This is an incomplete list of notable treasures that are currently lost or missing. The existence of some of these treasures is mythical or disputed.
List Name ExistenceOriginal Location Year lost Image Description Ark of the Covenant Ancient Israel and Judah The Ark of the Covenant is an artifact which is believed to hold the Ten Commandments. The Ark of Covenant was held in Jerusalem in Ancient Israel and Judah until 586 BC but it was taken out and hidden following the Siege of Jerusalem and was never recovered.Yoma 52b, 53b-54a.Isaiah 39:6. Gold of Tolosa Volcae A treasure hoard seized by the ancient Roman proconsul Quintus Servilius Caepio from the Volcae town of Tolosa, modern-day Toulouse. Menorah from the Second Temple Ancient Israel and Judah The Menorah from the Second Temple in Jerusalem in Ancient Israel and Judah was looted by the Romans in 70 AD and put on view in the Temple of Peace in Rome. The temple burned down in 191 after which the fate of the Menorah is uncertain. If it survived the fire, it could have been brought to Carthage by the Vandals after their Sack of Rome in 455, as mentioned by Procopius in the 6th century. Alaric's Treasure Western Roman Empire After sacking Rome in 410, the Visigoths fled to southern Italy, in Calabria. There their king, Alaric suddenly died from illness and was buried with his treasure in an unknown river, often reported to be the Busento. Ganj-e Badavard Ancient Iran One of the eight treasures of the Sasanian king Khosrow II. Heirloom Seal of the Realm Imperial China Imperial Seal of China created by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, lost after the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in the 10th century. Egill Skallagrímsson's silver Iceland A large quantity of silver coinage, allegedly buried near Mosfellsbær, Iceland, when Egill was in his eighties. Kusanagi Nagoya 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. Current government claims possession, but has not permitted outside verification. Lost Crown Jewels of England Kingdom of England Baggage train of King John ("John Lackland"), lost in The Wash near Sutton Bridge during the First Barons' War. Llywelyn's coronet The coronet of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last sovereign Prince of Wales, was seized along with other holy artifacts at the end of the Conquest of Wales by Edward I, in 1284 taken to London, and kept with the crown jewels in Westminster Abbey until they were stolen in 1303. It was not present in the inventory taken during the destruction of the crown jewels by Oliver Cromwell in 1649, and remains unaccounted for.Library of Ivan the Terrible the Kremlin "Golden Library" thought to contain rare Greek, Latin, and Egyptian works from the libraries of Constantinople and Alexandria, as well as 2nd-century CE Chinese texts and manuscripts from Ivan IV's own era. La Noche Triste treasure Aztec Empire Large amount of gold looted from the palace of Moctezuma II. Occurred during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. Lost Inca gold Inca Empire Originally intended as part of the ransom of Inca Emperor Atahualpa it would have been hidden once it became known that Francisco Pizarro's men had killed him.Great Bell of Dhammazedi Hanthawaddy kingdom1608Cast in 1484 by order of King Dhammazedi of Hanthawaddy Pegu in modern day Myanmar, it is believed to be the largest bell ever cast. It hung in the Shwedagon Pagoda until 1608, when it was removed by Portuguese mercenary, and governor of Syriam (now Thanlyin) Philipe de Brito to be melted into cannons. It was rolled downhill to the Pazundaung Creek, loaded onto a raft, and hauled by elephants to the confluence of the Bago River and the Yangon River, where it was fastened to de Brito's flagship. It sank on its way across the river to Syriam, dragging de Brito's ship with it. Shifting river currents, several shipwrecks, and poor visibility in the muddy river has made locating the bell difficult, and it remains lost, despite several searches in modern times. The Three Brothers Burgundian State A piece of jewellery created in 1389, made of three red spinels in a distinctive triangular arrangement around a central diamond. Owned by key historical figures such as Duke John the Fearless of Burgundy, the German banker Jakob Fugger, and English monarchs Elizabeth I, James VI and I, and Charles I. Part of the English Crown Jewels from 1551 to 1644, when it was possibly sold by the wife of Charles I. It vanished from records after 1645. Treasure of Amaro Pargo San Cristóbal de La Laguna 1678–1747 The treasure would be composed of "carved silver, gold jewellery, pearls and stones of value, Chinese porcelain, rich fabrics, paintings and perhaps 500,000 pesos". The stories about this treasure are varied, some place it in the environment of the Roques de Anaga, while others place it in the zone of Punta del Hidalgo and the cave of San Mateo, northeast of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Loch Arkaig treasure Lochaber The treasure of Loch Arkaig, sometimes known as the Jacobite gold, was a large amount of specie provided by Spain to finance the Jacobite rising in Scotland in 1745, and rumoured still to be hidden at Loch Arkaig in Lochaber. Sceptre of Dagobert Basilica of Saint-Denis Originally part of the French Regalia, sometimes considered its oldest part, dating from the 7th century, it was stored in the treasure of the Basilica of Saint-Denis (also known as Basilique royale de Saint-Denis) until 1795, when it disappeared, probably stolen. Oak Island money pit Nova Scotia A possible treasure trove located in a large hole on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Treasure of the Esperanza Viceroyalty of Peru 1.5 million gold pesos and an equal value in silver precolumbian art looted from the Viceroyalty of Peru, shipped on the Esperanza, taken and buried by pirates shipwrecked on Palmyra Atoll. Treasure of Lima Lima 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. Confederate gold Columbus, Georgia Gold from the Confederacy. Lost after the American Civil War.Twin Sisters Republic of Texas1865 A pair of cannons used by Texas Military Forces during the Texas Revolution and American Civil War. Considered the "Texas Holy Grail." Tokugawa's buried treasure Edo A legendary treasure allegedly buried in Mount Akagi by the Tokugawa shogunate (disputed). Kruger Millions Machadodorp Millions of gold pounds presumed to have been produced by the Boer forces in the South African veld under order of President Paul Kruger. The money was believed to fund the purchase of weapons for the Boer Commandos. The funds went missing. Believed to have been buried or hidden somewhere in South Africa or taken by Kruger to Switzerland. Crown Jewels of Ireland Dublin Heavily bejeweled insignia of the Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick. Stolen from Dublin Castle in 1907. The Tsar's Treasure (RMS Republic) Belfast $3 million in newly minted American double eagle coins sent to the Russian Baltic Fleet, an $800,000 US Government shipment in mixed coin to the American Atlantic Fleet, and the confirmed loss of $500,000 in passenger effects (all 1909 values) were lost when the RMS Republic foundered off the coast of New England as a result of a collision. The gold of the RMS Republic Belfast The RMS Republic was a British ship built in 1903, the Republic was carrying $3,250,000 worth of gold and double eagles for the US Navy's Great White Fleet. However, the ship collided with the SS Florida and sunk. In 1919 an attempt was made to recover the lost money, but it was ultimately unsuccessful.Diving Bell Gropes for Lost Gold, By Robert Talley The Washington Post, June 24, 1934, Pg. M5. Romanian Treasure Moscow The gold reserves (approx. 120 tonnes) of the Romanian government and other valuables sent to Russia for safekeeping during World War I. These were mislaid after the October Revolution and only some of the objects, and none of the gold reserves, have been returned . Lost Imperial Fabergé eggs Saint Petersburg Seven eggs in the Imperial series are missing: 1886 – The Hen with Sapphire Pendant egg (last seen 1922) 1888 – The Cherub with Chariot egg (last seen 1922, may have been exhibited in New York City in 1934) 1889 – The Nécessaire egg (sold by Wartski in 1952, has not been seen since) 1897 – The Mauve egg (photo frame 'surprise' still extant) 1902 – The Empire Nephrite Egg (the provenance of the "found" Nephrite egg is contested) 1903 – The Royal Danish egg