Lost treasure sounds like it belongs only on a film set where actors dressed as pirates fight over the glittering stuff. But, give yourself a bit of time to dig into the historical record, and you'll find that there are all sorts of tales concerning treasure that's been hidden or forgotten across the world. Some really do follow the near-cliche of pirates — or at least people who certainly act very piratical — burying their stolen booty on a deserted island somewhere. Other lost valuables came to be missing after all manner of misfortune and accident, be it war, conquest, or even a daring heist or two.

Just what sort of treasure are we talking about, anyway? Yes, some examples do contain old-school chests full of gold coins, jewels, ingots, and other riches. But let's expand our definitio

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