Dive into Fortune: 11 Unbelievable (& Profitable) Underwater Discoveries That'll Leave You in Awe.

5. The Project Black Swan

The Black Swan Project: A Treasure Unearthed Estimated Current Value: $704.86 million* Disappeared Year: 1804 Year Found: 2007 The "Black Swan Project," conducted by the Odyssey Marine Exploration team in the 2000s, led to a remarkable search and recovery operation. From the depths of the ocean, the team retrieved gold and silver coins valued at over $700 million. Initially, Odyssey withheld details of the discovery from the public until they attempted to relocate the coins in 2007. These coins were originally owned by the Spanish frigate Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, which was sunk by the British in 1804, marking a significant moment in maritime history.

The Legal Battle Over Treasure: A Summary After an extensive legal battle, the court ruled that the coins in question should be returned to Spain. Currently, this treasure is housed in a museum located in Cartagena. The Spanish government had initiated legal action against Odyssey, the exploratory team involved in the recovery of the coins. In addition to the ruling on the coins, the court mandated that the exploratory team pay $1 million in damages for "bad faith" and "abusive litigation."