The last century has seen some incredible treasure discoveries in North America, each with its own fascinating backstory. Here are the five greatest treasure discoveries:

1. The S.S. Central America (1987)
Location: Off the coast of South Carolina
Discovery Date: 1987
Value: Over $100 million
Details: Known as the "Ship of Gold," the S.S. Central America sank in 1857, carrying a fortune in gold from the California Gold Rush. After extensive searching, treasure hunter Tommy Thompson located the wreck in 1987, recovering thousands of gold coins, bars, and other artifacts, making it one of the most significant underwater treasure finds in history.
2. The Atocha Treasure (1985)
Location: Off the coast of Key West, Florida
Discovery Date: 1985
Value: Estimated at $450 million
Details: The Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha was lost in a hurricane in 1622 while carrying vast amounts of gold, silver, and emeralds. Mel Fisher, a dedicated treasure hunter, discovered the wreck in 1985 after a 16-year search. The treasure recovered included gold bars, silver coins, and precious gems, marking it as one of the most lucrative finds ever.
3. The Saddle Ridge Hoard (2013)
Location: Sierra Nevada, California
Discovery Date: 2013
Value: Over $10 million
Details: A couple in California stumbled upon a series of buried metal cans while walking their dog. Inside, they found over 1,400 gold coins dating back to the mid- to late-1800s, many in mint condition. The coins, believed to be from the Gold Rush era, were later sold for over $10 million, making this the largest known hoard of buried gold coins ever discovered in the United States.
4. The Lost Gold of Victorio Peak (1937)
Location: White Sands, New Mexico
Discovery Date: 1937 (initial discovery), 1958 (intensified search)
Value: Potentially billions (unconfirmed)
Details: In 1937, a man named Doc Noss claimed to have discovered a hidden cache of gold bars inside Victorio Peak in New Mexico. While much of the treasure has never been fully recovered or verified, it sparked decades of treasure hunting, legal battles, and conspiracy theories. The U.S. Army took control of the site, and despite rumors of a vast fortune, the full extent of the treasure remains a mystery.
5. The Black Swan Project (2007)
Location: Off the coast of Portugal, with ties to North America
Discovery Date: 2007
Value: Estimated at $500 million
Details: Odyssey Marine Exploration, a U.S. company, discovered a massive treasure trove of over 500,000 silver and gold coins from a shipwreck off the coast of Portugal. Though the exact identity of the ship remains debated, the haul was one of the largest and most valuable in history. After a lengthy legal battle, the treasure was claimed by Spain, but its discovery remains one of the most significant in recent times.

00:00 - 00:10 Introduction
00:10 - 01:22 The S.S. Central America (1987)
01:22 - 02:08 The Atocha Treasure (1985)
02:08 - 02:42 The Saddle Ridge Hoard (2013)
02:42 - 03:19 The Lost Gold of Victorio Peak (1937)
03:19 - 04:05 The Lost Gold of Victorio Peak (1937)