Online Newsletter 3-2-10
Editorial
Hi there treasure hunters,
Well, March has certainly roared in like a lion in our part of the country. I thought I got a taste of spring last week, but it’s 100% winter still where we are. The good news is March will go out like a lamb (fingers crossed) and mild spring temperatures are soon on the way.
The Three Seasons Treasure Hunting Club of west central Wisconsin is the Feature Club in this issue of the Lost Treasure Online Newsletter. And in this issue’s Favorite Finds section you’ll see photos of some of the Three Seasons Treasure Hunting Club members’ finds.
Would you like a club you know of to be featured? Just send us the contact information, preferably website and/or e-mail addresses, and we will see that they are put in the spotlight!
In the Good Hunting! section you can read about subscription winners at the recent FMDAC Southwestern Chapter hunt.
And in the Letters to the Editor section you’ll find some input from treasure hunter Michael Kleid, who has some encouraging words about treasure clubs uniting in support of the FMDAC.
Jimmy D. supplies the Tip From the Pros today and you can be the “Pro” in an upcoming issue by e-mailing me your tips and suggestions for more success in the field.
In this issue’s THers’ News you’ll read about the following:
Grand Canyon Archaeologists Surprised at Findings
Forest Service Proposing Limits on Geocaches, Metal Detectors
Magic of the Crystal Skull
Miners Still Search For a Cart of Gold
As you are reading the newspaper or browsing online, if you come across an interesting treasure related story, let us know. Share it by sending me a link to the story or by copying and pasting the story into an e-mail, along with the address of the website you found it on.
Do you or someone you know have a story and photos about finding rings, jewelry, or anything of value and returning them to their original owners? Then you can contribute to the printed magazine’s "Civic Patrol" column by sending them to me at managingeditor@losttreasure.com and please pass the word on to your fellow detectorists and treasure hunting club members. And don’t forget our monthly Questions & Answers column in the magazine. If you have questions regarding treasure hunting, e-mail them to me and we’ll do our best to find an answer for you.
Until next time, get ready to put those coils to the soil,
THers' News
Grand Canyon Archaeologists Surprised at Findings
ARIZONA - Grand Canyon archaeologist Ian Hough reported to a crowd of local archaeologists, Grand Canyon hikers and enthusiasts that his team was surprised by artifacts and features recently unearthed at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
“What you see at the surface is not what you get underneath,” said Hough in his presentation Extreme Cultural Landscapes: New Archeological Research in Grand Canyon National Park. He shared that recent archeological projects at Grand Canyon National Park reveal interesting patterns of human use of the resources in this dynamic environment. The projects were at nine sites, which represent three distinct cultural periods.
The Furnace Flats Project saw archaeologists accessing the site by river rafts. The purpose of the project was to mitigate erosion caused by rising water and visitor impact. Ancient homes built in A.D. 1075-1200 have been filled with blowing sands and covered by silt from floodwaters over the past 800 years. Archaeologists started with only hints of a wall outline in a sand dune. They were surprised to find well-preserved walls, flagstone floors, a ventilator shaft, fire hearth and complete cooking vessel after excavating a portion of the site.
Open trough metates - stone corn-grinding tools - are evidence of a complex agricultural community. Wooden beams buried for a thousand years help carbon date the site. Furnace Flats is on the north side of the Colorado River between Basalt and Unkar Creeks. An ancient path connects the area with Basalt Canyon.
The Three-Mile Rest Stop is another site, which revealed surprises for Grand Canyon Park archaeologists. Located on the Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon hikers can trek right by this Late Archaic (1460-780 B.C.) site. This was a seasonal food gathering and processing camp. The roasting pits show use from archaic times to near historic times. Grand Canyon hikers may be surprised to learn that evidence of roasting pits proves that the Bright Angel trail is an ancient travel corridor that continues on to present day.
Through the ages, people developed a wide range of social and cultural strategies at Grand Canyon, from small-scale foraging and hunting to socially complex farming.
Courtesy of http://www.examiner.com
Forest Service Proposing Limits on Geocaches, Metal Detectors
ASHEVILLE — The National Forests in North Carolina wants to prohibit leaving geocaches in Wildernesses, Experimental Forests or Wild and Scenic River corridors, and limiting the possession or use of metal detectors on National Forest lands.
Under the proposal, geocachers, which use GPS devices to locate caches as part of a scavenger hunt, would be still allowed to advertise and seek out “virtual” caches in these areas, which reference already existing features such as waterfalls and scenic vistas.
One popular area that would be affected by this rule is the Bent Creek Experimental Forest near Asheville. A list of all affected areas is posted on the forest website (www.cs/unca/nfsnc).
The agency said the order will protect the wild values found in the wildnerness and on designated rivers and will avoid items conflicting with research activities.
Federal regulations already require geocachers get permission from the local ranger district office prior to leaving a cache anywhere on the forest.
The agency said in one recent incident, an unmarked and unapproved geocache was left in an ammunition box not far from Asheville. The geocache appeared to be a threat to public safety and cost law enforcement personnel a lot of time investigating it, the forest service said.
Detailed information on geocaching requirements can also be found on the forest website.
The second rule would prohibit possession or use of metal detectors outside of designated areas.
The agency said that many archaeological sites on the forest have been significantly damaged from treasure hunting, by those who loot sites to sell artifacts, and by others who are unaware that it’s illegal to disturb and remove artifacts from federal land without a research permit.
Several forest areas have been identified that would remain open to recreational metal detecting for modern items like coins – primarily swimming beaches. These include Lake Powhatan Swim Beach, Jackrabbit Swim beach, Cheoah Point Swim Beach, Flanners Beach (Croatan NF) and Kings Mountain Point Beach (Uwharrie NF). Permission for one-time use of metal detectors to help find lost personal property could still be granted by Forest Officers.
Additional information on these closures can be found on the forest website (www.cs/unca/nfsnc). Comments on this proposal should be mailed before March 15 to the National Forests in North Carolina, 160A Zillicoa Street, Asheville, 28801, or sent to comments-southern-north-carolina@fs.fed.us
Courtesy of http://www.citizen-times.com
Magic of the Crystal Skull
By John Christopher Fine
Ocean explorers in West Palm Beach found the treasure of Hernan Cortez. Long after the conqueror of Mexico’s death, his family was shipping some of his personal fortune back to Spain. The cargo contained Aztec crystal skulls. The ship was lost in a fire at sea. It burned to the water line then sank in deep water off Florida’s coast.
Diver, art expert, and undersea explorer Dr. Victor Benilous was contacted by a representative of the Cortez family and given information about the shipwreck. Benilous was well-known for his work on the oldest shipwreck in the Western hemisphere, found off Juno Beach. The information he was given was sparse. It contained a log entry from another captain who had reported seeing a fire out in the Atlantic 250 years ago.
With the use of world-renowned psychics, Dr. Benilous and his team of divers located the wreck. One of the psychics was taken aboard the dive vessel. This same psychic is used by U.S. military and police authorities to locate missing planes and people.
“Dive here,” the psychic said. Deep below the spot where the psychic said dive, not 10 feet from the place where the anchor was dropped, an Aztec crystal skull was recovered.
Power? Special properties? Healing and spiritual abilities? Margaret Ann Lembo thinks so. Margaret is the affable owner of The Crystal Garden on North Federal Highway in Boynton Beach, Florida. The center conducts workshops and sells books, gifts, and jewelry. She invited Bill Homann from Indiana to speak at the Boynton Women’s Club and bring the famous Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull with him.
Bill Homann is a tall man with a moustache. His business card shows him in safari hat, in a tropical background, with the legend “A ‘Real Life’ Indiana Jones” printed beneath it.
He came to Boynton Beach with a PowerPoint presentation that showed F.A. Mitchell-Hedges and his daughter Anna during their exploration and digs in Central America. The vintage photographs depict the jungle around the Mayan city of Lubaantun, in Belize, where the crystal skull was found.
Margaret Ann Lembo’s introduction of “Bill’s intention of goodness and love,” preceded the lecture. Photographs from the 1920’s showed Mitchell-Hedges and his daughter, Anna, on various expeditions, including fishing, a sport the explorer was fond of.
The crystal skull was found in 1924 inside a pyramid. “It is a perfectly made quartz crystal, anatomically correct for a Meso-American female, aged 25 to 29. The jaw and the top cranial part are the same crystal. It was one piece of crystal at one time. It is very hard to separate crystal. It’s brittle. The skull contains three prisms and two lenses built into the crystal skull. The only way you can do that is in zero gravity,” Homann explained.
The crystal skull itself was perfectly smooth, clear-glass colored with a detachable bottom jaw that could be made to open if the skull was pulled back. Ample opportunity was allowed for people to photograph the Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull. After the lecture, Margaret took attendees in the auditorium by rows and lined those up who wished to place their hands near the crystal skull.
Linda Loparnos, a pilot from Tarpon Springs, Florida, made the long drive to attend. She placed her own small crystal skull on the table in front of the Mitchell-Hedges skull and placed her hands on either side of the large crystal.
“I bought it here tonight,” Linda said of the small crystal skull. “I cleared it with my own intentions so I could charge it. It came to me in a meditation while I was sleeping. The only thing I’d heard of crystal skulls before was on Indiana Jones. I read about this program in a magazine. I had to come see it. I’m on call, that’s why I’m dressed in uniform,” Linda said.
Dr. Benilous echoed the sentiment that ancient crystal skulls are symbols of special powers. They were used for healing and were said to possess the ability for learning and knowledge. Time Magazine featured Dr. Benilous on a cover story about treasures recovered from the deep after his discovery in 1993 of the Aztec skulls. There were then only 12 known to exist in the world.
The treasures Dr. Benilous and his team of divers recovered have great value in terms of wealth, but he has determined to keep the artifacts together and create a special exhibit that people everywhere can see. “We don’t even know how the ancients made these things or if they made them or if they were there when they built their pyramids and cities,” Dr. Benilous said from his office in West Palm Beach.
“I really believe in what the crystal skull is all about. A lot of people find it interesting. Others have a greater connection. Call it a skull of love: love for people, animals, plants. We are all connected. The time now is speeding up. Things are happening. By 2012, according to the Maya, it is the end of a 26,000-year cycle. The change depends on the consciousness of the human world—how we go through this change. If we can open up to a higher consciousness, it can be a beautiful thing,” Homann said.
“It is a good chance to get this energy moving now. … The Mayan prophecy is of 13 crystal skulls that when put in proper position, balances the planet. Several skulls have been moved. There are major energy points all over the world,” he added.
The city of Lubaantun encompasses 36 acres and contained eight pyramids, all overgrown by jungle, when F. A. Mitchell-Hedges discovered them.
“They were told that you could see the ocean from the top of the pyramid. His daughter climbed to the top of a big pyramid without asking her father’s permission. She was there at high noon when the sun was overhead. She saw a light inside the pyramid. She told her father. It took them six weeks to open a space where one person could be lowered down. Anna was lowered into the pyramid and she came up with it in her shirt,” as Homann described the discovery.
“Mitchell-Hedges gave it to a Mayan priest. They kept it and built fires around it. In 1927, when Mitchell-Hedges left, the Mayan’s gave it back, telling him to keep it safe. F.A. had it from 1927 to 1959; then Anna had it until her death in 2007. She gave it to me. They also found over 2,000 pieces of art that were given first to a museum in New York City, then transferred to the Smithsonian,” Homann said.
The tale of mystery continues. Dr. Benilous has not completed recovery of the sunken treasure off Florida’s coast, and Bill Homann knows the general location of a 4-foot-tall crystal statue that F.A. Mitchell-Hedges and Anna found in the 1930s.
“They couldn’t get it out, so they buried it. They were supposed to go back in 1939, but war started. F. A. worked for the Secret Service, and they wouldn’t let him leave the country. I’m going down there again to do a little digging,” Homann said.
“Once you see it, you’ll never forget it,” this adventurer told his listeners, a sentiment repeated by Dr. Victor Benilous, who also continues the quest for sunken Aztec treasure beneath the ocean.
John Christopher Fine is a marine biologist and expert in marine and maritime affairs. Dr. Fine has authored 24 books, most about ocean and environmental issues. He holds the highest licenses as a master scuba instructor and instructor trainer.
Courtesy of http://www.theepochtimes.com
Miners Still Search For a Cart of Gold
Geologist John Cahill is on a treasure hunt.
There is a fortune of gold with his name on it hidden deep below the dry scrub of central Victoria.
''People talk about the goldfields as 'historic', but that's wrong,'' he says. ''They were just dormant for a long time because of economics.''
Mr Cahill's company this month hauled its first load of gold-bearing quartz reef from a century-old mine on the Calder Highway west of Bendigo.
Maxwells Mine at Inglewood is part of a Victorian goldmining renaissance fuelled by surging prices, currently more than $A1200 an ounce.
In August, a land survey by the state government estimated that 70 million ounces of gold was still buried in rocks deep underground - more than the amount gathered during the colonial gold rush of the 1850s.
At today's prices, it is a bounty worth more than $A86 billion. But that's the value of the gold sitting in bank vaults, and takes no account of mining and processing costs.
Since the survey, dozens of new gold projects have been proposed in Victoria, compared to fewer than 10 in each of the five years prior.
Many of the projects are modest operations such as Mr Cahill's Greater Bendigo Gold Mines, where a small crew of miners use hand-held drills and rusty carts on rails.
Each morning at Maxwells Mine, eight men in a wire cage descend an old shaft into darkness. By torchlight, they pick away at rock and dirt 150 metres below ground.
''The best place to search for gold is where they have found it before,'' Mr Cahill says. ''This place didn't get a lot of attention because it was very remote and inhospitable in the 1850s. Once they hit water they stopped digging because they didn't have the technology.''
The modern gold rush is on a small scale but has been helped by drilling grants from the government, which says the exploration boosts the economies of regional centres nearby.
These places include Swan Hill in the state's north-west, where mayor Greg Cruickshank says it is thought there are large undiscovered gold deposits spreading through the Mallee and Wimmera.
''So far there has only been basic exploration,'' he says, ''so there's a considerable amount of work to be done before we see any economic benefits to the town.''
At Maxwells Mine, a trickle of exploration money has come from Asian backers, people with a deep cultural attraction to gold.
In some ways the mine is a micro-study of what is happening on the world stage, with India and China in particular driving up the price of gold.
In both countries the booming middle classes display their wealth through jewellery.
The Chinese government has also been on a gold-buying spree as a hedge against its foreign exchange reserves of more than $US2 trillion ($A2.2 trillion).
History shows that gold shines brightest in troubled financial times.
However, even with powerful demand and a dwindling world gold supply, it will be a hard slog before any of the new Victorian mines turn a profit. Most will not proceed past concept stage.
Victoria's great hope of reclaiming some of its gold glory was for many years Lihir Gold's Ballarat mine, but after spending more than $400 million the company recently was forced to walk away. The gold grade was disappointing and hundreds of employees are facing the sack.
Back at Maxwells Mine, Mr Cahill is convinced he is standing on at least 30,000 ounces of gold, worth $36 million.
He pulls a pan of small glittering nuggets from a safe as evidence.
''It is a romantic concept, striking it rich,'' he says. ''But I'd be really happy with making a steady profit.''
Courtesy of http://www.theage.com.au
Tip From the Pros
By Jimmy D.
Don't put that detector away so fast! Just because the ground is frozen outside doesn't mean it's frozen inside. I can read stories all day about people hiding their treasures in the ground and that's always exciting, but for me personally, if I had to hide my goodies somewhere, I probably wouldn't hide it outside where someone might find it or I couldn't get to it myself because the ground froze my assets. I most likely would hide it inside my house. Perhaps in the crawlspace! It's the perfect place. Underground, out of site, and protected. So if you can get someone’s permission to buzz their crawlspace in exchange for a piece of the action, you can practice your hobby in the winter time and possibly find something worthy of your time. Happy hunting and good luck this season!
Good Hunting!
The FMDAC Southwestern Chapter recently held their annual event and following are the names of the winners of three one-year subscriptions to Lost Treasure magazine:
James Townley - Witchita, Kansas
Lois Wiese - Rocklin, California
Jack Beth - Hyde Park, Massachusetts
The FMDAC Southwestern Chapter would like to once again say thanks for your generous support over the years!
Mike Smith
FMDAC Southwestern Chapter President
Letter to the Editor
How many times have you entered a forum and read the following statement…
“I am a treasure hunter traveling from one state to another and would like to know if anyone can show me good places to hunt when I’m there?”
To solve this dilemma, I began to compile a list of treasure hunting clubs from around the country that have meetings open to the public. I was to list these by state, including each clubs method of contact for their listing.
My plan was to make this article a “keeper,” where you might want to …print it…, laminate it and then keep it as a reference for when traveling out of state.
But here’s the major problem that I ran across.
I was going to use the FMDAC website as a source of reference, hopefully to find the majority of clubs in the U.S. (and Canada) listed on their site, but I was disappointed to say the least. Most likely about half of the treasure hunting clubs in the U.S. are a member of the FMDAC. I know treasure-hunting articles should be uplifting and fun to read, but if you enjoy your hobby, and would like to read interesting articles in the future, I feel some things desperately need to be mentioned here and now.
The FMDAC never “toots their own horn,” so people aren’t aware of their accomplishments, and I feel recognition is in order, to say the least, for the good they have done for “you” and our hobby.
Friends, this is not an ad for the FMDAC, but a wake up call. Look at all of the laws recently popping up to restrict our hobby. All of us treasure hunters need to urge club leaders that do not support this federation to step up to the plate and ask their members to pay the modest $5 per adult, per year fee. First, imagine what our hobby would be like without them. Think of how many city, county or state laws that would have gone through to destroy our hobby, and then would have “snowballed” to the next state…and so on if the FMDAC didn’t, as Barney Fife said, “Nip it in the bud.”
These are only a handful of the problems the FMDAC has challenged in just the last couple of years:
Potential detecting ban in Gloversville, New York.
Bill in Virginia that would have outlawed detecting in the state.
Detecting opened up in Arkansas State Parks.
Bill to expand detecting in Washington State Parks.
Bill to open up detecting in Texas State Parks.
Bill in Oregon for state control of historical sites on private property.
Bill in Nebraska to preserve property rights in archaeological matters.
Alabama diving laws stemming from the Steve Phillips trial.
Changes to shipwreck salvage laws in Florida.
California dredging laws.
Mining regulations in several states including federal.
They have hired a lobbyist and are currently working on the situation that Wisconsin is having right now with metal detecting possibly being completely banned, including water.
I’d like to thank the following clubs for keeping their support of the FMDAC up to date:
ALABAMA: Warrior Basin Treasure Hunter’s Association.
ARIZONA: Arizona Treasure’s Unlimited, Inc., Quartzsite Metal Detecting Club, Superstition West Treasure Hunters, White Mountain Club Of GPAA.
CALIFORNIA: Coinshooters Of San Diego, Gold Coast Treasure Hunters, Siskiyou County Relic and Recovery Club, Sacramento Valley Detecting Buffs.
CONNECTICUT: Noreasters, Yankee Territory Coinshooters.
DELAWARE: Mason Dixon Treasure Club.
FLORIDA: Florida Marine Historical And Archeological Society, Suncoast Research And Recovery Club.
ILLINOIS: Great Lakes Historical Recovery, McClean County Nuggettiers Metal Detecting Club, Peoria Area Treasure Hunters, Will County Historical Research And Recovery Association.
INDIANA: Hoosier Hills Treasure Hunters, Miami Valley Coin and Relic Hunters Club, Three Rivers Treasure Club.
IOWA: Cedar Valley Research & Recovery, Illinois and Iowa Treasure Hunters Club, Midwest Prairie Research and Recovery Team.
KANSAS: Mid America Treasure Hunters Club, Mid-Western Artifact Society, Inc.
KENTUCKY: Northern Kentucky Treasure Hunters.
MARYLAND: Eastern Shore Treasure Club, Maryland Artifact Recovery Society, Shore Seekers Artifact and Recovery Club.
MASSACHUSETTS: Gateway Treasure Hunters Club.
MINNESOTA: Research And Recovery Experts (R.A.R.E.) Minnesota Chapter, Minnkota Artifact Recovery Group, Zumbro Valley Treasure Hunters.
MISSISSIPPI: Tri State Coin & Relic Hunters Club.
MISSOURI: 417 Relic Hunters, Midwest Coinshooters and Historical Club, Three Trails Historical Search Team.
NEVADA: Silver State Detecting Club.
NEW JERSEY: Mid Jersey Research & Recovery Club, South Jersey Metal Detecting Club, NEW MEXICO: Albuquerque Metal Detector Association.
NEW YORK: Atlantic Treasure Club, Enchanted Mountain Treasure Hunters, Genesee Valley Treasure Seekers, Long Island Treasure Hunters Club, Niagara Frontier Relic Hunters Association, Putnam Westchester Metal Detecting & Archeological Society, Staten Island History Hunters.
NORTH CAROLINA: Blue Ridge Metal Detecting Club.
NORTH DAKOTA: Minnkota Artifact Recovery Group.
OHIO: Silver Seekers, Tri State Historical Research and Recovery Association.
OREGON: Rogue Valley Coin Shooters.
PENNSYLVANIA: Black Diamond Treasure Hunters Club, Butler County Treasure Hunters, Lancaster Research and Recovery Club, Monroeville Area Metal Detectors Club, Susquehanna Valley Metal Detecting Club.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Carolina Coin & Relic Association, South Carolina Metal Detector and Relic Association, South Carolina Treasure and Artifact Association, Low Country Metal Detector Club.
TEXAS: Austin Metal Detecting Club, East Texas Treasure Hunter Association.
VIRGINIA: Hampton Roads Recovery Society, Tidewater Coin and Relic Club.
WASHINGTON: Cascade Treasure Club of Seattle, Northwest Treasure Hunters Club, Puget Sound Treasure Hunters Club.
WISCONSIN: Three Seasons Treasure Hunters.
CANADA/ONTARIO: Rainbows End Metal Detecting Association.
I know times are financially tough, but imagine if you had to fight these battles on your own. And now imagine if you did, and lost. Help me in joining all of our clubs together as one.
I’m sure next year I’ll create that list of clubs, covering all clubs in each state. Meanwhile, enjoy the greatest hobby in the world.
Michael Kleid
2010 Calendar of Events
MARCH
6th – 7th – Big Spring, Texas. The Big Spring Prospector’s Club will hold its 41st Annual Gem & Mineral Show at the Howard County Fair Barn. Sat. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Dealers, demonstrators, food, hook-ups, parking. Something for everyone! For more information, contact Show Chairman Jerald Wilson at 707 Tulane, Big Spring, TX 79720, phone (432) 263-4662 or (432) 263-3340.
13th – 14th – Longview, Texas. Texas Treasure Show 2010 and open hunt presented by the Texas Council of Treasure Clubs. This is the largest treasure show in the USA! For registration information, see http://www.texascouncil.net and click on Special Event or Member Events.
27th – 28th – Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. The Greenbush Prospectors, Inc, of Greenbush Wisconsin, is sponsoring their Second Annual Gold and Treasure Show, Sat., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Sheboygan Falls Municipal Building, 375 Buffalo St. There will be guest speakers, demonstrations, raffles and vendors. In addition, the Wisconsin State Gold Panning Competition will be held Saturday. Children’s Treasure Hunt both days, plus other special children’s programs. For more info, contact Mike Ogea at ogeagold@charter.net or (920) 467-3728, or Ron Smith at ausmith2005@yahoo.com or (920) 207-4092). You can also log onto the club’s website at www.wisgold.org
27th – 28th – Roseville, California. 48th Annual Roseville Gem, Jewelry, Fossil & Mineral Show at the Roseville (Placer County) Fairgrounds (off Washington), 800 All America City Blvd. Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. General Admission $5, Seniors 60+ $4, Kids - 12 and under free. Visit www.rockrollers.com for more info and a discount coupon.
APRIL
10th – Belmar, New Jersey. Premier Belmar Beach Blast sponsored by the East Coast Research & Discovery Association - 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., rain or shine, at the John Taylor Pavilion. For more information, contact Harold Lowenfels ECRDA 2010 Beach Blast, 2845 Lenox Street, Toms River, NJ 08755 or e-mail Art Pearson at artmds@verizon.net
17th – 18th – Winfield, Pennsylvania. 31st Annual 2-Day Treasure Hunt sponsored by the Susquehanna Valley Metal Detecting Club at the Union Township Fire Co. Three hunts per day. No Clad! For more info, contact Lenny Cooper at (570) 752-6347, e-mail coop6347@msn.com or Ed Burke at (570) 331-0600, e-mail potogold1@verizon.net
16th – 18th – Riverside, California. The West Coast Prospectors and Treasure Hunters present their 23rd Annual Hunt, Rendezvous 2010 at Rancho Jurupa Regional Park. Make your reservations early at (951) 684-7032 or (800) 234-7275. For more information, contact Ralph Crowther, 26722 Valpariso Dr., Mission Viejo, CA 92691 or e-mail ralph.crowther@mindspeed.com
23rd – 25th – Keene & Marlborough, New Hampshire. 17th Best O’ North East (BONE) Treasure Hunters Weekend sponsored by Professional Treasure Hunters. For info, e-mail gstreeter@ne.rr.com or call (603) 876-4443. Advance registrations to PTHHS, 307 Main St., Marlborough, NH 03455.
24th – Radersberg, Montana. Headwaters Chapter of the GPAA’s 7th Annual Claim Jumpers Metal Detector Hunt. Gold Nuggets! Silver Coins! Prizes! For info, e-mail gpaainfo@yahoo.com
24th – 25th – Cashmere, Washington. The North Central Washington Prospectors’ 11th annual Gold and Treasure Show at the Chelan County Fairgrounds. Sat., 9-5, Sun., 9-4. $3 admission, 12 and under free. For more info, contact Carl Pederson, President at repete7@verizon.net or call (509) 630-8239.
30th – May 2nd – Apache Junction, Arizona. FMDAC 2010 Spring Festival - three days of fun and activities at the Goldfield Ghost Town. Hunts all three days with seminars and displays on site. Detectors, gold nuggets, silver coins and other prizes to be won. For more information, contact Duane Biller at dbiller@atlanticbb.net or Mike Smith at promack@quik.com, (480) 983-7011. You can go online to www.fmdac.org to download hunt forms.
MAY
15th – Virginia Beach, Virginia. Save the date. This is the hunt all your friends told you about. The one and only 23rd annual open hunt sponsored by Tidewater Coin and Relic Club at the beautiful Virginia Beach oceanfront. Rain or shine. Detectors, gold, silver and prizes galore. Contact Ina Finn at sanddigger@charter.net or (757) 679-0467.
16th – Lathrop, Missouri. The Three Trails Historical Search Team of Independence, Missouri, will sponsor their 26th Annual Treasure Hunt at the Antique Show Grounds. For more information, contact Gregg Arnold at (913) 831-1011 or e-mail gastudio@kc.rr.com
22nd – 23rd – Grand Rapids, North Dakota. Minnkota Artifact Recovery Group’s 11th annual treasure hunt. For more info, contact Jeff Kehl at jkehl1963@yahoo.com or (320) 845-7814.
22nd – Onset, Massachusetts. The 18th Annual Open Treasure Hunt sponsored by the Gateway Treasure Hunters Club at the Onset Public Beach, rain or shine. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Easy access from I-95, I-495and Mass. Routes 3, 6, 25 and 28. For more info, call Roy Gouge at (508) 759-9779, e-mail phylroy@verizon.net or visit the club’s website at http://mysite.verizon.net/gthclub22
29th – 30th – Casper, Wyoming. Gem, Rock & Mineral Show at the Fairgrounds Industrial Building. Admission $3. Hosted by the Natrona County Rockhounds. For more info, contact Randy Senberg at (307) 234-6156.
JUNE
5th – Shawsville, Virginia. 19th Annual Open Hunt by the Roanoke Valley Coin & Relic Club at Camp Alta Mons. More info, Marilyn Epperly, 2136 Maiden Lane, SW, Roanoke, VA 24015, (540)342-0153 or e-mail grammaepp1@juno.com or Anna Feazell (540) 563-4118 or e-mail at shortbelle@aol.com
6th – Topeka, Kansas. Topeka Treasure Hunters’ Open National Treasure Hunt at Reynolds Lodge at Lake Shawnee. Five hunts rain or shine, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more info, contact Russell Broxterman, 1210 School, Box 162, Auburn, KS 66402, (785) 256-2925.
12th – 13th – Hampton, Illinois. Cedar Valley Research and Recovery will hold their Fifth Annual Treasure Hunt at the Illiniwek Forest Preserve, Route 84. For more, contact Joseph Evans, 3427 Circle Dr., Cedar Rapids, IA 52402, Phone (319) 265-4418 or e-mail joeevans@imonmail.com
18th – 20th – Athol, Idaho. Northwest Treasure Hunters Club’s 38th annual hunt at the Farragut State Park. Contact Eric Payne at (208) 772-4794 or by e-mail at payneea@hotmail.com
18th – 20th –New Staunton, Pennsylvania. Treasurefest 2010at the Fox Den Acres campground. There will be 10 hunts with a variety of themes. You can enter for one day or all three. The fee is $30 per hunt and registrations can be sent to Ed Burke, 84 S. Atherton Ave., Kingston, PA 18704, call (570) 331-0600, or e-mail potogold1@verizon.net, or Duane Biller (724) 439-1380, snakemandb@earthlink.net
19th – 20th – Hastings, Nebraska. The Nebraskaland Treasure Hunters Club’s Annual Hunt at the ghost town of Leroy, south of Hastings on Hwy. 281. For info, contact Dale or Marilyn Ratzlaff at (402) 736-4455 or dalyn@mainstaycomm.net
19th – 20th – Powell, Wyoming. The Wyoming State Mineral & Gem Show hosted by the Shoshone Rock Club and assisted by the Cody 59'ers at the Park County Fairgrounds, 655 5th Street. Admittance - Adults: $2 each, Ages 12-18: $1 each. For information, contact Jane R. Neale, (307) 754-3285 or Mary Ann Northrup, (307) 754-4472.
19th – 20th –Georgetown, Indiana. The Hoosier Hills Treasure Hunters Club and the Down n’ Dirty Diggers Metal Detecting Club will each host one day of this weekend hunt – the Diggers’ 9th Annual Open Hunt on Sat., and the Hoosier Hills’ “Second Day” Hunt on Sun. For more info on the Diggers, contact Mike Byrn by e-mail at byrn@hughes.net or call (812) 366-3558. For more on the Hoosiers, contact Chad Beesley at c.beesley@insightbb.com or call (812) 966-2137 or (812) 498-0336.
26th – 27th – Palmer, Alaska. Alaska Treasure Seekers’ 34th Annual Metal Detecting Hunt at the Alaska State Fairgrounds – France Equestrian Center – 2075 Glenn Highway. For more info, contact Cathy Lundine, (907) 696-1910 or e-mail lundine5@aol.com
JULY
10th – 17th –New Staunton, Pennsylvania. Treasure Week at the Fox Den Acres Campground. Three hunts a day with many other hunts and activities. For more info, contact Jill & Carl McFeeders, jcseeker@core.com or phone (330) 364-1608.
24th – 25th –Nekoosa, Wisconsin. MidState Metal Detector Club’s 14th Annual Open Hunt and State Championship at the Deer Trails Park Campground (please note the hunt location has changed). Contact Steven Miller, N3091 CTY RD B, Hancock, WI 54943, or e-mail stmill@uniontel.net
26th – August 1st – Vallonia, Indiana. Southern Indiana Treasure Fest 2010 sponsored by Pepsi-Cola at the Starve Hollow State Recreation Area south of Brownstown on HW 135. Jackson County Fair all week. Events for all ages every day! Free Kids Hunts ages 3-12, and Jr. Hunts ages 13-15 for $10. The week’s events sponsored and/or provided by Bounty Hunter, Fisher Labs, Garrett Metal Detectors, The Lincoln Hills Treasure Hunters Club, White’s Electronics, The Hoosier Hills Treasure Hunter’s Club, Real Treasure Hunters, Teknetics, Cannonball Express Metal Detectors, Wick’s Pies, Wray & Co. Treasure Shop, Tesoro, and The Down n’ Dirty Diggers. For more info, contact Chad Beesley at (812) 966-2137 or Terry Rittenhouse at (765) 857-2400.
AUGUST
7th – Orting, Washington. The Puget Sound Treasure Hunters Club, Tacoma, Washington, is sponsoring their annual Lenny Phay Memorial Hunt, “Silver Bonanza,” rain or shine. Two major silver hunts, one a silver dime hunt and the other a big silver hunt, plus a detector and a treasure chest raffle. Fun for the entire family, to include youth hunts. For more info, contact Jim Ratcliff, Sr. at (360) 556-3914 or Jim Ratcliff, Jr. at (360) 556-4009, e-mail scouthobby@comcast.net or visit http://sites.google.com/site/pugetsoundtreasurehunters/home
7th – 8th – Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. 28th Annual Black Diamond Treasure Weekend sponsored by the Black Diamond Treasure Hunters Club at the Plymouth TWP. Recreation Field on Route 11. For information, send self-addressed stamped envelope to B.D.T.H.C., P.O. Box 1523, Kingston, PA 18704, or go to www.bdthc.org to download the flier. Send e-mail requests to treasure1@aol.com or phone Byard Derr (215) 536-0796, George Walko (570) 287-3602 or Ron Denman (570) 288-7787.
SEPTEMBER
11th – 12th – Boonville, Indiana. Lincoln Hills Treasure Club’s 4th Annual Treasure Hunt at Scales Lake Park on the sandy beach, sponsored by Robert Jackson. Entry fees put in the hunt as silver dimes. Prize donations welcome. Free Kids’ Hunt, Teens’ Hunt $10. For more info, contact Robert Jackson at (812) 925-3280 or (812) 305-0295.
18th – Knox, New York. 40th Annual Club Hunt with over $5,000 in prizes, sponsored by the Empire State Metal Detector Association, at the Knox Firemen’s Park. For info and registration form, go to www.esmda.org. For more info, contact Bob Lavoy at metal@nycap.rr.com or call (518) 356-0564.
19th – Lathrop, Missouri. 34th Annual Open Hunt sponsored by Mo-Kan Search and Recovery Club at the Lathrop Antique Show Grounds. For more info e-mail Terry Theiss at outboundace@hotmail.com, call Chuck Clevenger at (816) 436-0697, or visit the club website at www.mokansr.com
25th – 26th – Mt. Vernon, Illinois. The Tri-State Metal Detecting Club will host its Annual two-day hunt loaded with silver coins, unique hunts, prizes, raffles, and lots of fun! For more info, contact Justin Stevens at (618) 201-1853 or by e-mail at tds62864@hotmail.com
26th – 27th – Java Center, New York. Genesee Valley Treasure Seekers, Inc.’s 10th Annual Hunt at the Beaver Meadows Campgrounds. Prizes include detectors, and gold and silver coins. Events benefit the American Cancer Society. For more information, call John Howard at (585) 663-7368.
E-mail upcoming events to managingeditor@losttreasure.com
Feature Club
The Three Seasons Treasure Hunters
The Three Seasons Treasure Hunting Club, established March 19, 2008, is located in the heart of the Indianhead Country in Chippewa County in west central Wisconsin. With approximately 60 members, they are a family oriented club and a member of the FMDAC (Federation Metal Detectors Archaeological Clubs Inc).
Monthly meetings are held at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Ojibwa Golf and Bowl, 8140 136th St. Membership dues are Family $25, Single $20, and Youth $10. The club also publishes a newsletter called “The Treasure Trunk.”
Read more about the club following these photos:
Shown left to right above are members Dan Hamilton, Josh Weltzin, Ken Briggs, and Melinda Channing.
This is the trash members Tom and Kenny took out during the 2009 treasure-hunting season.
Kenny Briggs returns a Sterling Silver Money Clip he found to its owner.
Tom Welch returns a cell phone he found.
Officers:
President - Kenneth W. Briggs
Vice President - Brent Knutson
Secretary - Melinda Channing
Treasurer - Dan Hamilton
Newsletter - Mike Broome
If anyone is interested in joining or finding out more information about the club, contact Ken Briggs either by e-mail at kbriggs@threeseasonstreasurehunters.com or phone (715) 577-0235.
For more info on the club and to see more pictures of its members in action, log onto http://www.threeseasonstreasurehunters.com
Favorite Finds
Below are some of the Favorite Finds made by members of
The Three Seasons Treasure Hunters.
This key was found on the street in front of a member’s house when the street department rebuilt their street. It dates back to the 1730's and was found in 2009.
This axe was found in the flats area of Chippewa Falls. It was made prior to 1915, per Robert Beckly of the US Forest Service in Missoula, Montana, and was one of the best built in the world. It was built in Duluth, Minnesota, at the Marshall Wells Hardware Co.
To see more of the club members’ finds, log onto http://www.threeseasonstreasurehunters.com
