Rocky Mountain Prospectors &

Treasure Hunters Newsletter

The News
v. 20, n. 03 March 2016

Going for the Gold

Visit RMPTH On The Internet At http://rmpth.com

Contents
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S.S. Connaught Gold

About The News
Viking Treasures
Find Of The Month Program
South Carolina Treasure Recovered
Treasures To Be Found
Huge Diamond Find
Flawless Blue Diamond Find
Silver Bar Hunt

Calendar of Events
Calendars
Gold Coins Worth Over $1M
More Colorado Treasures
Funnies For The Day
Trading Post
2016 Schedule of Events
Contact List

S.S. Connaught Gold

Treasure hunters go after gold
lost in wreck off Boston
Published February 22, 2016
Newser

ast summer, a team from Endurance Exploration Group used a remotely operated vehicle
or ROVto recover a glass bottle, a chamber
pot fragment, and a piece of china that had been sitting on the seabed some 1,000 feet below the Atlantic
Ocean's surface for more than 150 years.
It was confirmation that they had discovered the resting place of the SS Connaught, a 370-foot-long
steamer that sank April 21, 1860, about 100 miles
from Boston.
Now, Endurance is formulating a plan to retrieve the
Connaught's suspected bounty: millions of dollars in
gold coins. In a lengthy BBC piece, Chris Baraniuk
tells the story of Endurance CEO Micah Eldred's mission to create a profitable shipwreck salvage business,
why he chose the Connaught, and the challenges Endurance faces as it undertakes "a subsea engineering
job that we're trying to make respectable." Four years
ago, Endurance began researching shipwrecks that
both contained valuables worth salvaging and for
which salvage was technically feasible.
Starting with 1,500 wrecks, they whittled the number
to 20. Of those, Connaught was their best bet. Using
sonar to scan more than 700 square miles of ocean
bottom, the team discovered the Connaught in 2013,
as iO9 reported.

"Banking establishments are more dangerous

than standing armies."
- Thomas Jefferson

The next year, an ROV confirmed the find. In 2015,

(Continued on page 3)

About The News

he News is the official newsletter of the Rocky

Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters
Club (RMPTH): our mailing address is 278
Sierra Vista Drive, Fort Collins, CO. 80524.
Opinions expressed in The News are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the
club or its members. Publication of information in
The News constitutes no guarantee of accuracy. Use
of any information found in this publication is at the
sole risk of the user. Neither RMPTH, nor its coordinators, nor The News, nor its editors or contributors
assume any liability for damages resulting from use
of information in this publication.
Submissions

Articles, letters and short items of interest on prospecting, detecting and treasure hunting topics are
welcome and encouraged. All items submitted for
publication are subject to editing. Submittals for publication may be made in writing or, preferably, in ASCII text format on IBM-compatible disk. If you have
questions about a submission, please contact the editor for information.

Advertising
Classified advertising for topic related items is free
for non-business ads. See the Trading Post section
for donation pricing of camera-ready display ads. Donations for ad makeup from sketches, etc., are available on request.
About RMPTH
RMPTH is an independent nonprofit hobbyist social
club, open to anyone interested in prospecting, detecting or treasure hunting. Its purpose is to provide an
educational and social forum of mutual benefit for
members. RMPTH holds a monthly meeting and conducts various field outings, as well as offers special
presentations and seminars. Active participants have
voting privileges. The monthly newsletter, The News,
is readily available on the Internet. Annual dues are
$25 payable in June. Applicants joining in any month
other than June pay partial dues of $2 per month for
months remaining prior to following June plus $1.

Copyright
Unless otherwise noted, other nonprofit groups
may reprint or quote from any articles appearing in
The News without prior permission, provided that
proper author and publication credits are given and
that a copy of the publication in which the article appears is sent at no cost to RMPTH at the above mailing address. Clubs wishing to exchange newsletters
with RMPTH are invited to send a copy of their newsletter together with an exchange request.

CLUB MEMBERS TAKE NOTE

Club Hats, Shirts, Jackets, & Patches are again available.
Ask for info at the club meetings to purchase your club items!
We will be running a 50/50 Drawing at each club meeting. At the end of each
meeting Tom will split the pot 50/50 and a lucky member will go home with more
money than they came with.!
The remaining 50% goes to the club treasury.
Page 2

The News, March 2016

(Continued from page 1)

they recovered artifacts, and they also became aware

of an unanticipated problem: Thick fishing nets
snagged on the wreckage rose hundreds of feet off the
Connaught.

land."
Mr Mather, from Reading, decided to venture out further
when suddenly his metal detector went off again and he
found a handful of silver coins a few inches below the
surface of the ground.

As the team figures out a solutionperhaps in the

form of a giant log-gripping claw adapted for maritime
use Eldred tells Baraniuk that he's not motivated by
the gold involved.

He said: "It was a fabulous and surreal moment full of

shock and excitement when I realized what it might have
meant."

"The excitement, he says, "comes from building a

business thats really complicated. (These repo men
of the high seas face challenges of their own.)

Dr John Naylor from the Portable Antiquities Scheme at

the Ashmolean Museum said the findings would
"revolutionise" the study of Vikings and improve the historical prestige of the county.

He said: "What James has found really is quite something and it will make a big difference to what we already
know about that time period."

Viking Treasures

Mr Mather added that some of the coins were exceptionally rare and some of them had never been seen before.

Treasure hunter finds at least 1m worth

of Viking artefacts in Oxfordshire
Tuesday 23rd February 2016
By Sophie Mogridge

treasure hunter who found Viking artifacts in

Oxfordshire worth at least 1m has said he is
"not bothered" about they money.

James Mather dug up 186 silver coins, seven items of

silver and gold jewelry and 15 silver ingots believed to be
from the ninth century on a Watlington farm last October.
But the 60-year-old said he is more concerned with the
"historical benefit" the Hoard would have for the county.
It is believed the Hoard was deposited in Watlington in
the late 870s by a Viking for safe-keeping.
James Mather, 60, said: "I was out with my metal detector on a farm, with the permission of the farmer, and at
first I only found a few corroded coins and some shot
gun cartridges.
"I was preparing myself to give up and go home when I
saw some higher ground and I thought I'd give it a go
because that's quite often where people would settle.
"I was doing the zig-zag motion over the land when my
metal detector went crazy and after digging seven inches
down I found a single silver ingot.
"I suddenly had an epiphany and realized it was something I had seen in a previous Viking Hoard, although
they were not particularly active in the South of EngThe News, March 2016

If an object is composed of greater than 10 per cent precious metal and is more than 300 years old it could
potentially be treasure, according to the Treasure Act
1996.
He said: "I don't want to speculate as to how much the
hoard might be worth because it's the job of the valuators to work it out, but what I do know is that some of
those coins have gone for 24,000 each at auction.
"So we're looking at a seven figure sum at the very least."
The ruling, made at Oxford Coroners Court, means
items effectively belong to the public and are likely to be
put on display at the Ashmolean Museum.
If bought by a museum the money would be split between the finder and landowner.
Other items declared treasure at an inquest yesterday
include a complete silver dress fastener dating to the
Anglo-saxon period found in Harwell, a silver medieval
hooked tag from Aston and a 16th century silver openwork filigree button from Nettlebed.
In addition, a late medieval silver spherical bell found in
Highmoor and a pair of silver cuff links also from the
medieval period found in Wytham were declared treasure.

The Oxford Times

Ed .. This time of year some of the greatest treasure
recoveries seem to be made in England.

Page 3

Find of the Month

Winners
February, 2015
Most Valuable Coin: No Entry
Oldest Coin: No Entry
Largest Raw Gold: No Entry
Most Raw Gold: No Entry
Best Bottle: No Entry
Best Jewelry:
Tom Marschall Pendant
Most Unique Find (Excavated):
No Entry
Most Unique Find (NonExcavated):
No Entry
Rock, Gem, Mineral & Fossil:
No Entry

Why do I have to press one

for English when you're just
gonna transfer me to
someone I can't
understand anyway?
Gold Glossary
Highbanker - A highbanker is a sluice box with mobility.
Instead of being put right in the creek like a sluice, the
highbanker uses a water pump to transport the water into
higher and sometimes richer placer reserves. In addition
to the ability to go just about anywhere, the highbanker
also is able to run more material in less time than the
sluice. These characteristics make the highbanker a common modern day mining tool.

TREASURE HUNTERS
CODE OF ETHICS

I WILL respect private property and do no treasure

hunting without the owner's permission.
I WILL fill all excavations.

Now this is a first! Only one

single entry chipped from
winters icy grip. Somebody tell
Al Gore to stop by and shovel up
some of this Global Warming.

I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural

resources, wildlife, and private property.
I WILL use thoughtfulness, consideration, and courtesy
at all times.
I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only.
I WILL leave gates as found.
I WILL remove and properly dispose of any trash that I
find.
I WILL NOT litter.
I WILL NOT destroy property, buildings, or what is left
of ghost towns and deserted structures.
I WILL NOT tamper with signs, structural facilities, or
equipment.

Page 4

The News, March 2016

South Carolina
Treasure Recovered
Buried treasure, oh yeah we found some !
Date: 9/9/2012,
Atilla the hun

e were recently contacted by a gentleman

who heard we were good with our detectors
and needed our help. Joey, Kandi and I
went to the aid of this guy who felt sure his mom had
buried money in the yard. His dad had passed away
and his mother has gotten to the point she doesn't
even recognize him anymore.

Mineral Specimen Identification

As part of their community outreach, Metropolitan State
College of Denver, Dep. of Earth & Atmospheric
Science, Professional Services Division offers FREE
MINERAL SPECIMEN IDENTIFICATION. Participants
will aid in the education of future Geoscientists!
Details and specimen submittal forms with instructions
can be downloaded
from:
SPECIAL OFFER FREE MINERAL SPECIMEN
http://college.earthscienceeducation.net/MINPET/
MINID.pdf

Well he lives in Texas and came back to South Carolina to clean up and get his parent's home ready to
sell. Well this guy had no idea what he was in store
for when he started cleaning up the place. He realized
his parents didn't believe in banks! The guy told us he
found stash's of cash and coin literally everywhere in
the home! He showed me a closet full of about 40
pocketbooks and every one was stuffed with cash. It
was behind the walls, in the mattress's, in every book
in the house, in greeting cards and Christmas cards.
He even found some stuffed in frozen vegetables in the
fridge!
He's had to go through everything! She had 25 handguns, antique firearms. He said she was a classic
hoarder and they loved antiques. The stuff in there
was mind boggling and he's steadily going through it
all.
(Continued on page 17)

Refreshment Volunteers
March Dick & Sharon French
April Fred Sugden
May Steve McNeill
June Anne & Ray
July Virgil & Linda Kapperman
August D, B & M
September - Stan Koleski
October - Volunteer Needed
NovemberVolunteer Needed
The News, March 2016

Property Wanted
For Detector Hunt
RMPTH is looking for private property on which to hold
an organized club detector hunt. Obviously, it would be
most ideal if this property is known to have seen some
past historical activity. If you have such property or
know of someone who does, please contact Rick
Mattingly to plan a club field outing event.

Page 5

Is Your 1943 Copper Penny

Real or Fake?
If you have a 1943 penny that looks like it is made out of
copper, this is how you can authenticate it to tell if it is a
genuine 1943 copper penny, or a fake 1943 copper
penny. But first of all, be aware that the 1943 penny was
issued in zinc-coated steel, because the USA needed
copper for the war effort. Any genuine 1943 copper pennies are extremely rare mint errors. Learn more about
your silver colored 1943 Steel Penny.
The easiest way to tell if your 1943 copper cent is
merely a copper-plated steel penny is to test it with a
magnet. If the magnet sticks to the penny, it's made of
steel which has been dipped or plated in copper.
Such a penny is worth about 15 cents as a novelty item.
If your 1943 copper colored penny doesn't stick to a
magnet, then look at the date carefully (using a magnifying glass, if possible.) If the tail of the 3 doesn't extend
well below the "line" of numbers, it is probably a cut-inhalf 8. A very common fraud involving the copper 1943
cent is to cut away part of the 8 in the date of a 1948
penny. If the 3 in your date looks like half of an 8, your
coin is not a genuine 1943 copper
penny.
Any time you have a potentially valuable coin, it's always
a good idea to take it to a qualified coin dealer for a professional
about.com

Treasures To Be Found

here are actually a number of well documented

treasure sites remaining to be found out there

1. Yamashita's treasure
Yamashita's treasure is the name given to war loot stolen
in Southeast Asia by Japanese forces during World War
II supposedly then hidden in caves, tunnels and underground complexes in the Philippines. It has been claimed
by some American military intelligence operatives that
they located some of the loot in the late 1940s, using it
to help finance the USAs covert operations during the
Cold War. These claims, and the temptation of still more
undiscovered riches, continue to draw treasure hunters
to the Philippines to this day.
2. Awa Maru treasure
Japanese naval ship the Awa Maru was torpedoed and
sunk in the Taiwan Strait on the 1st of April 1945by US
submarine The Queenfish. Onboard the Awa Maru is
alleged to have been an estimated 3 billion in gold and
diamonds. Some say that the priceless skull fragments
of Peking Man the prehistoric human ancestor "homo
erectus pekinensis" unearthed in the 1930s may also
have been onboard.
The wreck of the Awa Maru was located in the late 70s
but, despite an expensive five year salvage operation carried out by the Peoples Republic of China soon after,
none of the treasure has yet been recovered.
3. The Treasure of Lima
In 1820 the Spanish controlled city of Lima in Peru was
on the edge of revolt. It was decided that the citys jewels,
gold, and other treasures should be sent to Mexico for
safekeeping. Captain William Thompson, commander of
the Mary Dear, was put in charge of transporting the
riches to Mexico but the temptation of the treasure
proved too much for him. Thompson and his crew
turned pirate, sailing to Cocos Island off the coast of present day Costa Rica where they buried their loot. Apprehended by a Spanish warship soon afterward, all except
Thompson and his first mate were executed for piracy.
The two said they would show the Spaniards where they
had hidden the treasure in return for their lives but instead escaped into the Cocos jungle. The 35 million
worth of treasure remains buried somewhere on the island.
Ed . This treasure was actually found in 2014!
(Continued on page 7)

Page 6

The News, March 2016

(Continued from page 6)

4. The 1715 Treasure Fleet

On the 30th of July 1715, twelve Spanish ships carrying
gold and silver from the New World were lost in a hurricane off the coast of Florida, USA. Much of the treasure
was salvaged immediately by quick-thinking sailors from
the region but the storm scattered the fleet wide and the
boats sank swiftly. Although goods have been recovered
and exhibited over the last few decades, artifacts from
the lost fleet, including gold coins, still wash up on Florida beaches today. The treasure fleet is still out there
somewhere, buried in the sand beneath the waves.
5. Bloody Swords treasure
Benito "Bloody Sword" Bonito began his career as a pirate sometime around 1818. His story or legends the
case may be is often conflated with that of Captain
Thompsons so that the treasure of Lima is said by some
to have actually been buried on Cocos by Bonito. Australian folklore states that Benito hid the captains cut of
his ill gotten gains in a cave near Queenscliff, Victoria
which he then sealed with the use of explosives. The
story goes that Bloody Sword died some say by the
rope, some by his own hand rather than face execution
before the treasure could be recovered and that it remains entombed within the cave to this day.

John Reppion
The History Channel

Door Prize Donors For

February

Cigar Box - Rick Mattingly

Gold Pan - Tom Warne
Pocket Knife - Club Store
Coffee Mug - Club Store
Silver Coin - Club Store
Silver Coin - Club Store
Silver Coin - Club Store
Hand Warmer - Club Store

The News, March 2016

Page 7

Huge Diamond Find

n Australian company unearthed a massive 404

-carat diamond in Angola valued at as much as
$14 million, according to ABC.

"We're not used to valuing 400-carat diamonds," Lucapa chairman Miles Kennedy told ABC.

Flawless Blue Diamond

Find
Flawless blue diamond could fetch a record
$55 million

The Lucapa Diamond Company, based in Perth, said

it discovered the diamond in its Lulo mine about 300
miles east of Angola's capital, Luanda.

blue diamond weighing 12.03 carats and described by experts as internally flawless could sell
for a record $55 million (47 million euros) when it
goes up for auction in November, Sotheby's said Thursday.

The company claimed the diamond was the largest

found on record in the southern African nation as
well as the biggest diamond found by an Australian
miner.

"The Blue Moon diamond is a simply sensational stone

of perfect color and purity," David Bennett, who heads
Sotheby's international jewelry division, said in a statement.

Angola is the fourth largest diamond-producing nation by value, Lucapa said.

A photograph of the diamond supplied by the company shows it measuring at about 7 centimeters, or
2.75 inches.
The Sydney Morning Herald noted that this diamond's
debut comes months after another company found a
1,111-carat stone in Botswana, second only to a
3,106-carat diamond found in South Africa in 1905.
MSN News

He added that the immense hype which followed the

stone's discovery "has now been proven to have been totally justified."
The Gemological Institute of America previously declared the Blue Moon to be "internally flawless".
Categorized as a fancy vivid blue diamond, the Blue
Moon is the largest cushion-shaped stone in that category to ever appear at auction.
Sotheby's put its estimated sale price between $35-$55
million which, at the higher end, would mark a record
for any diamond sale.
In November 2010, a 24.78 carats pink diamond -known as the Graff Pink -- sold in Geneva for just over
$46 million.
The record sale for a blue diamond so far came in November last year, when a 9.75 carats fetched $32.6 million at an auction in New York.

The Blue Moon Diamond is seen on display at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles September 12, 2014

Before You Buy That Metal Detector Handbook Check:

http://www.mdhtalk.org/articles/before-you-buy-hb/before-you-buy-handbook.pdf
Page 8

The News, March 2016

Silver Bar Hunt

RMPTH member Paul Mayhak is running another Club
Treasure Hunt! This time around the prize is Two Solid
Silver One-Ounce Bars. Paul has donated one of the
bars and the club is furnishing the other.
Each month a new clue will be provided verbally at the
club meeting. The new clues will then be added to the
next months newsletter. Meeting attendees will then be
the first to get the newest clue.
The metallic target you are looking for is buried so it will
require a metal detector to locate. This metal container
will contain instructions for claiming the Silver Bars. Put
the clues together and claim the prize!

CLUES
1. The target is buried somewhere in Fort Collin.

Prospecting Tips
Streams, Valleys, Holes
When searching for gold look at the terrain. Gold is
heavy and sinks downwards till it hits a hard layer.
Look for rocky streams, dips in the land, valleys between high ground and hard gravel layers.
Protection from the Sun and Rain
We can end up in some pretty remote places while
detecting for gold. Remember to bring some protection from the elements. Wearing a hat and sunglasses helps from the glare of the sun which can
cause headaches. Wear sunblock to protect your
skin. Bring a water bottle. Don't let dehydration
catch you. Bring a wash cloth to keep sweat from
getting in your eyes. Bring a small pocket poncho in
case it rains. And a bag for your detector if it's not
waterproof.
Adding a granola bar or some sort of snack is a good
idea to keep your energy up. Know your limits. Remember how far you walk because you will have to
walk back as well.

http://www.mytreasurejournal.com/tips/results/
prospecting
The News, March 2016

Page 9

Calendar of Events
March Meeting
Wednesday, March 2 We will meet at the Pulliam
Building in downtown Loveland at 6:00PM. Refer to
the adjoining map for directions.
Meeting Agenda
6:00 - 7:00 Social Hour & Finds Program
7:00 - 7:30 Business, Announcements & Find of
the Month Program
7:30 - 7:45 Break
7:45 - 9:00 "The Metal Detector Kit Bag By
RMPTH members.

Visit RMPTH On The Internet At

http://rmpth.com

RMPTH DUES
RMPTH is an unincorporated Social Club with
no income generated. All
expenses are covered by
$25 annual dues. Members are requested to
consider minor donations
at each monthly meeting
to cover refreshments.

MAP TO THE MEETING PLACE

Pulliam Community Building
545 Cleveland Avenue, Loveland, Colorado

Directions:
The Pulliam Community Building is situated on the west side of Cleveland Avenue in Loveland,
Colorado. Park at the rear of the building (west side). Entry to the meeting room is from
the doorway on the south side of the building (not the main entrance on Cleveland Avenue!).
Page 10

The News, March 2016

March 2016
Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

10

11

RMPTH Finds Program

& Social 6:00P
RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

RMPTH Board Meeting

6:00P

13

12
Wyoming State Museum Tour 9:00A

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Fri

Sat

Daylight Savings
Time Begins

Easter

April 2016
Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

1
April Fools Day
Fort Collins Rockhounds Gem &
Mineral Show

14

15

RMPTH Finds Program

& Social 6:00P
RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

Fort Collins Rockhounds Gem &

Mineral Show

10

2
Fort Collins Rockhounds Gem &
Mineral Show

11

12

13

RMPTH Board Meeting

6:00P

16
Map Compass GPS
Clinic 9:00A-12:00P

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

The News, March 2016

Page 11

Gold Coins Worth Over

$1M
Gold Coins Worth Over $1M Unearthed
By Florida Family

Florida man has uncovered gold artifacts

worth over $1 million from the wreckage of a
Spanish fleet that sank in a storm off the Florida coast three centuries ago.

The find by Eric Schmitt was announced recently by a

salvage company that owns the rights to the site
where the coins and jewels were found.
The treasure was actually found a month ago, Brent
Brisben of 1715 Fleet Queens Jewels LLC told
Florida Today. Keeping word of the haul from getting
out was particularly hard for the family that found
it, Brisben added. Theyve been beside themselves.
Among the artifacts are 51 gold coins, 40 feet of gold
chain, and an extremely rare coin called a
Tricentennial Royal, minted for King Philip V of
Spain. Schmitt told the Orlando Sentinel that the
Tricentennial Royal alone is worth approximately
$500,000 due to its rarity and near-perfect condition.

RMPTH Field Outing Statement

NOTE: The Coordinators and participants stay in touch
and continue to review and plan upcoming presentations
and outings for the year on a monthly basis. Our editor
Rick Mattingly needs timely event information for each
issue of The News. Please get information about any particular event to him by the 15th of the month to meet the
printing deadline for the next issue.
Planned trips, outings, activities, and meeting programs
are in the newsletter and on line at the clubs website.
Planning is a work in progress and additional outings and
activities are added and sometimes deleted on an ongoing basis. Events planned in the upcoming month are
emphasized to the attendees at the monthly meetings.
Contact the Presentations Coordinators or Editor if you
have any suggestions or ideas throughout the year for
fieldtrips, outings, and programs.
The best made plans may change at the last minute due
to the illness of the Trail Boss, weather, land access, vehicles breaking down, wrong meeting sites, etc. Please
be understanding of extenuating circumstances and contact the coordinator or Trail Boss of a specific event if
there is any question of an event being cancelled or
changed at the last minute.
Page 12

These things were known as presentation pieces not

meant to be circulated as currency, Schmitt said of
the Royal coins, of which only about six are known
to exist.
The Sentinel reported that Schmitt found the gold
while diving off Fort Pierce, just north of Port St.
Lucie,
while on his annual treasure-hunting trip with his
wife, sister, and parents.
The find was announced almost exactly 300 years to
the day after 11 of 12 Spanish ships carrying an estimated 3.5 million pesos in gold and jewels, including
some belonging to the Queen of Spain, sank in a hurricane while en route from Havana.
More than 1,000 crew members were killed.
Brisben told Reuters that the value of the ships cargo
would amount to about $400 million in todays
money. Of that total, approximately $157 million has
been recovered. The Schmitts are subcontractors of
Brisbens company, and have had success in their
(Continued on page 13)

The News, March 2016

(Continued from page 12)

searches in each of the past two years.

In 2013, the family found several pieces of a solid
gold chain that ultimately measure more than 60 feet.
Last year Schmitt found the back portion of a handcrafted gold filigree pyx, a vessel used to hold the
Eucharist during the observance of Holy Communion.
Under federal and Florida law, up to 20 percent of the
treasure will be turned over to the state for display
in a museum, while Brisbens company and the
Schmitts will split the remainder.
Courtesy of http://www.foxnews.com/
science/2015/07/28/floridafamily-unearths-gold-coinsworth-1m-from-1715-shipwreck/
Submitted by Mike A. Mazur.
Ther's News
www.LostTrewasure.com Newsletter 8-4-2015

The News, March 2016

Page 13

More Colorado
Treasures
Just Waiting to Be Found

rapahoe County - A cache of gold ore worth

$10,000 was buried somewhere in Pat's Hole
within today's Dinosaur National Monument.
Worth many times that value today, the treasure has
never been recovered.
Costilla County The treasure of the paymaster of
Fort Garland was stashed on Trinchera Creek.
El Paso County - Near Monument, between Colorado
Springs and Denver, the Butch Cassidy gang is said to
have stashed $100,000 from their bank robberies.
El Paso County An outlaw gang called the "Bloody
Espinosas" terrorized the San Luis Valley in 1863.
Supposedly, the gang had received a vision from the
Virgin Mary and tried to drive the Anglos out by robbing them. They were said to have buried their treasure near the present-day town of Cascade in Ute Pass
on the slopes of Pikes Peak. For a time, the gang
eluded capture but were finally conquered by an

army scout from Fort Garland who rode back to the

fort with their heads in a sack.
Garfield County - Train robbery loot hidden near
Grand Valley remains undiscovered.
Gilpin County - A chest filled with gold was hidden on
Ralston Creek Road between Central City and Denver.
Huerfano County - Two barrels of coins belonging to
Henry Sefton were lost at the Gomez Ranch in the
Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Lake County - Some of Jesse James' stolen wealth is
said to be hidden in Half Moon Gulch, southwest of
Leadville.
Larimer County - The Musgrove Gang, headed by Lee
Musgrove, were thieves and rustlers who ranged from
Texas to Wyoming to Kansas. Noted for their barbarity, they were said to have killed at least twelve people
during their raids. However, Colorado lawman Dave
Cook went after the gang, and one-by-one, either
killed or arrested each and every one of them. Lee
Musgrove was finally caught by Cook in Wyoming Territory and was jailed in Denver. On November 23,
1868 a crowd stormed the jail and lynched the out(Continued on page 17)

Tressala Renee posted her first silver of 2016 and her first silver Mercury dime (1918). Made my pulse race seeing that beautiful
shine of silver in the dirt. Get ready to get some yourself folks!
Page 14

The News, March 2016

Funnies For The Day

changed my car horn to gunshot sounds. People move out of

the way much faster now!

You can tell a lot about a woman's mood just by her hands. If she
is holding a gun, she's probably angry.
Gone are the days when girls used to cook like their mothers. Now
they drink like their fathers.
You know that tingly little feeling you get when you really like
someone? That's common sense leaving your body.
I don't like making plans for the day because then the word
"premeditated" gets thrown around in the courtroom.
I didn't make it to the gym today. That makes five years in a row.
I decided to change calling the bathroom the John and renamed it
the Jim. I feel so much better saying I went to the Jim this morning.
Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't
met yet.
Old age is coming at a really bad time!
When I was a child I thought Nap Time was a punishment... Now,
as a grownup, it just feels like a small vacation!
The biggest lie I tell myself is... "I don't need to write that down, I'll
remember it."
I don't have gray hair. I have "wisdom highlights". I'm just very
wise.
Teach your daughter how to shoot, because a restraining order is
just a piece of paper.
If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would've put them on my
knees.
Why do I have to press one for English when you're just gonna
transfer me to someone I can't understand anyway?
Of course I talk to myself, sometimes I need expert advice.
At my age "Getting lucky" means walking into a room and remembering what I came in there for.

The News, March 2016

Gold Glossary
Hydraulic Mining- Hydraulic mining used
water that was diverted into ditches and
wooden flumes at high elevations, and
gravity did the rest. Channeled through
heavy iron pipes, the water exploded from
a nozzle far below with a force of 5000
pounds. When that awesome stream of
water was focused and directed, the mountains were literally blasted away.

Gold Facts
Symbol: AU
Atomic Number: 79
Atomic Weight: 196.967
Melting Point: 1063 (1945 F)
Specific Gravity: 19.2
MOHs Scale of Hardness:
2.5 - 3
Karat
24K = 100% Pure Gold
18K = 75% Pure Gold
14K = 58% Pure Gold
10K = 42% Pure Gold
Troy Weights
1 grain = 0.0648 grams
24 grains = 1 penny
weight (DWT) = 1.552 grams
20 DWT = 1 ounce =
480 grains = 31.10 grams

YOUR
ADVERTISEMENT
COULD BE HERE!
Call Rick Mattingly
at 970-669-1205
or rickmatt@q.com
Page 15

Trading Post
WANTED: RMPTH Member seeking to purchase used Garrett
AT Gold or AT Pro. Contact Steve at 970-556-0755. Leave
message.
FOR SALE: Jewelers propane/oxygen torch, many cabochons, beads and tools. Contact Ann at
(970) 6667-3705.
FOR SALE: A "MUST HAVE" T-Shirt for every Prospector
and Treasure Hunter. Quality 100% cotton tees. See and
order from:
http://BestBlackandGold.com.
FOR SALE: Minelab SD2200 Gold Nugget Metal Detector:
10-1/2" Mono Super Coil, 10-1/2" SD Series Super Coil, two
batteries w/wall & car charger, headphones, backpack,
waist battery pack, signal enhancer, extra lower stem, instruction booklet & video, carry case. Ready to go for the
gold. New Price: $1625. Contact Paul at (970) 482-7846.
FOR SALE: 5HP pump motor, Gold King 3" Hi-banker with
dredge attachment w/adjustable stand, Gold Grabber Hibanker, 125 feet hose, Rock net and steel cable, misc. fittings and valves & large metal bucket. Prefer to sell all together for $1,350 but negotiable. Call Eric Stickland at
(303) 833-6848 or
estick@live.com.
WANTED: Used lapidary equipment. Call Kathie 970-2211623

About Trading Post

The News runs classified ads in Trading Post
for three consecutive issues. Trading Post ads
for topic related items up to 10 lines (or 70
words) long are free. To place an ad in Trading
Post contact Rick Mattingly at (970) 613-8968
evenings
or e-mail at: rickmatt@q.com
Commercial Advertising
Specifications
(Monthly Donation Rate)
Full Page (8 1/2" X 7")
Half Page (3 1/4" X 7")
One Third Page (3" X 4")
Business Card (2 3/4" X 1 1/2")

$30
$20
$15
$ 5

Ads must be received by the 15th of the

preceding month. Contact Rick Mattingly for information on this service at
(970) 613-6968 evenings or e-mail at:
rickmatt@q.com.

WANTED: Federal or state duck stamps; mint or used. Contact John Hart at (307) 778-3993.

NOTE:
Purchase arrangements are between the buyer and
seller only and involves no financial benefit to RMPTH.

All mistakes and

misspellings were
intentionally made so
that you could have the
pleasure of finding them.

Colorado School of Mines

Geology Museum
Golden, Colorado
Contact us: 303-273-3815 or
geomuseum@mines.edu
Identification of specimens is performed
between 10 a.m. and noon, Tuesdays and
Thursdays.
Page 16

The News, March 2016

WEEKEND & SMALL-SCALE

MINERS CODE OF ETHICS
I WILL respect other prospectors claims and not work
those claims without the owners permission
I WILL have on-site all necessary permits and licenses
I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only, and
in accordance with current State and Federal guidelines
I WILL be careful with fuels and motor oils and be cognizant of their potential destructive effect on the environment
I WILL remove and properly dispose of all trash and
debris that I find - I will not litter
I WILL be thoughtful, considerate and courteous to
those around me at all time
I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural
resources, wildlife, fisheries and private property, and
respect all laws or ordinances governing prospecting
and mining
I WILL NOT remove stream bank material, destroy
natural vegetation or woody debris dams, nor discharge
excess silt into the waterways

(Continued from page 14)

law. The Musgrove Corral Treasure of gold and silver

coins is said to remain buried along the Cache la
Poudre River.
Otero County - The site of Bent's Fort on the old
Santa Fe Trail is supposed to be where much Treasure is buried.
Lincoln County -- In 1847, $100,000 was stolen by
bandits in Sacramento, California during the California Goldrush. It is said that the gold was hidden in a
gulch several miles east of Clifford in Lincoln County.
The spot was supposedly marked by three stones,
each bearing the date 1847. This story was further
supported when a flat stone bearing the inscription
"D. Grover and Joseph Fox Lawe, Aug. 8, 1847" was
discovered near Clifford many years ago.
Moffat County - In the 1890s, Butch Cassidy and his
Wild Bunch often fled into the remote valley of
Brown's Hole to escape from lawmen. It is believed
that much of their outlaw loot was cached here and
never recovered. Located just south of Wyoming,
along the Utah-Colorado border, it was rumored that
the only law was that of the fastest gun.

I WILL NOT refuel motorized equipment in the stream

I WILL NOT allow oil from motorized
equipment to drip onto the ground or into the water
I WILL NOT prospect in areas closed to prospecting
and mining

(Continued from page 5)

He has receipts where she bought gold coins and

gold bars valued, in today's prices, at about
300,000 dollars and has yet to locate but about 10
coins. It's there somewhere he hopes!
Well here's our little recent adventure. I didn't take
my camera thinking we wouldn't find anything.
Luckily Kandi brought hers. He offered us a reward
and dinner but we declined saying we were just glad
to help. He was pretty happy as he knows there's no
way he'd ever have recovered the stuff we found. It
was a foot deep next to a cement block foundation
in the basement.
The Hun

Offer Your Assistance To Any

Of Our Program Coordinators
The News, March 2016

Page 17

Rocky Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters Club

2016 Schedule of Events
Month

Meeting Program

Trip/Activity

January

Artifact Hunting
By Bryan Morgan

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

February

Demo of RMPTH Prospecting/Detecting

DVD
A Wyoming Treasure Hunt Story

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

March

Packing a Metal Detecting Kit Bag

By RMPTH Members

Tour of Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne

April

Gold Wheels
By RMPTH Members

Local Detector Hunt

Map, Compass & GPS Clinic

May

Mining Camps Speak

Bill & Beth Sagstetter

Prospecting & Detecting Clinic at Lions Park

Lets Go Gold Panning On The Arkansas Event GPOC

June

Privy Hunting
By RMPTH Members

Clear Creek Gold Outing

Denver GPAA Show
State Annual Gold Panning Championships

July

Metal Detecting
By RMPTH Members
Boy Scouts Invited

Galeton Metal Detecting Outing

Phoenix Gold Mine Tour

August

Gold & Platinum in Wyoming

By Wayne Sutherland, WSGS

Vics Gold PanningBlackhawk

Galeton Metal Detecting Outing

September

Loveland Archeology Society and Stone

Age Fair
By Bryan Morgan

Annual Coin & Prize Hunt

Stone Age Fair
School of Mines Museum Tour

October

Map & Internet Research

By Rick Mattingly

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

November

Annual Show & Tell &

Silent Auction

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

December

Annual Find of the Year Awards &

Christmas Party

Flatirons Mineral Club & Model Train Show

Good Hunting in 2016!

Page 18

The News, March 2016

Rocky Mountain
Prospectors & Treasure Hunters
Contact List
RMPTH Coordinators

Home

E-Mail

President

Tom Warne

1-970-635-0773

goldigger48@msn.com

Interim Vice President

Tim Coatman

1-970-353-1919

old37chev@aol.com

Treasurer

Dick & Sharon French

1-970-482-2110

dickyf99@centurylink.net

Secretary

Rick Mattingly

1-970-669-1205

rickmatt@q.com

Rick Mattingly

1-970-669-1205

rickmatt@q.com

Rick Mattingly

1-970-669-1205

rickmatt@q.com

Finds Program

Dave Landes
Betsy Emond
Joe Johnston

1-720-985-4186
1-970-218-0290
1-303-696-6950

midnightoil45@aol.com
bemond@fcgov.com
cjoej1@peoplepc.com

Presentations

Rick Mattingly

1-970-669-1205

rickmatt@q.com

Club Historian

Steve McNeill

1-970-556-0755

pawfullo@yahoo.com

Club Meeting Greeter

Barbara Schuldt

1-970-407-1336

Club Librarian

Joe Johnston

1-303-696-6950

cjoej1@peoplepc.com

Club Photo Librarian

Tom Warne

1-970-635-0773

goldigger48@msn.com

Meeting Setup

Jim Friedricks

1-720-270-8895

Door Prize

Tim Coatman

1-970-353-1919

old37chev@aol.com

Zinc Penny Project

Tom Marschall

1-970-396-0133

tmarschall47@gmail.com

50/50 Drawing

Woody Hogdon

1-970-217-8124

ftcolwoody@juno.com

Coin Raffle

Woody Hogdon

1-970-217-8124

ftcolwoody@juno.com

The News Staff

Editor-in-Chief
Internet Web Site
Web Master
Volunteers/Coordinators

General Information Contact: Rick Mattingly at 1-970-669-1205 or rickmatt@q.com

Visit RMPTH on the Internet at: http://rmpth.com

Lets Go For The Gold !

The News, March 2016

Page 19

The News
Rocky Mountain Prospectors &
Treasure Hunters Club
278 Sierra Vista Drive
Fort Collins, CO. 80524

MARCH, 2016 ISSUE