Top 15 Most Valuable and Fascinating Underwater Discoveries
7. Great Basses Wreck
Estimated Value Today: $8,000-$9,000* (Rupee Hunks)
Year Disappeared: Early 1700s
Year Discovered: 1961
The Great Basses Reef, situated just a few miles off the coast of Sri Lanka, is renowned for its historical significance due to the Great Basses wreck. This shipwreck, dating back to the early 1700s, was discovered in 1961 by adventurers Mike Wilson and Arthur C. Clarke.
Upon investigation, the ship was identified as belonging to India’s Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, highlighting its importance in maritime history and trade during that era. The wreck contained valuable artifacts, including Rupee hunks, which today are estimated to be worth between $8,000 and $9,000.
Great Basses Wreck
The Great Basses wreck, which inspired Sir Arthur C. Clarke's novel, The Treasure of the Great Reef, was laden with an impressive array of artifacts, including cannons, silver rupees, and other valuable items. The discovery of these rupees is particularly intriguing, as they were found fused together into hunks of solid silver, a phenomenon that adds to the mystery surrounding the shipwreck.
Despite their unusual state, the rupees alone are worth thousands, highlighting the significant treasure that the Great Basses wreck represents.
