Treasure Hunting

Glens Falls, NY– The massive hole in front of the Cronin High Rise in downtown Glens Falls is not from replacing pipes or construction. Excavation workers are digging out the remains of an old building that was buried there. It was causing the lawn to collapse in front of the prestigious High Rise.

“We had a lot of erosion and settling,” said Robert Landry, of the Glens Falls Housing Authority. That agency runs the senior high-rise on Ridge Street.

“It was creating sinkholes, and it made it difficult to maintain the lawn. The flagpole was even starting to lean.”

Landry said the city hired an engineer to do a soil test, and it was determined a previous demolition at the site had become unstable, causing the sinking lawn. Services Unlimited was hired to excavate the site, remove the debris of the old building, fill it back in with clean fill and re-tamp the surface.

“We’ll have a new lawn and new landscaping,” Landry said. “Our goal is to be the nicest looking property in downtown Glens Falls.”

He said the excavation work should be complete by mid-August, and the lawn and landscaping should be done by September 1st. The project carries a price tag of about $50,000, which was covered by a Capital Fund grant covering infrastructure improvements.

But just what is it they are digging up? City Historian Wayne Wright said the structure was the home of Dr. George W. Little.

“Dr. Little had a conservatory on the right side of the house where he kept monkeys, birds and all sorts of plant life,” Wright said. “After he closed his practice, he handed out little spoons to the people who were still with him. Some of those spoons are still around.”

Little was eccentric, and his wife moved out of the house in his later years to settle in the Fort Edward area.

“There was a one-story addition built onto the front of the house for a storefront,” Wright said. “The structure came down during Urban Renewal in the early 1970s, and they just bulldozed it under.”

Landry recalls a pool hall at the spot in the ‘70s.

“It was the Chalk and Cue Pool Hall, and it was a popular hangout for St. Mary’s students, and since I was one of them, I used to hang out there,” he said. “Van the Shoe Man and Griffin’s Paint Store were also in this area.”

Robert Landry believes there might be a few interesting finds from this old demolished house, but they still have yet to dig and discover pieces of history. Citing and picture use from Post Star articles.

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Sebastan: Dozens of gold and silver coins hidden nearly 300 years ago were found Friday when a cannon recovered July 11 from a wrecked Spanish ship was being cleaned for preservation, salvagers reported this week.

Divers from the salvage boat “Gold Hound” brought up the ship’s bronze swivel cannon, a rare find in itself, in less than 20 feet of water between Wabasso and Vero Beach, said Anne Kazel-Wilcox, a spokeswoman for 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, a private salvage company based in Sebastian and Jupiter.

A historic bronze cannon found near Sebastian contained gold and silver coins concealed inside, treasure on its way back to Spain before the shipwreck

The heavily-encrusted cannon was taken to the Mel Fisher’s Treasures facility in Sebastian for preservation, Kazel-Wilcox said, “and as workers were conserving it, the cannon became unplugged and coins were found inside.”

In addition to 22 gold coins found near the cannon, 25 gold coins and 63 silver coins were found inside, worth an estimated $500,000 or more.

“This is an amazing historic find,” Greg Bounds of Fellsmere, captain of the Gold Hound, said in a prepared statement. “We found treasure within the treasure. This is right out of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ except this is the real thing. For centuries there has been talk of treasure possibly hidden inside of cannons, but up until today that was only pirate lore. Now it’s the real deal.”

The wreck was part of a fleet of 11 galleons and war ships laden with gold bars, coins, diamonds, emeralds and pearls bound from Havana for King Philip V of Spain. The cargo included the so-called “Queen’s Jewels,” a 74-carat emerald, pearls and diamonds meant for Philip’s new bride Elisabeth, who reportedly said she wouldn’t consummate the marriage until she received them.

The ships sank in a hurricane off the Treasure Coast on July 31, 1715. Last month, 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, a private salvage company, acquired salvage rights to the fleet from the heirs of treasure hunter Mel Fisher, whose family had retained the fleet’s U.S. Admiralty Custodianship of a 300-square-mile stake off Indian River County that extends from the low-tide mark into the ocean. Together with subcontractors such as Bounds, they are searching for a mother lode estimated to be worth $900 million.

By law, the state gets 20 percent of the haul and gets to pick the pieces it wants first. The rest is split 50-50 between 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels and the subcontractors who found it.

Bounds, one of about 15 subcontractors who have worked with Mel Fisher Treasure and continue to work with 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, uncovered more than $12.9 million worth of gold chains, pearls, coins, swords and other artifacts in 2007 from the 400-year-old Santa Margarita site in the Florida Keys.

This article was found from a news blog site the Coin Docere.

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More and more gold coins seem to be found by prospectors all around the world. Citing from the Times of India Article, 744 antique gold coins found near Sathy jungles.

Coimbatore, India: A treasure trove was unearthed in a remote hamlet near Sathyamangalam jungles when local tribals stumbled upon a centuries-old earthen pot filled with gold coins.

As many as 744 coins, weighing about 300 grams, were found in the pot, sending the tranquil tribal hamlet of Kottamalam in Erode district into a tizzy on Saturday. The coins are believed to date back to the Vijayanagar Empire period and may be over 500 years old.

For the family of Maadhi Veerayya, a tribal widow in Kottamalam, it was almost a dream tryst with fortune. On Friday morning, Maadhi and her granddaughters were clearing the thorny bushes near their house at Kottamalam.

Suddenly, her granddaughters Vinitha and Nagamma, noticed broken shards of an earthen pot in the bushes. When they rummaged deeper, they found coins smaller than 25 paise coins. Immediately, they called their grandmother, who dug deeper and found more coins. As they tried to quietly stash away the coins, curious neighbours gathered. And a frantic treasure hunt began. By afternoon, nine tribal families in the village collected over 700 coins and hid in their houses.

However, the village administrative officer got wind of the treasure trove and rushed to the spot. It was not long before the police too landed up, and launched a drive to recover the coins. “We have so far recovered 744 coins,” tahsildar K Shanmugham told TOI. The police are probing if more coins have been stealthily hidden away.

The coins are made of 18 carat gold and said to have been in circulation during the rule of the Vijayanagar kingdom between 14th and 16th centuries. The coins have an image of a tiger on a fluttering flag on one side and on the flip side, a picture of a mangalasutra’.

“It is said these coins may belong to the pre-Krishnadevaraya period, perhaps during the reign of his immediate predecessor Veeranarasimha Raya,” a revenue official said.

The coins have been handed over to the Erode district collector, R Sudalaimuthu. Curators from the government museum in Erode will examine the coins and present a report to the government.

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The famous King Tutankhamun as known as King Tut died between 1330 B.C and 1340 B.C. After being discovered in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter, many have proposed theories on his death. However, after many scans, DNA test, and X-rays with the technology we have from this decade, Scientist have finally shed some light on the obscurity of King Tut’s death.

From sickle cell disease to a blew out kneecap or even the hole in the back of his head, King tut had many ailments that led up to his death back in 1300 B.C. Scientist believe Tutankhamun’s health was stressed due to the multiple complications at one time. Also, after the test came back it was shown that he also may of had a harsh case of Malaria Disease.

Researchers of Tutankhamun’s death knew it was not bad luck that killed King Tut or a murderer, but the culture of keeping a bloodline that put stress on his life. It is believed that King Tut’s father Akhenaten, married Tutankhamun’s full blood sister which led to his many physical disabilities after birth. From club foot to weak bones and low immune system, King tut died at a early age.

This research is the final most probably theory based on evidence that they have found on King Tut, and although his life was short, he was cared for and glorified especially through his death. His tomb being layered in gold, hoped to have led to an eternal peaceful life by his people.

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I was researching the internet, and found a answers to questions I have had for a while on NPR’s (National Public Radio) online website. My questions were “Why are gold prices rising?”, “What would be the purpose to store large amounts of gold?”,and Most of all “Why is gold important in international trade?”. This article summed up all my questions into one concise article that answered these questions and more. This article clarifies most questions on why gold is of interest to many.

The IMF is selling off some of its gold stash, and governments and central banks are buying.

The IMF sold about 15 tons of gold in April, Bloomberg News says. With gold trading at about $1,200 an ounce, that’s roughly $600 million dollars in gold.

The fund has been selling some of its gold on the open market this year as part of a plan to create an endowment. In all, the IMF plans to sell just over 400 tons of gold, or roughly one-eighth of its total holdings. That should bring in more than $8 billion in total, the WSJ says.

Meanwhile, central banks and governments have been stocking up. Worldwide, governments and central banks added 425 tons last year to their holdings, which now is more than 30,000 tons. That’s the most since 1964 and the first expansion since 1988, Bloomberg says. Holdings are likely to grow again this year.

The price of gold, of course, has gone through the roof in the past couple years. People say it’s a “store of value”,that is, a place to put your money when you’re nervous about inflation, which drives down the value of paper money.

Treasure hunters, keep this in mind when you find a mint of gold, saving this could be the smartest choice when it could be worth much more in the future.

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Kellyco wants to acknowledge the social networks involved with its store and the fan base affiliated with them. The coupon below is exclusive to social sites such as Facebook, Myspace, & Twitter. You may use this coupon on your next metal detector purchase till July 26, 2010. Buy a metal detector and live an amazing treasure story of your own!

Add Kellyco on Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter!

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Indian River County, FL – More treasure has been found from the 18th century Spanish fleet that sank in hundreds of years ago. The boat crew working with the Queens jewels of Jupiter Island found 22 gold Spanish coins and a small cannon from 300 years ago between Wabasso and Vero Beach. These coins are said to be worth $8,000 adding up to $176,000 for all 22 coins, said Brent Brisben, co-founder of Queen’s Jewels.

“It’s called the Treasure Coast for a reason,” Brisben said. “It was a sight to see these guys so excited. It’s one of the best days you can have.”

Queen’s Jewels have teamed with Capt. Greg Bounds of Fellsmere to explore the wreckage area of an 18th century Spanish fleet. Brisben’s company acquired the salvage rights to the sunken ships from the heirs of world-famous treasure hunter Mel Fisher. They have been named federal custodians to the 300-mile wreckage area, he said.





As said before on this blog, this treasure is from a wreck in 1715 when a 11-ship fleet set sail from Cuba laden with gold bars, coins, diamonds, emeralds and pearls bound for King Philip V of Spain. The bounty included the dowry for Phillip’s new bride, Elisabeth, who refused to consummate their marriage until she received it.

There is plenty more to be found, and these treasure hunters hope to retrieve most of it. This news story is in reference to the TCPalm article.

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New York City – A 32 foot long ship hull seemed to be from the 18th century is now being excavated by workers at the World Trade Center cite. The artifact, deteriorating fastly due to exposure to air, is hoped to be retrieved intact by the end of Thursday, July 14th.

Archaeologist Molly McDonald said that a boat specialist is still planning to look at it. Mcdonald hopes to at least salvage some timbers, although she was unsure that the large portions of the hull could be lifted intact. “We’re mostly clearing it by hand because it’s kind of fragile,” she said, but construction equipment could be used later in the process.

Both McDonald and archaeologist A. Michael Pappalardo were at the site of the September 11, 2001 attacks and when the discovery was made Tuesday morning.

“We noticed curved timbers that a backhoe brought up,” McDonald said. ‘We quickly found the rib of a vessel and continued to clear it away and expose the hull over the last two days.” In sequence these photos of the ship were taken and were taken to the press today.

“We’re going to send timber samples to a laboratory to do dendrochronology that will help us to get a sense of when the boat was constructed,” McDonald said. Dendrochronology is the science that uses tree rings to determine dates and chronological order.

A 100-pound anchor was found a few yards from the ship hull Wednesday, but the archaeologists are not sure if it belongs to the ship. It is three to four feet across, McDonald said.

The two archaeologists work for AKRF, a firm hired to document Artifacts Discovered at the site. They called the find significant but said more study was needed to determine the age of the ship.

This news article is in reference to The Washington Post article on this excavation.

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For all of you treasure enthusiast, the History Channel has just premiered a show called Chasing Mummies. After the premier episode on Wednesday, July 14th at 10/9c, this show turned out to be a hit and it is evident why it is going to be such a popular documentary series.

Archaeologist and passionate explorer Dr. Zahi Hawass is the lead of the series and shows his passion for excavation of mummies in his documentary. In this documentary, Dr. Hawass takes you through many of his adventures and engages the audience as he uncovers the mystery of mummies and history from over 3,000 years ago. This show is more than your regular historical documentary, its a movie-like view into the past.

“It’s a whirlwind tour, led by the man who holds the keys to Egypt’s greatest antiquities and rules his world like a modern-day pharaoh. Unfiltered, entertaining, exciting and suspenseful.” Said by History Channels Producer

Watch a preview of the adventures Dr. Zahi Hawass takes you through on Chasing Mummies:

Want to follow this engaging series? Tune in to the History Channel, Wednesday nights at 10, Eastern and Pacific times; 9, Central time.

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ISRAEL– Dr. Rami Arav was very excited when his one of his researchers from West Virginia University student Alexis Whitley uncovered a rare gold coin during excavation work in the city of Bethsaida, near the Sea of Galilee in Israel.

Rami Arav is the director of excavation and research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Bethsaida Excavations Project, a 24-year effort to reveal the archaeological mysteries of the biblical-era city.

The coin, which weighs 7 grams, is 97.6% gold. However, the find was unexpected because Bethsaida primarily was home to humble fishermen. Arav also said somebody must have been doing good business a little over 100 years after the birth of Christ.

The gold coin, about three-quarters of an inch in diameter, carries the image of Antoninus Pius, the 15th Roman emperor, who reigned between A.D. 138 and 161.

“Before newspapers, coins fulfilled the job of disseminating information. In our case, Antoninus wanted to announce that the Senate designated him to the position of a consul for the second time. This position was among the highest at Rome.” said Arav.

The Bethsaida coin is the first Antoninus Pius gold coin excavated in Israel, and as far as he knows, it’s the first discovery of this particular kind of coin.

Archaeologists have found many other coins announcing the news of Antoninus Pius’s appointment, but none bears the same picture on the reverse side, where the goddess Pietas stands before an altar.
It is hard to put a monetary value on the coin, Arav said.

“This type of a coin was never sold in the market because it is so rare,” he said. “It may go for as much as people will be able to pay for it.” Dr. Rami Arav stated.

For now, the coin, along with the rest of the Bethsaida finds, considered to be the heritage of the State of Israel — will go to the Israel Antiquities Authority. Its ultimate destination probably will be the Israel Museum in Jerusalem along with many other outstanding finds.

This story is in reference to a article from the Omaha World Herald.

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