Shipwrecks With Valuable Cargo
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Shipwrecks are a topic of fascination for many historians and lovers of the sea. In fact, people are so intrigued by shipwrecks that they'll travel to the ocean floor in submarines to visit these shipwrecks. Whilst they can't be retrieved, the collective dollar value of the all the ships on the ocean floor is in the billions.
Ancient Sunken Treasure Chests
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It's not just ships that have been found at the bottom of the ocean. Ancient, ornate chests have been found by lucky divers. Often time they are encrusted with jewels and filled with precious artifacts, all of which have historical value that museums will pay big bucks for.
Historical Artifacts
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Humans have been around for literally hundreds of thousands of years, and during that time there have been a many great civilizations. These civilizations left traces of their history to be found, and plenty of their artifacts have been found at the bottom of the ocean.
Rare Coins
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Plenty of people love collecting rare items, and a coin collection is one of the most popular. People collect coins that range from modern all the way back to Ancient Greek times, and they can be worth a pretty penny. In fact, the rarest coins in the world sell for literally millions of dollars.
Gold Bars
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Gold has, and will always be, the world's most expensive precious metal. Wars have been fought over it and, as of today, even an ounce of gold is worth thousands. It's no surprise that people have found gold beneath the waves, sold it and made an absolute fortune.
Antique Jewelry
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The jewelry industry is worth literally billions of dollars, so it's no surprise that antique jewelry is worth a lot of money. It's worth even more if it has been lost and then found years later. Many divers and underwater explorers have come across lost and ancient jewelry when they're at the ocean floor.
Diamonds And Gemstones
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Diamonds are the single most expensive stones in the world, mainly based on their rarity and beauty. Even small diamond rings will sell for thousands of bucks, let alone a massive stone. The Titanic hosted some of the the world's richest people, so it's no surprise that diamonds were found near the wreckage.
Fine China
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Sunken ships often carried fine china and porcelain with them, especially if they were hosting incredibly rich passengers. Delicate teacups, ornate vases, and exquisite dinnerware have all been found on the ocean floor near shipwrecks by divers and explorers.
Historical Weapons And Armor
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Whilst there are plenty of luxury items that lie on the ocean floor, there are also relics of from old warfare. Back in the day, battles took place at sea, with ships firing cannons at each other and boarding enemy ships to fight with sword and shield.
Nautical Navigation Instruments
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Navigating the seas in the past required precision and expertise. Sunken ships reveal a treasure trove of nautical navigation instruments, such as compasses, sextants, and astrolabes. Modern ships have advanced navigation systems, but the old systems are show how innovative explorers of the past were.
Ship Parts And Equipment
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The last thing you'd want to lose from your pirate ship would be the steering wheel, right? Plenty of old ship parts from wrecks have been found at the bottom of the ocean, including massive steering wheels from old battleships and pirate ships - perfect for nautical museums!
Antique Bottles And Glassware
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We've all been on the beach and secretly wished that we find a washed up message in a bottle. Believe it or not, ancient bottles, from ships and towns, are found all the time. Whether washed up on beach or found stuck in the sand below the waves, these bottles can be worth a lot of cash.
Submerged Art And Sculptures
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Imagine swimming out into the ocean with your snorkelling equipment, putting your head under water and seeing a massive, ancient sculpture. Surprised? Probably, but there's actually a great number of sculptures that stand on the ocean floor that you can dive down and visit.
Lost Or Sunken Submarines
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Below the waves, lost or sunken submarines bear witness to the perils and mysteries of the deep. These once-secret vessels now lie as silent memorials to naval history. The stories of their crews and missions remain hidden in the ocean's embrace, waiting to be uncovered.
Classic Cars
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These cars are often found close by to the shore, where people have driven their cars into the ocean, whether it be intentionally or not. However, there have been some cars found much further out to sea - how on earth did they even make it that far? Pretty freaky!
WWII Aircraft Wrecks
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It's not just ships that have made their way to the deepest parts of the ocean, many fighter planes are among them. World War II saw plenty of sky battles above the seas, which ultimately led to planes being shot down and crashing into the ocean. The remains of these planes can still be seen today.
Underwater Archaeological Finds
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Marine archaeologists unearth the wonders of ancient civilizations from beneath the sea. These underwater archaeological finds, from sunken temples to ancient shipwrecks, reveal insights into the past that history books cannot provide. They remind us of the vast depths of human history.
Salvaged Ship Propellers And Engines
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Salvage operations often yield impressive treasures. Once vital to maritime vessels, ship propellers, and engines rest on the ocean floor. These salvaged pieces of marine machinery symbolize the tenacity of human innovation and the cycle of creation and reclamation.
Antique Timepieces
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People pay a lot of money for vintage watches; hundred-year-old Patek Philippe watches will literally sell for millions of dollars. There are plenty of timepieces and pocket watches from hundreds ago that have been found and subsequently sold, making people very rich!
Rare Books And Manuscripts
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Water can ruin ink on paper and the paper itself but, amazingly, there have been old books and manuscripts found in old treasure chests and shipwrecks around the world. A lot of them are even hundreds of years old; priceless for historians and can uncover some deep secrets.
Historical Documents And Scrolls
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When sea travel first became possible hundreds of years ago, people realised that there was some serious money to be made by transporting goods across the sea. Various different documents and scrolls have been found on the sea bed among shipwrecks, and many have ended up in museums across the world.
Fine Art Paintings And Sculptures
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The underwater world has become an unconventional art gallery. Fine art paintings and sculptures, submerged for various reasons, have been found beneath the waves. There's probably some paintings by famous artists that we didn't know existed sat at the bottom of the sea.
Precious Metals
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The ocean conceals precious metals of all forms. From platinum to titanium, valuable metals lost or intentionally sunk rest on the seabed. Divers have been known to risk their lives trying to retrieve these items in the hope that they can sell them and make some serious cash.
Sunken Luxury Yachts
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Among the shipwrecks and artifacts, sunken luxury yachts have been found sat on the ocean floor. These sunken vessels, often symbolic of high society and extravagance, show how even the richest of people aren't immune to the dangers of the open ocean.
Valuable Fishing Traps
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Believe it or not, old fishing traps can actually be worth a bit of money. Even if they don't have much monetary value in themselves, people can rework them and still use them to catch their own food, including fish and crabs, saving them money in the long run.
Antique Musical Instruments
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The ocean depths hide more than just shipwrecks and relics. Antique musical instruments are found below the surface, from ornate violins to ancient flutes. Time and water may have silenced their tones, but their exquisite craftsmanship still sings through the ages.
Underwater Archaeological Sites
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Even though places like Atlantis have been widely proven to be myth, there are still plenty of cities and towns that have fallen victim to rising sea levels. These submerged cities offer plenty of history to be discovered by archaeologists, and they're still discovering lost places today.
Historical Clothing And Textiles
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It's amazing how fashion changes and how old clothes become new trends. Old clothing from hundreds of years ago can be worth a lot of money, especially to those who study historical fashion. Many clothes and garments have been found beneath the waves, though they probably aren't suitable to wear any more!
Recovered Underwater Mining Equipment
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Beneath the sea lies the equipment that once harvested precious resources from the ocean floor. Recovered underwater mining equipment, from dredges to drilling machines, can be worth a lot of money to the right people. These sunken tools have seen the depths of the sea and now resurface as industrial relics.
We Still Haven't Found Everything
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This list doesn't actually cover everything that has been found; the oceans are so deep and vast that we've only explored less that 5% of them. Just think how many other shipwrecks and ancient statues are yet to have been found, all sat just sat there on the ocean floor!