AMAZING! The girlfriend finds horde of silver coins at gold rush 49er site!!!!

perdidogringo

Sr. Member
Apr 21, 2011
411
927
El Dorado
Detector(s) used
Equinox 900, Fisher CZ-21, Garrett Pro-Pointer AT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I still get an adrenaline rush and my heart skips a beat when I think back to what happened last week. My girlfriend and I were at a site in Latin America (sorry can't give the exact country) that was once a rest stop from 1848 to about 1855 for those on their way to and from California for the gold rush. We've detected here before and have found a few coins and relics and even a little gold (a gold nugget and a gold pendant). But this didn't prepare us at all for what was found this time- 147 buried gold rush era silver coins from one hole!

God only knows why the person who buried it never recovered the coins. Perhaps the owner of a hotel, saloon or other business on the property buried a bag of coins and died before he/she could recover it? Perhaps he /she just forgot where it was buried? Maybe a 49er buried it for safekeeping while lodging at the site and died, whether due to illness or murder? Your mind really starts to get creative after you find a horde like this! I never thought I would witness it happening right before my eyes and I surely never thought my girlfriend would be the one to find it- a cute 20 something Latina who has only been detecting for less than 2 years!

Anyway, this is how it happened- We were both detecting this spot, located deep in the jungle near an ancient trail used first by the native Americans of the region, then by the conquistadors, and finally by the 49ers for a few short years in the mid-1800s. She had just lost her pin pointer and I was giving her the business for being so careless. However, she then recovered it somehow in the deep foliage, which in itself was a miracle (thank God the new Garrett pin pointers are orange!). Not 10 minutes later she yelled to me that she found a coin. I maneuvered my way to her and she invited me to dig at the same hole as she was getting more signals (yes, I have a GREAT girlfriend 8-)). I subsequently dug up 2 more coins in amazement. Since it was her hole, I dropped my shovel, picked up my phone to start filming and told her to continue. That's where this video picks up. Please excuse the numerous cuss words I use but I was genuinely amazed to be watching this unfold before my eyes. Truly, a once in a lifetime experience. I hope you enjoy watching the video 1/2 as much as I enjoyed watching it happen live.

 

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perdidogringo

perdidogringo

Sr. Member
Apr 21, 2011
411
927
El Dorado
Detector(s) used
Equinox 900, Fisher CZ-21, Garrett Pro-Pointer AT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Update

Here's the final correct revision of the list of coins from (what I'm calling) the French Gold Rush Horde. My best guess is that a 49er buried the coins soon after arriving from France, and for whatever reason, he never recovered them. I had a couple of coin experts examine each coin for correct identification (although a few are so worn that years and/or mint marks aren't possible). I've also included a few more photos of all of the coins in one group and then in smaller groups. Some are in darn good shape for being buried 167 years ago! Happy hunting, fellas!

Composition of Circa 1850 French Gold Rush Hoard:

CountryDenominationYearMintmarkQuantity
France2 Francs1849A1
1 Franc1850A10
1 Franc1850K1
1 Franc1849A39
1 Franc1847A2
1 Franc1846A2
1 Franc1840B1
1 Franc1837W1
1 Franc1836K1
1 Franc1834A1
1 Franc1834B1
1 Franc1834H2
1 Franc1832W1
1 Franc1831B1
1 Franc1828A1
1 Franc1827T1
1 Franc1824A1
1 Franc1817K1
1 Franc1816H1
1 Franc1813A2
1 Franc1812A2
1 Franc1812K1
1 Franc1811B1
1 Franc18111

CountryDenominationYearMintmarkQuantity
France1 Franc1809B1
1 Franc1808A3
1 Franc1808W2
1 Franc18081
1 Franc1806A1
1 FrancNV1
50 Cent1850A33
50 Cent1848A1
50 Cent1847A2
50 Cent1846A1
50 Cent1846B1
1/2 Franc1834A2
1/2 Franc1832W1
1/4 Franc1837A1
Belgium1 Franc18443
Great Britain6 Pence18441
Venezuela2 realesNV1
United StatesOne Dime1850Philadelphia1
One Dime1842Philadelphia1
10 C.1829Philadelphia1(Holed)
10 C.NV1
Half Dime1850Philadelphia1

CountryDenominationYearMintmarkQuantity
Nueva
Granada
2 Reales1850Bogota1
2 Reales1848Bogota3
2 Reales1841Popayan1
Rep. de Colombia1 Real1832Popayan1
1 Real1830Popayan1(Holed)
1/2 RealNV1(1833-1836 series)
Mexico1 Real17811(Holed)
1/2 Real17851(Holed)

TOTAL = 148 silver Coins
 

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