Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters Newsletter

The News
v. 15, n. 8 August, 2011 Going for the Gold Visit RMPTH On The Internet At http://rmpth.com

Contents
1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 18 19 The Greenie About The News Dating Antique Bottles
Those Intriguing Little California Gold Pieces

The Greenie

Alfred Wild RMPTH Treasure Hunt Ends Kerala Temple Treasure Blackbeard's Sword, Found! Detector Signals Produced By Metallic Objects Manhattan Outing Report Calendar of Events Calendars Potato Creek Johnny The Solid Muldoon Historic Wyoming Tour Trading Post 2011 Schedule of Events Contact List

ne of the most fascinating aspects of detecting is to find a mystery object and then research its use and history. Last September, we spent a week detecting in England. Our significant finds had to be left behind to be evaluated and an export permit issued. Greenies or more modern coins may be brought back without a permit. This is the story of a supposed greenie with a hole drilled through it that came home with us. The Greenie was found in a farmers field in a little village outside Hunstanton in Norfolk. Hunstaton is a small English seaside resort on the East Coast of England. Once home we looked a little more closely at the Greenie and discovered that it was very light, weighing less than 20 grams not a usual weight for a coin. A hole was drilled through the top of the Greenie Our assumption was that it might be a seal from a sack of grain used to prevent theft of the grain while it was being transported from the mill. Cleaning revealed that out Greenie had a human
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News Regarding The 2011 Detector Coin HuntRevised!

"A fool and his money are soon elected." - Will Rogers

DUE TO A SCHEDULING ISSUE WITH THE PULLIUM BUILDING THE AUGUST MEETING WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, INSTEAD OF THE USUAL FIRST WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LET OTHER MEMBERS KNOW! WE WILL BE BACK TO THE NORMAL FIRST WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER.

About The News

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. Persons wishing to receive the newsletter in hardcopy, mailed format are required to provide the amount of $24 per year required to print and mail. Otherwise, no annual dues are charged as the social club functions strictly by donation.

he News is the official newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters Club (RMPTH): our mailing address is P.O. Box 271863, Fort Collins, CO. 80527-1863. 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. 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.

Dating Antique Bottles

ommon bottles you'll find in many antique shops are candy containers, fire extinguisher globes, whiskey bottles, ink bottles, barbershop, tonic and mineral water bottles. Particularly valued are liquor bottles with presidents or politicians on them, tonic bottles in the shape of the body and fire extinguisher globes still containing the chemicals necessary to put out a flame. Usually older bottles from this period will be greenish/blue due to the impurities in the glass, there may also be bubbles, surface marks and bits of stone in the glass. To date a hand-blown bottle, look at the pontil marks on the bottom, if there is color in them - 1845 to 1870 are the most likely years of manufacture. To date a molded bottle, look at the height of the seam, the higher the seam-the later the bottle. Pre-1860, the side mold marks don't go all the way up the neck of the bottle, in the late 1800s they ran to about a quarter inch from the top and after 1903, the seam will run all the way to the top of the bottle. References: Munsey, Cecil, The Illustrated Guide to Collecting Bottles, Hawthorn Books, 1970.
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The News, August 2011

figure on one side. Where the head would be was where the hole had been drilled. The figure was holding an orb in its left hand. An orb is a circular object, usually made from gold or other precious metals, sometimes with a cross on top. Its a fairly universal symbol of royalty. Above the head are the Latin words REX BOME, meaning King Bome. The obverse has the letters Regis Boeme in Signia meaning the insignia or coat of arms of the King Boeme. On line searches only turned up sites from Eastern Europe in languages we could not decipher. We concluded our Greenie was probably not a grain seal. At a dead end we wrote to Treasure Hunting Magazine including pictures and a description and received a reply very quickly. In addition to an e-mail response our letter was published in the June edition of the magazine. . The experts determined that based on the light metal, the absence of the name of a specific King, and the pendant hole our Greenie was a jeton or medalet. The experts opinion was that this was a talisman hung around someones neck and presented by the King of Bohemia as protection from the plague or other serious illness. Because the King was Gods divinely appointed representative on Earth, a Kings blessing was a superior protection against disease. Now our Greenie is a powerful protector against evil but how did it come from Bohemia to Norfolk England? Next stop was a friend who is an archaeologist and history buff, who thought the Greenie might well be an actual Bohemian coin. His research voided the coin theory, but brought up the fact that Richard II of England married Ann of Bohemia in 1382. The Royal couple toured their Kingdom and visited Norwich in Norfolk before Ann died in 1394. Norwich is not far from Hunstaton, perhaps Ann came to England with a supply of holy medalets to distribute. One significant problem with this scenario is that coins minted in the Thirteenth Century were hammered, i.e. made by striking a die against a precious metal. Hammered coins were very irregular in quality. Out Greenie is very symmetrical and obviously made using more modern technology. Where to go next with our inquiries? Treasure Hunting Magazine came to our rescue once again. In the July issue there was another letter to the editor from a reader who described our Greenie precisely and identified it as a jetton, a product made by Hans Krauwinckel II in Nuremberg Germany. Hans lived from 1586-1635. We turned back to Google to research Hans Krauwinckel. Hans and his brother, Egidius, were engaged in the creation of jettons. (Jettons were initially used as reckoning counters, later as gaming chips). Initially, many had inscriptions such as To God alone the Glory or Love me as I love you. Hans jettons are the most commonly
The News, August 2011

(Continued from page 1)

found in the U.K. Later jettons made in the 17th Century often had titles and portraits of reigning monarchs, this type of jetton is less common. One more problem emerges from this information, the article on the Krauwinckels states that in the Sixteenth Century jetton masters put their initials on their products. Later the Town Council of Nuremberg required that their full name be on the jetton. Our Greenie does not have Hans name on either side. Of course, the name could have been erased by wear and tear because the Greenie is not in very good condition. Stay tuned for more revelations on the saga of Greenie. Edward and Mai Edwards

Those Intriguing Little California Gold Pieces

by Betty Weeks

ractional gold, the beautiful and intriguing miniature gold coins of old California, can be classified into three distinct categories: the genuine pieces that circulated as real money from 1852 to 1856; the souvenir pieces issued from 1859 to 1882; and the outright fraud being foisted on the collecting public at this time. An ad age to follow: Know your dealer! The California Gold rush wrecked havoc with the fragile economy of California in the middle of the last century. So little government money was in circulation in 1848 that pinches of gold dust became the common currency. It was a decided ad vantage for the merchant to have a bit of grease or hair oil on his fingertips when prices were pegged to the pinch. Silver coins from the East were to few and prices to high to be of any use to most miners and the public.

Two fried eggs and greasy potatoes cost $4 in gold, a bowl of thin soup sold for $1 in gold. Merchants paid a three-percent premium for silver coins and federally issued paper money was still 13 years into the future. Thus started the American love affair with the gold coin, a love that has endured for almost 150 years.
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(Continued from page 3)

In order to facilitate trade, the first series of fractional California gold pieces appeared on the scene the year was 1852. Some were octagonal, others were round, and the values included a quarter dollar, a half-dollar, and a one dollar. With few exceptions all carried the denomination and notation, California Gold. Almost all were slightly underweight and made of unalloyed gold. Production stopped when the new mint in San Francisco produced enough small coinage for circulation. For two years there was no production of small California gold pieces. In 1859, the fractional pieces started to appear again. Most had the Liberty head design that had appeared on the earlier issues, but there were a few Indian Heads, and a few more carried the etching of George Washington. Although the denominations remained the same, the newer pieces were grossly underweight and the metal had been debased to a 9 or 10 karat quality. Those continued to be made until 1882 when a law enacted back in 1864 outlawing the production of private coins was enforced.

"I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants." - A. Whitney Brown

Gold Glossary
Flour Gold/Gold Dust - Gold that is so fine that it looks and feels like flour or dust. "The bread and butter of prospecting." Nuggets are just a bonus.

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. 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.

$1 California Gold Piece

Miniature gold pieces of the period 1852 to 1856 can be found in worn and circulated condition, whereas the second series made from 1859 to 1882, were almost always found to be in new condition, attesting to the fact that these coins were seldom if ever circulated as coins. Most were produced by jewelers as pocket souvenirs or for use as costume jewelry. Surprisingly, the last issues are still being manufactured today. Many carry fractional designs, but they lack the denomination. As an example, one may say 1/2 but lack the word doll or dollar. Producers believe that they are within the law if the denomination is omitted. All of the late day pieces have been backdated to con(Continued on page 17) Page 4

The News, August 2011

Alfred Wild
Little known history of Loveland, Colorado pioneer, Alfred Wild

RMPTH Treasure Hunt Ends

MPTH member Tom Warne put in his time on research and was rewarded with winning the prize, a huge Maria Teresa Thaler silver coin. Thanks to Paul Mayhak for putting on this fun treasure hunt. Congratulations Tom!

his is the story of Alfred Wild, who was the first to develop the plaster industry in Colorado through a company named Buckhorn Plaster in the 1880's. Along the treeless Big Thompson River, Wild found an unusual rock formation called The Devil's Backbone, where he homesteaded. First, he grew hops and was so successful he was dubbed Colorado's Pioneer Hop Grower. When he sold out at a large profit, he looked for other avenues of success. He was soon introduced to the mining business near Cripple Creek. He started his own machine business and, through his ingenuity and improvising, discovered a soft, white material that seemed able to absorb water. The product was a real nuisance to big mining companies but Wild determined to find out something about this surplus, unwanted product. He sent a sample of the material to the Brown University in Rhode Island and the material turned out to gypsum of the highest purity. Eureka! Wild had a bonanza and no one wanted it. Experimenting with his wife's pots and pans, he pulverized it into a fine power and from that first failed experience, he went on to learn how to manufacture plaster. Out of money, he found a millionaire to buy him a carload of sacks. Shortly, builders everywhere were clamoring for his product what we know today as Sheetrock or plaster board! Wild also founded the Bucknorthern Railway, a two foot gauge railway line.

Refreshment Volunteers
August - Gary Anderson September - Barbara Schuldt October - Johnny Berndsen November - Dave Montoya
The News, August 2011

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 Paul Lange or Rick Mattingly to plan a club field outing event.

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Kerala Temple Treasure

12bn (20 Billion) and Counting

panded and consolidated the Travancore kingdom. It has historically been a royal temple, but offerings to the Lord Vishnu, in the form of gold and jewellery, have come not just from Travancore kings and other Kerala royalty but millions of ordinary devotees. The vaults containing the offerings have remained locked at least since the 1930s, when the last inventory was reportedly carried out by Travancore's then rulers. India's supreme court ordered a fresh inventory of the treasure after a face-off between the current head of the former Travancore royal family and a lawyer who challenged them about the management of the temple wealth, claiming there was inadequate security.

ne vault is still left to open as scale of the offerings made to shrine in the past 500 years comes to light

"There are six vaults, from A to F, and only Vault B has "Though we knew that offerstill to be opened," says ings made to the temple by Kumar. "This vault has spedevotees for the last 500 cial locks, and we don't years were lying in these want to break them. So secret cellars, the scale of we're getting experts to exthe treasure has definitely The Kerala Temple amine them, and we should surprised us," temple offiThe ultimate case of hiding treasure in plain site? be able to open them on cial Hari Kumar told the Friday." Guardian. "All of Kerala is celebrating this extraordinary find." Its discovery has made the Hindu temple The entire operation is going on under heavy police of Padmanabha Swamy in the state capital Thiruvansecurity, but nothing is being filmed or photographed. thapuram the richest in India. "Taking photos within the sacred space of the temple is strictly prohibited," says Kumar. During the past week, a team of experts appointed by India's supreme court has opened five vaults dediKerala's chief minister cated to the deity Lord Oommen Chandy has reVishnu to uncover an Last count $22 Billion ! jected the demand that the enormous hoard of gold treasure should be used for public benefit. "It belongs idols, jewellery studded with diamonds, emeralds and to the Padmanabha Swamy temple and will be preother precious stones, antique silver, and even two served there," he said. golden coconut shells studded with rubies and emeralds. The shrine dates back to the 10th century, but the present massive granite structure was built only in the 18th century after King Marthanda Varma exguardian.co.uk Guardian News and Media Limited 2011

It's like a scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Even before the unlocking of the last of six secret vaults at Kerala's largest temple, the centuriesold treasure in gold, silver and precious stones discovered in its cellars is already estimated to be worth around 12.6bn (20 Billion).

"There is a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot." - Steven Wright
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Blackbeard's Sword, Found!

Archaeologists Discover Pirate Treasure Off North Carolina Coast By: TIME.com

Detector Signals Produced By Metallic Objects

By Ken Oyler

t's likely Edward Teach didn't need much to scare his enemies. After all, the notorious pirate better known as Blackbeard boasted a thick mass of facial hair so intimidating that it got immortalized in history. He also numbered among the first corsairs to fly a black flag with bones on it. And, according to some accounts, he had a habit of lighting fuses beneath his hat, a halo of smoke giving the bristly sea dog a decidedly demonic aspect. But archaeologists now suspect they've found one more clue behind the pirate's menace: what could very well be Blackbeard's sword, or at least part of it. National Geographic published photos released by a team that has for over a decade been excavating the Queen Anne's Revenge, Circa 1715, Captain Edward which was Blackbeard's Teach (1680 - 1718), better flagship until it ran known as Blackbeard, a pirate aground in an inlet off who plundered the coasts of the the coast of North CaroWest Indies, North Carolina and lina in 1718. These inVirginia. Hulton Archive/Getty clude fragments of a gilded hilt and pommel, possibly of French design (Blackbeard's ship was a retrofitted French merchant vessel). The shipwreck has been worked on since 1997.

ow we move to those signals that are produced by metallic targets. It's important to note that all metallic targets, of sufficient size and proximity to the searchcoil, produce repeatable signals, provided that the coil height and the sweep speed are consistent with each pass. The electromagnetic field from the coil is highly affected by iron (a ferrous metal), the iron targets generally have a more broad response. In other words, as the searchcoil passes over such a target, there is a wide full-width of the searchcoil response. Also, as the coil goes over an iron target the sound in both directions will be somewhat "fuzzy" and with an experienced ear, the sound of iron can be differentiated from the sharp "beep" or "zip" of a non-ferrous target. Non-Ferrous metals (such as gold, lead, brass, etc.) respond with a more "narrow" signal, sort of a sharp "zip" sound for the smaller targets, and a louder "ZAP" sound for the bigger ones. Again, iron targets produce a wide "buzz," non-ferrous targets a narrow "zip." In time you will be able to hear the difference. (Note: Iron nails and pieces of iron wire will often produce "double-blip" signals with each pass of the search coil.) Switching the detector to Iron ID or Iron Reject, will in most cases cause the signal to break up, especially when the coil is closer to the target. You still should always dig the target, because you might have a small nugget close to a piece of iron.

Before abandoning the Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard used it in a daring 1717 blockade of the port of Charleston, S.C, where he and his fleet successfully managed to obtain ransom from the British colonial government for the town and its inhabitants. But troops dispatched from Virginia would eventually catch up to him after he had already abandoned his flaghship and in a fearsome sea fight Blackbeard was eventually surrounded and hacked to death. His headless body was then tossed into the ocean. The pirate may now languish in Davy Jones' Locker, but his likely blade may have been brought to light further evidence of how Blackbeard's bite was as bad as his bark.

Tecknetics T2

The News, August 2011 Page 7

Manhattan Outing Report

rail Boss Paul Lange filed the following report on the Manhattan outing held on Saturday, July 23, 2011.

13 people attended the ghost town tour to Manhattan and off road detecting trip July 23. The weather was warm but it did not rain. We saw the old town site and cemetery, the hanging tree, camp and mine sites and prospect holes. Attendees were told where gold has been found on past outings here before. Photos by "SPYKE" (Mike Noll)

Group shot at the Hanging Tree

Paying respects at the old Manhattan Cemetery

Definition of Geocaching
"The hobby of using billion-dollar government satellites to find Tupperware hidden in the woods."
The News, August 2011

Group shot with one of the few original Manhattan buildings in the background
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News Regarding The 2011 Detector Coin HuntRevised!

his September RMPTH will again be holding our annual Detector Coin Hunt. Since this is primarily an event for members with detectors, about one half of the cost of the coins and prizes is covered by the club, along with donated prize items. The other half is then covered by a small entry fee paid by participants. The fee for this event for RMPTH members and immediate family will be $15 per adult and $10 per child 13 - 16 years of age. Younger family children are free. The discounted fees for pre-payment entry will be $10 per adult and $5 per child 13 - 16 years of age. Younger family children are free. Please see Robert Crain to enter this event. Because it is always a challenge to estimate participation for this event, and the equivalent number of prizes required, we will be offering a discounted entry fee structure this year for pre-payment. This will also assist with the cost of obtaining coins and prize material prior to the hunt in September. Anyone who opts to take advantage of this pre-payment plan but cannot make it to the hunt may request a full refund, so you cant lose on this deal. Oh, and dont forget the popular Pot-Luck lunch. And, as an added incentive this year, we will be holding a Swap Meet after lunch so start putting together all those items for swap or sell. Finally, you do not have to participate directly in the detector hunt to join in. Should you just wish to observe and participate in the Pot-Luck lunch and Swap Meet, please do so! Thanks for helping us put on another fun hunt this September!

"What is a committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary." - Mark Twain

The News, August 2011

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Calendar of Events
August Meeting Thursday, August 4th. We will meet at the Pulliam Building in downtown Loveland at 7:00PM. Refer to the adjoining map for directions. Meeting Agenda 6:00 - 7:00 Planning & Social Hour 7:00 - 7:30 Business, Announcements & Find of the Month Program 7:30 - 7:45 Break 7:45 - 9:00 "Crack & Crevasse Prospecting by Bryan Morgan NOTE THE SPECIAL MEETING DAY IN AUGUST! WE WILL BE MEETING ON THURSDAY, NOT WEDNESDAY, DUE TO A SCHEDULING ISSUE WITH THE PULLIAM BUILDING.

RMPTH DUES
RMPTH is an unincorporated Social Club with no income generated. All expenses are covered by donation. Members are requested to consider donating a minimum of $1.00 at each monthly meeting to cover club expenses.

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!).
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August 2011
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 7 14 21 28 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3
August Club Meeting Tomorrow!

4
RMPTH Planning Session 6:00P RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

5 12 19 26

6 13
Ames Monument, Vedauwoo & Wyoming State Museum Tour

10 17 24 31

11 18 25

20 27

September 2011
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 4 11 18
Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show

2 9 16 23 30

3 10
Annual Coin & Prize Hunt

5
Labor Day

6 13 20 27

7
RMPTH Planning Session 6:00P RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

8 15 22 29

12 19 26

14
Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show

17
Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show

Colorado Mineral & Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show Fossil Show

21 28

24
Lucite Hills Wyoming Gem Outing

25
The News, August 2011

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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.

Potato Creek Johnny

otato Creek Johnnys real name was John Perrett. In 1883, when he was 17, he immigrated to the Black Hills from Wales. Potato Creek Johnny had various jobs in the area but at 25 decided that he would become a gold prospector. He began a claim on Potato Creek (part of Spearfish Creek), which gave him his nickname and eventually led to his claim to fame. In 1929, Potato Creek Johnny made history when he purportedly found one of the largest gold nuggets in the Black Hills. The weight of the leg-shaped nugget was 7-3/4 troy ounces. In later years W.E. Adams bought the nugget for $250 and put it on display in the Adams Museum. A replica of the nugget is on display at the Adams Museum and the original is stored in the museum safe deposit box. The nugget made Potato Creek Johnny famous in Deadwood and in the late 1930s, early 1940s visitors would watch Johnny pan gold, hear him tell tales, get his autograph, or visit him at his cabin on Potato Creek. He was a particularly big attraction for children because Johnny was only 4 feet 3 inches tall. Potato Creek Johnny died at the age of 77 in Deadwood in February 1943. The funeral procession passed by the Adams Museum and carillon chimes tolled 77 times. Potato Creek Johnny is buried at Mt. Moriah Cemetery alongside Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.

Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show Denver Central Holiday Inn 4849 Bannock Street Denver, Colorado September 11-18, 2011

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The News, August 2011

The Solid Muldoon

he Solid Muldoon was a "prehistoric human body" unearthed in 1877, near Beulah, Colorado. Named after either the legendary wrestler William Muldoon or the location of its discovery, Muldoon Hill, the figure enjoyed a brief tour of the United States before it was revealed to be a hoax. The Solid Muldoon was created by George Hull, seven years after his infamous Cardiff Giant hoax. The figure was made of mortar, rock dust, clay, plaster, ground bones, blood and meat. It was kiln-fired for several days and buried near Mace's Hole in Beulah, Colorado. Three months later, it was "discovered" by William Conant, an associate of P.T. Barnum, and was displayed around the state. The Denver Daily Times claimed that "there can be no question about the genuineness of this piece of statuary". Following the successful Colorado exhibition, the Solid Muldoon went on the road, attracting crowds all the way to New York City. P.T. Barnum was rumored to have offered $20,000 for the body. The hoax was eventually revealed to the New York Times as a manmade figure "with a knowing smile on his face as if enjoying the joke," one reporter noted. Following a lack of visitors, the Solid Muldoon disappeared from public attention From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stock certificate from The Solid Muldoon Gold Mining and Milling Company, Cripple Creek, Colorado From collection of Rick Mattingly

The Solid Muldoon

The News, August 2011

Page 13

Colorados Cripple Creek Mining District produced millions of ounces of gold but only about 300 ounces were recovered in surface placer operations. Cripple Creek's gold was truly a hidden treasure!

Double-Jack Hand Drilling For Blasting

Old News Baltimore, MD Newspaper Article from 1936

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The News, August 2011

Historic Wyoming Tour

n Saturday, August 13, we will be doing an auto tour of historic sites in southeastern Wyoming. First we will visit the ghost town site of Sherman and the amazing Ames Monument. This site has a history that could be made into a movie. We will then take a tour of the Vedauwoo area with its incredible rock formations. We will then proceed to Cheyenne for lunch and end with a tour of the Wyoming State Museum. More details at the August 4 (THURSDAY) club meeting.

Gold Glossary
Flumes - Flumes are like sluice boxes, they do not have riffles though and are used solely to transport water in areas where a ditch would be impossible (cliffsides, rocky hillsides). Two flumes were built in the construction of the China Ditch.

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

AMES MONUMENT IN 1878 Note the tiny human to the right

Mans Evolution To Detecting

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE! Call Rick Mattingly at 970-613-8968 or rickmatt@q.com

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The News, August 2011

Trading Post
FOR SALE: Keene High Banker, includes stand, hose and 5 HP Briggs and Stratton pump. Great condition, $900.00 or Best Offer. Contact Cindy Bone at (970) 669-8247. FOR SALE: Prospecting equipment: 4" Dredge and more plus Whites VSAT Gold Detector. Contact Homer at (970) 224-4244 FOR SALE: Two CoilTec coils for MineLab GP or SD Series: 14" Round Mono, $150.00. 5" x 10" Joey Mono, $75.00. Like New. Plus Shipping. Call (307) 886-3937 or Cell (307) 654-1432. WANTED: Federal or state duck stamps; mint or used. Contact John Hart at (307) 778-3993. FOR SALE: Garret Treasure Ace 300 Detector.- $225 OBO. Contact Roger at (970) 622-0821.
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

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

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.

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

Red meat is not bad for you. Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.
Page 16 The News, August 2011

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 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 4)

fuse them with the collectible issues. No Federal counterfeiting laws are broken in reproducing these coins, as they never were a legal issue to begin with. However, the Hobby Protection Act, administered by the Federal Trade Commission, may be violated since legislation requires the word copy be put on the facsimile. Unless one is caught in the act of making them, it is difficult to prove the pieces were not made before the Hobby bill was enacted in 1977. There are more than 1000 varieties of the genuine and souvenir issues. Incidentally, few of the modern pieces are gold. Most are brass or carry a thin gold veneer. The first issues range in price from $125 for quarters to $450 for dollars. Some of the scarcest pieces have brought as much as $20,000. Not a bad price for gold pieces weighing as little as 6 grains. The souvenir pieces have enough collectors interested in this series to command premiums ranging from $100 to several thousands of dollars each. The latter day reproductions have incurred the wrath of the collectors. Most are not worth the charges for a certified check that many unscrupulous dealers demand. Just because they say California Gold is no assurance that they are even gold. Just be sure the pieces carry the words cent, or dollar. Know your source and be sure there is a money back guarantee in case your gold coin should be fools gold! Sources: California Gold; Treasure Anthology; Gold, Gems and Jewelry. Note: This article was written in 1986. Prices may have changed by now. BW August 2000 issue of the Treasure Trail Society newsletter

Offer Your Assistance To Any Of Our Program Coordinators

The News, August 2011 Page 17

Rocky Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters Club 2011 Schedule of Events
Month
January

Meeting Program
Club Business and Open Forum
Love Token Coin Presentation By Rick Mattingly

Trip/Activity
No Trip/Activity Scheduled

February

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

March

Update on Mining Laws, Permits and Land Access for the 2011 Prospecting Season, What the Future Looks Like. By Ben Higley, President, Gold Prospectors of Colorado Gold and Platinum in Wyoming By Wayne Sutherland, WGS

GPS, Compass & Map Clinic

April

Clear Creek Gold Panning

May

Detecting Presentation By Tom Warne

Lets Go Gold Panning On The Arkansas Event Prospecting, Detecting & More Clinic at Lions Park Advertised and Open to the Public Nugget Shooting Clinic at Lions Park Eldora Ski Resort Detector Outing

June

Gold Nugget Shooting Presentation By Rick Mattingly

July

Gold Refining Presentation By David Emslie

Manhattan Ghost Town Detector Outing Gold Nugget Shooting Outing

August

Crack & Crevasse Prospecting By Bryan Morgan

Ames Monument, Vedauwoo & Wyoming State Museum Tour

September

Meteorite Presentation By Dr. Robert Brownlee

Annual Coin & Prize Hunt Colorado Mineral & Fossil ShowDenver Lucite Hills Wyoming Gem Outing

October

Bottle Hunting Presentation By Rick Mattingly

Off-Road Detector & Cache Hunt

November

Annual Show & Tell & Silent Auction Annual Find of the Year Awards & Christmas Party

Local Detector Outing

December

Flatirons Mineral Club & Model Train Show

Good Hunting in 2011!

Page 18 The News, August 2011

Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters Contact List

RMPTH Coordinators Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator Paul Lange Robert Crain Bryan Morgan Rick Mattingly Home 1-970-663-5776 1-970-484-6488 1-970-416-0608 1-970-613-8968 E-Mail plange50@msn.com brymorg@frii.com rickmatt@q.com

The News Staff Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Rick Mattingly Dick French 1-970-613-8968 1-970-482-2110

rickmatt@q.com
dickyf99@comcast.net

Internet Web Site Web Master Volunteers/Coordinators Find of the Month Joe Johnston Betsy Emond Paul Mayhak Paul Lange Johnny Berndsen Peggy Stumpf Joe Johnston Bryan Morgan Darrell Koleber Volunteer Needed! Tom Warne Jacob Wootton Johnny Berndsen 1-303-696-6950 1-970-218-0290 1-970-482-7846 1-970-663-5776 1-970-667-1006 1-307-632-9945 1-303-696-6950 1-970-416-0608 1-970-669-2599 1-970-635-0773 1-970-980-6016 1-970-667-1006 cjoej1@peoplepc.com pjmcolo@q.com plange50@msn.com johnnyberndsen.com circlestar@yahoo.com cjoej1@peoplepc.com brymorg@frii.com gutshot1016@yahoo.com goldigger48@msn.com jacob-wootton@yahoo.com Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968

rickmatt@q.com

Presentations Club Historian Club Librarian Panning Demos Setup & Refreshments Door Prize

General Information Contact: Paul Lange at 1-970-663-5776

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

Lets Go For The Gold !

The News, August 2011 Page 19

The News
Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters Club P.O. Box 271863 Fort Collins, CO. 80527-1863

AUGUST, 2011 ISSUE