Sunday, March 17, 2024

Montezuma May Have Left His Treasure to Utah Treasure Hunt

Utah is the forty-fifth state in the union. It may be known for the Morman faith, wonderful mountain views, and five national parks. Alaska and California have more, but so what? Treasure may be the thing that attracts tourists, digital viewers, and historians more.

As the story goes, Montezuma could read the Spanish writing on the wall and knew his people were doomed to fall to the Conquistadors. So, he got a group of his most trusted men to take the riches of the Aztecs north for safe keeping.

You have all read the stories of Hernán Cortés mauling the Aztecs.in 1519 (that's a long time ago, no?) in Mexico. The Aztecs were hopeless when confronting the gun-bearing Spaniards. And, the Aztecs had all of their gold and silver plundered. Right? Maybe? The postulate is that the Aztecs wanted to find a burial place for treasure until they could return to Mexico. 

So, anybody with a thoughtful mind would think that the Aztecs would have hidden treasure out of the immediate way of the Spaniards. How about going to Northern Mexico- lots of land and places to hide. But yet, some folks look for evidence that treasure was not hidden there. 

In 1914, a treasure hunter named Freddie Crystal showed up in the area of Johnson Canyon claiming to have a map with a big red X on it. He devoted his time to poking around the nooks of the canyon.

Everybody immediately suggests that a treasure hunter with a proclamation about treasure is a bit off, and they tend to ignore. 

Crystal had found many caves in the mountains that were intentionally sealed - evidence of human endeavor. The media revealed only detritus and disappointment. 

Decades later, in 1989, a local Kanab, Utah, resident, Brandt Child, theorized that the caves Crystal found were fakes. His intention was to throw treasure hunters off the trail. Child believed that the real final resting place of the treasure was in the underwater caverns in the area. 

Crystal bought land in the alleged area, but, he proclaimed, something bizarre had happened. On the property was a water body.  Divers reported seeing apparitions underwater. Perhaps these were ghostly Aztecs guarding the cave?

Okay. Take this part with suspicion. The divers said the ghostly Aztecs tried to pull off their breathing mask and one even shut off a diver’s air tank. The divers got out of the water, headed for their cars, and left nothing but dust in their wake. 
\
Drilling would come next. Into the underwater cave, Brandt Child drilled. Then, one of his bits came up with gold in the spiral teeth of the bit.  That evening, the drill operator bit the dust, dying of a heart attack at home. 

Then, after trying to drill more, the Department of Natural Resources found a rare creature, the amber snail, and declared the cave off limits. 

Can you blame Child for quitting? The DNR threatened a $50,000 fine per snail if killed. Montezuma's treasure remains lost. Child gave up, but perhaps a modern treasure hunter will find the Aztec leader's treasure after all? 


for more information, please see:





Saturday, March 09, 2024

A Clue to New Mexico Treasure Near Red Hill

The last thing I do when prospecting for gold is to transfer my flake into a carrying case. Such is the habit of a prospector by the name of Adams in the great state of New Mexico in 1836 upon leaving the mine. He transferred to a bag and then, Indians attacked him, wounding him. Proceeding to Pinos Altos, he sought help for his wounds there. 

Pinos Altos was a mining town. Gold was found in the nearby hills. And that is where Adams was prospecting. A stream near the mine yielded 27 pounds of gold (as the story goes). Its worth was $7000 at the time, about $704,587 U.S. dollars as of publication of this story, today.

On his death bed, he related a story of his discovery. He said that the stream he found the gold in was near a red hill. Not long after, Adams expired.  And not long after that his nuggets were discovered. Many learned of his story.

Converging on the hill, lots of eager prospectors descended to the area. Unfortunately for them, the red hill was not revealed. Then, in the 1920's, the site was found when the town of Red Hill was being constructed. Red Hill was located between the towns of Springerville and Quemado New Mexico. The nearby hill created by lava flowing from a volcano was nearby dammed for the collection of rainwater. In the reservoirs were discovered small nuggets. In a euphoria, the town folks reminisced of the discovery of 100 years earlier. However, soon the reservoirs were emptied of their gold content. 

Of course, the 1920's discovery and its extinguishment is dependent on the true location of the "Red Hill!"

For more details, see https://www.legendsofamerica.com/red-hill-treasure/



Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Is Gold Real, Or How Real Is Gold?

 Is Gold Real?

The World Gold Council estimates that miners have historically extracted a total of 201,296 tons of gold, leaving another 53,000 tons left in identified underground reserves.

-from https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/chart-how-much-gold-is-in-the-world/#Where%20Is%20All%20The%20Gold?


Here is a breakdown:

Jewlery ~96,487t, 45%

Bars and coins (including gold backed ETFs) ~47,454t, 22%

Central banks ~36,699t, 17%

Other ~31,943t, 15%

from- https://www.gold.org/goldhub/data/how-much-gold#:~:text=1%20Jewellery%20~96%2C487t%2C%2045%25%202%20Bars%20and%20coins,4%20Other%20~31%2C943t%2C%2015%25%205%20Proven%20reserves%20~59%2C000t


Yes. Gold has superb electrical conductivity. It is corrosion resistant. It has malleability and ductility. It is thermally conductive. It is reflective. It is non-toxic. In the realm of consumer electronics, gold is indispensable. Its superior electrical conductivity, resistance to corrosion, and excellent ductility make it an ideal material for various components.

- from https://londongoldxchange.com/gold-technology/


Crucial roles of gold:

consumer electronics

aerospace technology

medical equipment

emerging consumer technology

automotive technology

renewable energy

nanotechnology

solar and wind power

advanced computing

sustainability


Gold as Money Gold does not dissipate into the atmosphere, it does not burst into flames, and it does not poison or irradiate the holder. It is rare enough to make it difficult to overproduce and malleable to mint into coins, bars, and bricks. Civilizations have consistently used gold as a material of value.

- from https://www.visualcapitalist.com/why-gold-is-money-a-periodic-perspective/#:~:text=Gold%20as%20Money%20Gold%20does%20not%20dissipate%20into,consistently%20used%20gold%20as%20a%20material%20of%20value.


As societies developed, gold was universally accepted as a satisfactory form of payment. In short, history has given gold a power surpassing that of any other commodity on the planet, and that power has never really disappeared.

-from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/09/why-gold-matters.asp


Central banks added a whopping 1,136 ton
s of gold worth some $70 billion to their stockpiles in 2022, by far the most of any year in records going back to 1950, the World Gold Council (WGC) February 8, 2023. Central banks think it is very real.

-from https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/central-banks-bought-most-gold-since-1967-last-year-wgc-says-2023-01-31/#:~:text=Central%20banks%20added%20a%20whopping%201%2C136%20tonnes%20of,the%20World%20Gold%20Council%20%28WGC%29%20said%20on%20Tuesday.


Based on this information, I would say gold is more real than anything man values. That isn't to say it is proper, just that it is. 

Friday, February 23, 2024

Thursday, February 08, 2024

George A. Custer Dakota Expedition and Stories of Gold Never Found

A treaty in 1868, The Fort Laramie Treaty, made the Black Hills a part of the Sioux Reservation. It was believed that the Dakota Territory required a fort, and the Black Hills was to be the location. Army brass and government officials planned for an expedition to reconnoiter the area. 

In 1874, George Armstrong Custer led his Black Hills expedition with nearly 1000 civilians and soldiers, many wagons and mules, along with 700 horses and a large herd of cattle, into the hills from Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota Territory.

First account of gold related to George Custer's exploits-

On July 30, 1874, a miner who was part of the expedition, Horatio Ross, panned in French Creek. He washed some pay dirt and found several specks (micros) of gold. While he did this, Custer Climbed Harney Peak. While gone, the officers drank champaign after an enlisted game of baseball. Harney Peak, now called Black Elk Peak, is 7244 feet high and is accessible by several trails. 

A second account of gold -

Many know the narrative of George Armstrong Custer, the American general who was entirely crushed by the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Indians at the Skirmish of Little Bighorn. However, not many know the account of the fortune that might be recovered close where Custer established his point of no return.

The whys and wherefores are somewhat indistinct, yet as Custer was destroying himself and his men, Captain Award Bog was cruising up the Bighorn Stream with provisions and fortifications. Among these things was supposedly about $375,000 worth of gold bars. At the point when he found out about Custer's loss, Bog evidently chose to hide his gold on the bank of the waterway; if not, he could never have had the option to assume the additional load of injured fighters.

The fortune actually has not been found up to present day.

For more information about the expedition, see Custer's Gold - True West Magazine

For more biographical information on George Armstrong Custer, see George Armstrong Custer - Wikipedia

George Armstrong Custer at West Point



Thursday, January 11, 2024

Thieves Steal Another's Loot (Gold and Silver) in Southern Arizona Inside Skeleton Canyon

According to legend, tons of wealth have been hidden close to an unidentified peak in southeast Arizona that the people who first hid it there called Davis Mountain. This sizable stash was taken from a train carrying smugglers coming from Mexico. But the original loot was taken from a chapel in Matamoras, Mexico, and a bank vault in Monterey. The treasure comprised a cigar box full of diamonds, two sculpture statues of pure gold — one of the Virgin Mary and one of Jesus, sacks of gold and silver, thirty-nine bars of solid gold bullion, and multiple rawhide bags containing ninety thousand Mexican dollars.

It is fitting that criminals plundered the bandit smuggler train during its journey through Skeleton Canyon. Following a robbery, fittingly, the bandit smuggler train was robbed by outlaws while going through Skeleton Canyon. The bandits dug up the treasure on Davis Mountain after plundering the smuggling train. 

Despite the fact that no modern map of Arizona shows this peak, one of the bandits gave somewhat detailed directions.

Before he died, he left clear instructions to the riches. It is unknown why these criminals did not come back to claim the wealth or what happened to them.

The dying bandit gave these instructions: Cross rolling grasslands to the west and you'll see Davis Mountain, a bald, spherical granite dome that can be seen for miles. From the top of this mountain, if you use binoculars, it's said you can see New Mexico, with old Sugarloaf standing proudly against the sky.

After reaching Davis Mountain, proceed 1 to 1 ½ miles westward until you come upon a canyon. The west wall of the canyon is a steep rock precipice, whereas the east wall is covered in wooded slopes.

The west end of the canyon is where Silver Spring comes into it, and the creek that runs through it plunges over a ledge in a minor cascade that is about ten feet high. There is a grave at the base of a tall juniper tree beside this spring. Gum Spring is about a mile and a half up the canyon and south of Silver Springs. 

The wreckage of a burned-out wagon lies among the strewn undergrowth between the two springs. The location of this wagon is when it turns inward to make a shallow cove on the west side of the canyon.

A stone marker, three feet high, square in shape, and one foot thick, sits at the lowest point of this cove.Two crosses are carved on the east face of this memorial. Once you've found the stone, face Davis Mountain and take twenty steps forward. It is said that the wealth is buried here.

Note: Davis Mountain peak is not found on modern maps. Skeleton Canyon should be used as a reference.

Skeleton Canyon - Wikipedia

An aerial view of the mouth of Skeleton Canyon - Wikipedia



Tuesday, December 12, 2023

The Arizona Lost Opata Silver Mine and the Princess That Was Sacrificed Inside

South of Tucson, Arizona lies the site of the "Lost Opata Silver Mine." The Catholic Church decided to actively convert Opata and Papago Indians in the 18th century. The Tumacacori Mission 45 miles south of Tucson was the conversion center. Then in 1766, religiosity morphed somewhat to mining a silver deposit.

Several mines in the area provided silver for the Spanish crown. One mine was a storage place for the silver, and in a giant room was stacked silver. This mine was the Indians' preferred mine to work.

Performing pagan rituals at night in this underground room by reflected candlelight, the Opata Indians believed they had encountered the Virgin Mary in the form of an Indian princess. The silver reflected the light in different ways by candle.  The Indians believed there was a second coming.

The princess was kidnapped - their knowledge of the holy family led them to making a bargain. I she would marry the chief to produce a child savior, she could live. Her refusal prompted them to think of an alternative punishment - sacrifice to the gods, would be a wise act.

On a holy day, a day off for the Indians, the Princess was bound to a pile of silver at the chamber's center. She was given an ultimatum. She would either marry the chief or die of poisoning. She refused the chief's entreaties and he cut her hands while rubbing in poison. When the sun rose, the Indian on-lookers began to dance and sing.

Hearing a commotion from the mine, a missionary investigated and found the princess dead, still tied to the mound of silver as the Indians danced around her. Disgusted by the failure of their teachings to civilize the Indians, the missionaries ordered the mine shut. The portal was filled with rock, and they left the princess and all of the silver inside.

To this day, the legend states that the bones of the princess and the silver are hidden near Tumacacori. According to Spanish records of the time, the Opata Mine is halfway between Guadalupe Mine and the Pure Conception Mine. It lies as an enticement to present-day searchers.

In 2006, all the silver produced in Arizona came as a byproduct of copper mining. Renewed mining is planned for the Tombstone district.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumacacori,_Arizona

The location of Tubac, AZ near the mission.

Also, read about another mission northwest of this location, about 33.1 miles, site of more silver mines.

San Xavier del Bac Mission and the Esmeralda Mine - Owlcation







Sunday, November 26, 2023

A Story Replete with Placer Miners, Lode Miners, Historical Gold, Present Day Gold, and Crime - Rich Hill, Arizona



Congress, Arizona in 1914


Chuck Stanton's home

If it's quantity of gold nuggets and size of gold nuggets you are interested in, Rich Hill, Arizona is the place to be. High karat gold has been produced there for 100 years.

It isn't just locals who love the Rich Hill. People from all over the United States and the globe come to Rich Hill seeking to find gold flakes in their pans. You can see them also using dry washers at the bottom of gulches in arroyos or metal detecting the hills.

The area covers approximately 52 square miles. Antelope and Weaver creeks have been rich placer spots. North of Stanton all the way to Yarnell have seen their share of hot lode spots. Lodes of historical consequence include the Octave mine, Beehive Mine, and the Dixie-Rincon. Nearly all of this area is claimed due to its past and present richness. It is important to know who owns the land. It is divvied up among private and public entities. Homesteads, placer claims, and lode claims (350) pepper the area. This is why many folks join prospecting clubs- these clubs have claimed many spots and offer an easy way to partake in gold exploration. 

The first prospectors, in mid nineteenth century, found gold gleaming from the surface. Stories have it that nuggets were pried from the hillside using knives.

Pauline Weaver (born Powell Weaver) led a group of prospectors in 1863 when he discovered gold.

As is usual, the notoriety of the area brought a swath of gold prospectors. Don't forget, many a California prospector headed to Arizona after the rush there subsided, or they were disappointed after being duped or unlucky. And it didn't take long for these prospectors to find gold. In 3 months, prospectors dug over $100,000 of the yellow stuff. In another 5 years, $500,000 gold had been mined. Or translated another way, miners panned more that 25,000 ounces.

Covering roughly 40 square miles, the PLACER region has a number of good gold-producing claims. The "Potato Patch" was known for the potato size nuggets unearthed.

There is still a log of mining activity in the district. Arizona desert is not the place to be in summer. Heat precludes the mining of placer in summer months. Most activity is during the winter. Still, this area produces good gold and is one of the more popular areas for recreational prospectors. Metal detecting can still yield gold nuggets, although keep your visions of potato size gold in under control!

For some really fine historical information about Stanton, Arizona and the Vega gang, see http://ghosttowns.com/states/az/stanton.html



Making Your Own Homemade Prospecting Gold Pans - Plethora of Ideas

 I've tried to provide a lot of ideas for homemade prospecting equipment over the years. Today I found a video with great ideas for gold pans. In fact, this has to be the best presentation on the subject I have found. You should treat yourself to this channel and learn the who, what, where and how of gold pans.

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmn67wOWGBA&t=295s



Tuesday, November 21, 2023

The Peraltas, Jacob Waltz, and the Never-Ending Story of the Quest for the Dutchman's Gold


In 1748, the makings of a generational story began when Don Miguel Peralta, a Mexican cattle baron, garnered the rights to the Superstition Mountains.

This began the legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine.

For 100 years, Peraltas mined Superstition gold. As the story goes, the family over the years brought wagons full of gold back to Mexico. The trips to Arizona were quick, as they were always in fear of Apache attacks.

Pedro de Peralta made a final trip to the mines in 1847 - 1848 in the winter. Supposedly, Peralta and his fellow miners blocked the portal for fear of discovery and an imminent attack. On the way back to Mexico laden with gold (about a 100-mile trip to the border) the Apache
killed them all.

About 20 years later, another Peralta family member wanted to return to the mine. With a contingent of 400 men, this Peralta again entered the Superstition Mountains. All were killed by the Apache save one, according to the popular narrative.

A few years later, in 1870, Jacob Waltz got some information from a Peralta family member regarding the location of the mine. Referred to as the dutchman, Waltz was actually German. In the day, the word Deutsch (in German) meant German, or German language. Hence, folks confused the word with "Dutch." The misnomer Dutchman Jacob Waltz was born.

Waltz's life spanned 83 years. Born in 1808 in Germany, Jacob came to the U.S. in 1848. He was probably 50 when he wound up in Arizona. It is said that he owned property (a farm) near the superstition Mountains, that would put him north of Goldfield, Az. 

The information from sources supports the fact that Jacob was a prospector. From time to time, he would show up in town with plenty of gold. One story relates that he sold $250,000 of gold to the U.S. Mint in San Francisco in the 1880s. That would be worth $7,543,848.04 today!

On October 25, 1891, Jacob Waltz met his maker. A flood that swept through the Phoenix basin destroyed his homestead and farm. He contracted pneumonia, though his brothers Herman and Reinhardt Petrasch did save him.

As a last wish, Jacob asked the brothers to go to his homestead and look for gold he had hidden. The story goes that they came back with $15000 of gold.

As Jacob lay sick, his brothers gleaned clues from Jacob about the Superstition gold mine. Jacob's nurse, Julia, and the brothers used those clues to search for the mine but didn't find it. 

Like the previous searches, folks today still travel the Superstitions searching for the hidden treasure. But as the local news sources relate (just Google Superstition Lost Hikers) and you will find that nearly every year, people wind up lost in the Superstitions (especially in our hot summer months) and are recovered, dead. And if Arizona's weather isn't enough reason to not hunt for the Dutchman's gold, many contributors to the saga have rumored the mine to be cursed. 

Some recent history,

The Lost Dutchman Mine Part Nine: The Peralta Family – Jason Roberts (jasonrobertsonline.com)

For all the facts, see,

 Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine - Wikipedia

A great story,

The Legend Of The Lost Dutchman And His Gold Mine Explained (grunge.com)



Montezuma May Have Left His Treasure to Utah Treasure Hunt

Utah is the forty-fifth state in the union. It may be known for the Morman faith, wonderful mountain views, and five national parks. Alaska ...