buried treasure

Noun

buried treasure (countable and uncountable, plural buried treasures)

1. (idiomatic) Something valuable that is concealed for a long time and then rediscovered.
   • Hastings draws on her own experience of overcoming writing blocks as a college student to support her belief that anyone can learn to write well. "The trick is to find buried treasure in our work," she said. Her own teachers in junior and senior high school, didn't critique her writing, said...2005 May 24, Foss Farrar, “Hastings found buried treasure in students' work”, in Arkansas City Traveler
   • The verdict on whether Borderlands is buried treasure or fool's gold will come down when it hits later this year.2009 June 9, “E3 2009: The Five: Borderlands”, in Crispy Gamer
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see buried, treasure.
   • The buried treasure from the shipwreck was found yesterday.