Serious Treasure Hunters Only

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Take my advice and never get old.....

Good advice. I've been hunting since teenage years (Jr .High and High school) in the late 1970s to early 1980s. And back then , all during the 1980s, some of the guys I hunted with were 10 and 20+ yrs. older than me. (ie.: they'd have been in their 30's or 40s at that time). Hence some of them are now gone. Others are in their late 60s or 70's. And yes, once they're pushing into their 70s, they are not hopping fences into cow pastures anymore. They are not hiking 3 miles through the hills to reach defunct resorts anymore. They've gone off to live in retirement homes, take cruises with the wife and grandkids, etc.... If a site (like old-town urban demolition ) occurs, they are no longer "night-time commandos" like they were 30+ yrs. ago.

Hence me, being the youngest of that circle of friends (now 56) I am beginning to want to detect with "reckless abandon". Figuring I only have 10 or 15 yrs. left, to be "hardcore". A longtime CA beach hunter (who is amongst the most hardcore of So. CA beach erosion know-how) is perhaps late 60s or about 70 now. And I see, in him, the "slowing down" effect. He simply can not go out in howling storms and winds (the right time for erosion) as he used to.

It's subtle. You don't ever consciously say to yourself "I'm too old". Instead, you just find yourself putting a spot off "because I'm tired today" . Or "today's the day we're supposed to go to see the grandkids", blah blah.

Thus yes, life is short. And there's no use being the "richest man in the graveyard", since you can't take it with you

 

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[45th_Johnny]

Truth, my cousin remembers all the mini balls and half-dimes. He also thought the area had been fenced off since then. It was a CW camp for as long as the war lasted. Fences don't show up well on Google maps, so what did you see, when you were there?

 

[45th_Johnny]

Tom, you are so right, I am 71 and have cancer. Yesterday the doctor said I would be hard pressed to find anyone who would operate on me, because of my heart condition. I would like to pass on anything I can, before I am gone.

 

[Tiredman]

Gee this getting too old thing is so true!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Tom, you are so right, I am 71 and have cancer. Yesterday the doctor said I would be hard pressed to find anyone who would operate on me, because of my heart condition. I would like to pass on anything I can, before I am gone.

45th-Johnny, We are praying and pulling for you !

 

[TerryC]

C'mon, guys! I've been trolling around looking for those of you that are younger than I to help with the "wanna hunt" spots. Most of you are older! No wonder you got as much time to post as I. Sheese! ╦╦Ç

 

[Tom_in_CA]

C'mon, guys! I've been trolling around looking for those of you that are younger than I to help with the "wanna hunt" spots. Most of you are older! No wonder you got as much time to post as I. Sheese! ╦╦Ç

Terry C, I thought you were a young whipper snapper ! If you have any spots that are now beyond your agility range (fence hopping, hiking, or whatever), I'm game. If you're in Murphys, you're about ~2.5 hrs. from me (I'm in Salinas).

I've hunted gold rush sites over @ Snelling, Indian Gulch, to Bear Valley area. But not much further north than that . If I'm ever in Sacramento area, I'm usually doing old-town urban demolition, or silver-hunting the parks. So I haven't done that much gold rush camp hunting.

A buddy of mine found the "chinatown" districts of one of the 49er towns . Which is now nothing except a cow-pasture off to the outskirts of one of the little burgs . But at one time, had a bustling china town population of a few hundred, for 10-or-so years. He got a gold coin (A $5 if I recall), a few seateds, and probably 100 Chinese cash coins. So I bet there's more such sites that could be found in your area, along the 49 route.

 

[Truth]

Looking South on Jacob St I was on the left hand side, then there was a little canal like then a oil plant. I was on the left side of the street.


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[Truth]

Tom, you are so right, I am 71 and have cancer. Yesterday the doctor said I would be hard pressed to find anyone who would operate on me, because of my heart condition. I would like to pass on anything I can, before I am gone.

I would love to meet you Johnny you just say the word.


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[Truth]

Truth, my cousin remembers all the mini balls and half-dimes. He also thought the area had been fenced off since then. It was a CW camp for as long as the war lasted. Fences don't show up well on Google maps, so what did you see, when you were there?

I would die if I found a half dime.


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[45th_Johnny]

Truth, the area in question is behind the oil refinery. There should be two canals, the twenty and thirty arpents (arpent, if I spelled it right, is a french measurement.) On Jacob Drive the 20 should be around Josephine St. and the 40 should be just north of Genie street. I will write more after 9:30 tonight.

 

[Truth]

Truth, the area in question is behind the oil refinery. There should be two canals, the twenty and thirty arpents (arpent, if I spelled it right, is a french measurement.) On Jacob Drive the 20 should be around Josephine St. and the 40 should be just north of Genie street. I will write more after 9:30 tonight.

Ok give me all the info and I'll go tomorrow


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[Truth]

Truth, the area in question is behind the oil refinery. There should be two canals, the twenty and thirty arpents (arpent, if I spelled it right, is a french measurement.) On Jacob Drive the 20 should be around Josephine St. and the 40 should be just north of Genie street. I will write more after 9:30 tonight.

Do you mean here?


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[Tiredman]

C'mon, guys! I've been trolling around looking for those of you that are younger than I to help with the "wanna hunt" spots. Most of you are older! No wonder you got as much time to post as I. Sheese! ╦╦Ç

I only post between naps

 

[Tiredman]

This posting about those old folks detecting when we were younger and got into the hobby got me to thinking about them being gone to the happy hunting ground. It did give me an idea for a story.

 

[TerryC]

Terry C, I thought you were a young whipper snapper ! If you have any spots that are now beyond your agility range (fence hopping, hiking, or whatever), I'm game. If you're in Murphys, you're about ~2.5 hrs. from me (I'm in Salinas).

I've hunted gold rush sites over @ Snelling, Indian Gulch, to Bear Valley area. But not much further north than that . If I'm ever in Sacramento area, I'm usually doing old-town urban demolition, or silver-hunting the parks. So I haven't done that much gold rush camp hunting.

A buddy of mine found the "chinatown" districts of one of the 49er towns . Which is now nothing except a cow-pasture off to the outskirts of one of the little burgs . But at one time, had a bustling china town population of a few hundred, for 10-or-so years. He got a gold coin (A $5 if I recall), a few seateds, and probably 100 Chinese cash coins. So I bet there's more such sites that could be found in your area, along the 49 route.

Tom, you strike me as an accomplished researcher. I have a stagecoach loss (life and strongbox) that merits your talents. I will PM you today or tomorrow. Also, the Chinese section of Angels (Angels Camp) was along Birds Way, located along Angels Creek. Years ago, I saw at least one "tunnel" entrance along the creek there. Birds is all private homes/businesses now but the creek and banks are accessible. I have only seen hunters at the park, east side of the creek. One was looking (snicker) on the fill that was once the public pool there! I have found much clad in this park. ╦╦Ç

 

[TerryC]

Incidentally, Tom, I'm 68 but only feel maybe..... 75. ╦╦Ç

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... the Chinese section of Angels (Angels Camp) was along Birds Way, located along Angels Creek....

I just did a quick and dirty look at the satellite view, modern map, and early topo maps of that area. Unfortunately, it appears to be all built up with modern structures, road, parking lot, etc.... A few possible vacant terra firma zones at the northern dead end of Birds Way ?

The more ideal locations are when all human influence stopped after, say, the turn of century, or whatever. But if I ever got up that way, I'd certainly give it a try.

....I have a stagecoach loss (life and strongbox) that merits your talents. I will PM you today or tomorrow.....

For cache stories, I would scrutinize the source. Because as you know, many such stories can be nothing more than fanciful legends. But I'll take a look at what you send. Thanx.

 

[TerryC]

Alpha105 (does he still post here?), JimB, TimC, and I hunted a yard of a WI home that was the childhood home of Charles Giteau(?) the one who shot Pres. McKinley. The home was in a local history book. The home still stands with additions. In the old pic was an old tree that no longer stood at the time we hunted. I found a V nickel and we found some farm junk on the grounds. The location of the nickel was found through pure research (old pic). I posted this find(s) here years ago. ╦╦Ç

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Incidentally, Tom, I'm 68 but only feel maybe..... 75. ╦╦Ç

A local md'r I used to hunt with back in the very early 1980s here, moved up to the Sacramento area in the mid 1980s. That was about the time the nugget craze was beginning to hit full bore up there. After a year or two, he totally gave up coins/relics, and is now almost strictly nuggets. He's about 12 yrs. older than me. So that would put him about late 60s or pushing 70 by now. He still gets out way back into the boondocks in their quest for virgin tailings piles. Haven't hunted with him for a few years. I think he's currently in the Jackson or Mountain Ranch area.

He tells me that in their quest to find the nuggets, going way back into the old mining districts miles back on dirt roads, that they have frequently come across old ruins. And evidences of old mining camp tent cities. Like one time in the 1980s, they came across a flat, next to some mine workings, that they could tell had been the camp zone. And there was still bottles right on top of the ground ! They gathered up the so-called opium bottles, and told themselves "we ought to detect here for coins". And were going to do it some day "when they had time". But they are sseeoo busy going for nuggets, that they just never end up getting around to coin hunting these days. I guess nuggets are kind of addicting, eh ?

And you've seen Ron's videos haven't you ? He's from the Roseville/Folsom area. He's gotten gold coins, seateds etc.... by searching the old miner-tent city zones.