There is no doubt that the most well-known and infamous pirate of all time is Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. He terrorized the Caribbean for years before his eventual death in 1718. 300 years later, his massive, hidden fortune is still lost to history.
X marks the spot
Despite how they're portrayed in pop culture, pirates did not leave maps laying around with an "x" marking the spot—probably because that's a terrible plan. If anything, they would know a general location and remember where it was buried. When it comes to massively successful pirates like Blackbeard, however, a single treasure chest buried six feet deep wouldn't be nearly enough.
In fact, as far as we know, only one pirate, Thomas Tew, used an actual treasure chest to stow his prize. That particular cache of wealth was valued at around $102 million in today's money. According to Blackbeard's ledger, his wealth was evaluated at a (comparatively) paltry $12.5 million. If you think that's suspiciously low for a pirate of his stature, you'd be correct. His ledger also notes that his real treasure "lay in a location known only to him and the devil."
In terms of a suitable hiding spot, it's more than likely stowed in a cave similar to Dungeon Rock in Massachusetts, where pirate Tom Veal hid his treasure. Knowing that Edward Teach often docked in the Carolinas, that'd be a logical start for treasure hunters. Ocracoke Island, North Carolina was his most common hang-out spot, but it hasn't been found there over the last 300 years.
Weeks before his death, Blackbeard knew his time was coming to an end. The Spanish and British were hot on his tail and, if he hadn't already, he wouldn't have had the time to consolidate all of his Caribbean treasures. He went down with his ship, Queen Anne's Revenge, off the coast of Ocracoke Island.
Many ships have been discovered off the shore, but none have been identified as Queen Anne's Revenge. Although Blackbeard's ship was boarded, there's little reason to believe that there was a large sum of money on his ship.
So, is Blackbeard's treasure real?
As far as anyone knows, it's still out there somewhere...
More from We Are the Mighty
- The last member of the United Spanish War Veterans retired during WWII
- The insane military legacy of the Roosevelts
- Airmen volunteered to repair a WWII B-29 Superfortress … and it’s going to fly again
- WATM Exclusive: ‘The Bloody Hundredth’s’ Emmy Award-winning director on the untold stories of WWII
This article originally appeared on We Are the Mighty.
