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The FBI is overseeing a hunt for buried Civil War gold in Pennsylvania

1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,781 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Metal Detecting

The FBI is overseeing a hunt for buried Civil War gold in Pennsylvania

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2018/03/17/the-fbi-is-overseeing-a-hunt-for-buried-civil-war-gold-in-pennsylvania/23388455/

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Comments

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yep.... I read that article.... I will be surprised if they find it.... as long as that has been known as the burial area, I feel certain someone already 'found' it and quietly made off with the treasure. Cheers, RickO

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,330 ✭✭✭✭✭

    if some one did find it already then the best its best left said to have said nothing at all >:)

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,144 ✭✭✭✭✭

    As I posted in the Coin Forum:

    Utter bilge. Ever heard of trains? Two tons of unminted gold would have traveled by train, not wagon.

    Edited to add: And where would two tons of raw gold have come from in the Ohio Valley? California gold was refined and coined in San Francisco, or was sent to Philadelphia by sea via Panama.

    I am reminded of another hogwash treasure story about a shipment of new Barber dimes from the Denver Mint that were lost in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River when a stage coach went over the edge, despite the fact that a fine functioning railroad ran alongside the Gunnison River to handle the freight needs of the region at that time.

    I guess B.S.'ers just like the romance of stage coaches and old wagons. Personally, if I were stealing two tons of loot, I would steal the wagons as well to move the dang stuff!

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,762 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 21, 2018 5:58PM

    CaptHenway, I understand your post about the dimes. However, it was plausible that the small keg of dimes was lost into the canyon from the N rim. The narrow guage went through the canyon down at the river's edge. However, freight heading for Hotchkiss, Coburn and Bowie would have left the rails at Cimmarron, traveling the north rim via wagon (not stage as that was not a stage route). That freight would have been cheaper to travel the rim than go to Montrose and then back up the mountain. I've been there (in the Park) and studied that route. It's entirely plausible.

    The locals in Montrose say that fishermen have found dimes in the canyon. Although I never found anyone that found one, it is a local "legend" that may be based in fact. Finding a small keg that went over would not be easy for sure. There is but one spot that the old freight road is close enough to the rim for an accident to happen. The road traveled within just a few feet of the edge with the cliff falling away at a 70 degree slope for some 50 yards down and then it just gets steeper from there to the bottom. At this point it is about 1,100 feet above the canyon floor so that little keg and it's contents could be mostly lodged who knows where. The Park will not allow for exploration from that side of the rim to the bottom so even if someone was skilled in rappelling it just won't happen.

    But this is fun to think that it did happen. Certainly small change would have been needed in the mountain communities. This route would have been the cheapest from the Mint to those local banks.

    My understanding is that it was a four horse team that left Cimmarron twice a month, weather permitting. Cimmarron is now under Blue Mesa Reservoir.

    I know that I had fun researching and visiting the area. It was there that I also found out that no metal detecting is allowed in the Park. Beautiful area, nice people and spectacular scenery for sure.

    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,762 ✭✭✭✭✭

    wow, weird typeface.....not my intent!
    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CaptHenway...While I agree with you regarding this issue... it seems to have garnered enough belief to involve the FBI and other entities in an organized and technological search.... Not sure what spurred their involvement...had to be more than local legend. Cheers, RickO

  • ebaytraderebaytrader Posts: 3,312 ✭✭✭

    Didn't read the AOL story, but other sources provided details that the FBI is there under court order insofar as a treasure hunter group that employs a sophisticated ground radar has found an anomaly under a old fire pit. The gold shipment was allegedly coming up from the west Virginia area in order to avoid advancing confederate forces in s.e. Pennsylvania.
    Ive hunted that area around Dent's Run in the past, and am a little familiar with the lore.

    • hunting is something of a misnomer if taken to mean having to seek something out as deer and other wildlife are walking around everywhere.
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