The American Treasure Map

The Americana Treasure Map is a pictorial map showing the locations of 'lost mines' and 'sunken and buried treasures'. In the map's own words it shows where you can find "the Approximate Locations of Some of the Best Known Lost Mines, Sunken and Buried Treasures in the Western Hemisphere According to Authenticated History and Legend". The map was created in 1952 by John D. Lawrence.

Lost mines are indicated on the map by lettered markers and the map includes a handy 'Legend of Lost Mines' which provides a little information about each mine. On the interactive version of the map you can simply click on a mine marker on the map to read the relevant information from the map legend. Sunken and buried treasure locations are shown on the map by numbered flags. These numbers relate to the numbers in the map's 'Legend of Sunken and Buried Treasures'. Again you can read each marked location's legend entry simply by clicking on a marker on the interactive version of the map.   

I cannot promise you that you will find real treasure by successfully uncovering one of the locations shown on the map. However I have managed to confirm that at least some of the sunken ships shown on the map did actually sink near to where John D. Lawrence claims. 

For example No.38 , 'the S.S. Rio de Janerio', really did sink off "SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., in 1901". In fact the wreck of the ship was discovered in 2014 by NOAA, during a two-year study to document shipwrecks in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. NOAA even reports that the "City of Rio de Janeiro was rumored to be full of silver treasure". However it also reports that the accounts of a shipment of "Chinese silver" were in fact bars of tin. Therefore it probably isn't worth risking a visit to the wreck, which is located in "fast, dangerous waters in the main shipping lanes".

If you are interested in learning more about the Americana Treasure Map and the map's creator, John D. Lawrence, then you should read the fascinating article published in the Los Angeles Times last week, L.A. actor's map shows gold hidden in San Berdardino County.