The history of maritime trade is rich with stories of ships carrying valuable cargoes, especially during the age of exploration and colonial expansion. During this period, European powers shipped vast fortunes across seas and oceans. For example, Spanish galleons carried vast amounts of gold, silver and other precious stones from the Americas to Spain. A single vessel could carry two tonnes of gold, making these voyages lucrative as well as dangerous, as pirates or rival naval powers could attack these treasure ships. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, commodities like spices, tea, and silk were among the most valuable cargoes transported by ships. Clipper Ships, known for their speed, were used for transporting these items from Asia to Europe. The profits from a single journey were massive and fueled the rise of trading empires and economies. Read this article to find out about the most valuable cargoes ever transported by commercial ships. Nuestra Señora de Atocha (1622) Spanish Galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha was a part of the 1622 Treasure Fleet. It transported wealth from the New World to Spain and sank near the Florida Keys in 1622 during a hurricane. At that time, the galleon was carrying 24 tonnes of silver bullion, ingots and coins, 125 gold bars and discs, 1200 pounds of silverware and emeralds, including the famous Atocha Star. Image for representation purpose only The estimated value of the cargo is around $400 million, making it one of the most valuable shipwrecks ever found. The Atocha Star Emerald originally weighed more than 25.87 carats before it was cut to 12.72 carats. Artefacts recovered from the wreck are displayed at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida and include bronze cannons, navigation instruments, etc. The loss of this ship had major repercussions for Spain, which was engaged in the Thirty Years’ War. SS Central America (1857) Also called the ‘Ship of Gold’, the SS Central America was a sidewheel steamer which sank during a hurricane off the South Carolina coast. Image Credits: Wikipedia It was loaded with 9 tonnes of gold from the California Gold Rush, which was intended to boost the U.S economy. However, the loss of the valuable cargo was a contributory factor to the Panic of 1857, a major financial crisis. Presently, the gold is valued at more than $849 million. Manila Galleons (1565–1815) The Manila Galleons were Spanish trading vessels which sailed between the Philippines and Mexico. They transported luxury items from Asia, like Chinese silk, porcelain and jade, spices like nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, precious stones, jewellery, Ivory, lacquerware, etc, in exchange for silver from the New World. These vessels made one or two round-trip voyages annually between the ports of Manila and Acapulco from the late 16th to the early 19th century. Image Credits: Wikipedia Silver prices were higher in Asia than in America, leading to greater opportunities for the Manila galleons. They were fully loaded, every space from the decks, cabins filled with goods, and in some cases, they even towed barges filled with more goods. Though it led to slow speeds and shipwrecks, the profits were enormous. Also, slaves from different regions of Asia were taken on these ships to Mexico. These vessels were called ‘La Nao de China’ in Spain, meaning ‘The China Ship’, because they mostly carried Chinese goods from Manila. Portuguese Spice Carracks (16th–17th Centuries) Portuguese spice carracks, famous in the 16th