Know about the world's 3 greatest gold treasure hunts

2. Nimrod's treasure in Iraq (1988)



The Nimrod treasure was discovered in 1988-1989 by Iraqi archaeologists in the tombs of Assyrian queens and princes from the 8th and 9th centuries BC.

The treasure of Nimrud survived 2,800 years buried near a dusty town in northern Iraq. It then spent 12 years tucked away in a vault. 



Whether it had survived Saddam Hussein's son, a U.S. missile strike, looters, a flood and a grenade attack. But it has been found intact in the dark, damp basement of a bombed out central bank building in 1988.

Dozens of smaller boxes were recovered, which had the entire collection -- 613 pieces of gold jewelry, Precious stones and ornaments from the height of the Assyrian civilization in 800 B.C. Together, the pieces weigh well over 100 pounds.