SEARCHING FOR BURIED TREASURE !!!!!

OUR THANKSGIVING WEEK POST !
HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GOOD TURKEY DAY.....


I remember when I was a young lad around 4 or 5; attending my parents friends group picnics for most summer holidays. Nine couples with kids all the same age bracket's; everyone always had someone to hang with for the day. We always had special events and especially fourth of July, my "Uncle" Don (everyone's parents were either Uncle or Aunt) would roll out bags of saw dust, spread it on the ground and hide bags of pennies for the kids to find. These were my first treasure hunts I remember.

Somewhere around 8 years old I discovered the "metal detector" with my grandpa in Tampa, Florida;
I was just absolutely amazed that I had a chance to find Gold, Silver and Jewelry in the sands. I got to stay at their house for an entire month one summer and that's all we did everyday, searching for a lost fortune. I was disappointed that we never really found anything of "value," It wasn't for years later did it make it into my thick brain that I had found the most valuable thing that summer, "memories with my grandfather who passed away that winter."

UAT Bldg 1986

Fast forward to an energizing young man making his way in property management and commercial real estate. Management contract for 150 Bagley Street, Detroit, MI.; and the United Artist Theater. Now, being young and having no sense of fear, I was handed the keys and a flashlight and told to drive downtown to make the place was secure. So, naturally there were three guys striping copper out of the walls on the 16 floor. (remember this is 1985)  They did run out the back over the theater roof and down a fire escape, so I felt safe. The Theater was enclosed in metal bars, so it was relatively safe, so I entered and walked around with an open jaw. The Art Deco and Marble Statue mixture was stunning, my favorite was the drinking fountains with 3 heraldic trumpet playing angels supporting the bowl made from marble.

I went back and reported the findings, called the owner in Quebec, and made my recommendations, after several months, the owner came down and agreed trying to save the interior artifacts from the theater, having them removed and stored at another location until rehab could start. I was delighted and it took several weeks to have the contents placed on pallets, wrapped and aligned for shipment. We finished late on a Friday night, with three semi's coming Monday morning, I went home to enjoy the weekend. I showed up early Monday morning to find the overhead doors smashed in and every pallet removed and the entire contents gone. Long story, cut short but it was a great loss to me and the city.

"Not your normal Detector"
Courtesy M. Copp

The Real Detector

Now, we touched on the metal detector fun and there is a great article by Michael Bernzweig were he mentions people hiding their riches out of necessity for the lack of banks, trust and local. Now, if your looking for a hobby that offers so many different venues being a "detectorist" is fun, from the beaches to the mountains and everything else in between, you can search for your riches anywhere. Remember though that the metal detectors come in every range and size and the areas they will search, water, soil, cement, etc. So, watch your budget for expenses and traveling, best to find a detector you can borrow or rent to make sure you like the hobby.

Big Jim"

So, your driving on vacation and see a site offering a chance to dig and pan for "Gold Nuggets" for a nominal fee; the kids are in for it and you shake off the cold stare from the wife. Now there are sites for information on these sites so link up through here FREE GOLD to gain information. Now, your saying these sites aren't worth it and why waste the time, below is a picture of my friend and neighbor "Big Jim" whom with his wife of more than 50 years goes several tomes a year to dig for minerals, rocks, quartz and copper and yes they have found gold. Jim deserves his own Blog page, so I promise to do one on him.


So, FREE GOLD aey? Well trust me you would think it would all be gone from our American river systems, caves and abandon mine shafts; not true. "A gold nugget found in the foothills of Butte County is the largest ever in California to be in private hands, according to the auction house that currently holds it." Now, this nugget sold for over $360,000 dollars at auction this year. But, if you really want one of the best "treasure stories" we need to look at Mel Fisher who discovered the Spanish ship "Nuestra Senora de Atocha," of the Florida Keys. Almost $450 Million dollars and counting have been recovered. I need to add that he hand everyone and their brother suing him over ownership rights. Finally the U.S. Supreme Court awarded him the treasure rights, after $52 Million in lawyers, fees and salvage.

                                                                         
I just wanted to wet your appetite on  searching for buried treasure as it's a vast subject and we should Blog some more on it. I wanted to end on a funny note, sort of, about three years ago, me and a bored friend went to touring downtown, where we ended up at a "large" used book dealer. I had the opportunity to speak to the odd little fella that opens the store. He gave me a tour in the second building which is for his more serious buyers of books and artifacts. I was amazed, he had a museum quality display area, over filled with Detroit and the world's treasure's. In the corner of the large room my I was caught by a familiar piece; it was one of my drinking fountains for sale for $12,000.00. I turned and complimented him on the piece, asking were the others were, only to find they had been sold. I informed him they were taken in 1985 from the United Artist Theater. Sure enough, I couldn't keep my mouth shut and  was removed from the property; the statue of limitations had run out. At least there still safe...

CJC