery stolen from the Spanish in 1820. The treasure is thought to be buried on Cocos Island in Costa Rica and it is estimated to be worth £160 million.[6] |
Benito's treasure |
Legend |
1821 !1821 |
— |
Pirate loot of Benito Bonito, estimated value US$300 million. Accounts vary: buried in area of present-day Melbourne or Queenscliff, Australia; or on Cocos Island. |
Confederate gold |
Legend |
1865 !circa 1865 |
— |
Gold. Lost after the American Civil War. |
Tokugawa's buried treasure |
Legend |
1868 !circa 1868 |
— |
A legendary treasure allegedly buried in Mt. Akagi by Tokugawa shogunate (disputed). |
Irish Crown Jewels |
Confirmed |
1907 !1907 |
The Crown Jewels |
Heavily jewelled insignia of the Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick. Stolen from Dublin Castle. |
Florentine Diamond |
Confirmed |
1914 !1914 |
Copy of the diamond |
Lost yellow diamond with Indian origin. |
Eight lost Imperial Fabergé eggs |
Confirmed |
1922 !1922 or later |
The Alexander III Commemorative egg |
|
The Just Judges |
Confirmed |
1934 !1934 |
Replica |
Lower left panel of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, which was displayed at the Saint Bavo Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium, was stolen during the night of 10 April 1934. |
Royal Casket |
Confirmed |
1939 !1939 |
The Royal Casket |
Memorial containing 73 precious relics[7] that had once belonged to Polish royalty. Looted during World War II. |
Peking Man |
Confirmed |
1941 !1941–1945 |
Replica |
Fossil remains of Homo erectus pekinensis; dated ~500,000 years old. Lost during World War II: in China in 1941 or may have been on the Awa Maru when it sank in 1945.[8] |
Amber Room |
Confirmed |
1945 !circa 1945 |
Reconstruction |
Removed from Catherine Palace, Saint Petersburg, by Germans during World War II and transported to Germany. Estimated (adjusted) value: $142 million.[9] |
Yamashita's gold |
Legend |
1945 !circa 1945 |
— |
War loot stolen by Japanese and hidden in the Philippines. Alleged. Named for General Tomoyuki Yamashita. |
Awa Maru treasure |
Legend |
1945 !1945 |
|
Gold, platinum, and diamonds worth more than $5 billion. Alleged. It was lost when the Japanese ship Awa Maru was hit by a torpedo and sank in April 1945.[10] |
Patiala Necklace |
Confirmed |
1948 !circa 1948 |
The Patiala Necklace |
A necklace containing 2,930 diamonds including the world's seventh largest diamond, the 428 carat "De Beers". Some diamonds later recovered. Made by the House of Cartier in 1928 for Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, then ruling Maharaja of Patiala. |
Tucker's Cross |
Confirmed |
1975 !1975 |
— |
Tucker's Cross stolen from museum.[11] |
Lufthansa heist |
Confirmed |
1978 !1978 |
— |
Cash and jewels from a robbery at Lufthansa's cargo terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport in December 1978. With a value of about $5 million, it was the largest cash robbery in the United States at the time.[12][13] |
Antwerp Diamond heist |
Confirmed |
2003 !2003 |
— |
Diamonds, gold and other jewels worth $189 million. Dubbed the "heist of the century".[14] |
Graff Diamonds robbery |
Confirmed |
2009 !2009 |
— |
43 items of jewelery, stolen in London on 6 August 2009. Valued at nearly £40 million.[15] |
Ivory Coast Crown Jewels |
Confirmed |
2011 !2011 |
— |
Gold pendants, necklaces and bracelets worth $6 million.[16] |
Brussels Airport diamond heist |
Confirmed |
2013 !2013 |
— |
Diamonds stolen from airplane at Brussels Airport valued at $50 million.[17] |