1492. Christopher Columbus discovers the "New World" and a glittering fortune in gold, silver, jewels and precious gems. Over the next 300 years, Spanish treasure galleons sail from New World mines carrying a staggering $10 billion worth of cargoes to fill the coffers of the King of Spain. The route came to be known as the "Spanish Main".

During this period, numerous treasure fleets suffered their fates in the torrents of full-blown hurricanes which lurked in the Bermuda Triangle, striking without notice. Today, underwater explorers claim that the skeletal remains of shipwrecks may be located every 500 yards in the Caribbean and along Florida's east coast, otherwise known as the "Gold Coast".

Of this $10 billion (17th century value) in precious cargo, researchers and historians claim that $500 million was lost. To date, only 10% has been recovered.

Today's market value of salvagable cargo: