Really need some advice

[golddigger65]

I'll try and make this as short as possible.

A good friend of mine and I were talking buried treasure and he related the following story.
fifty + years ago when he was working in the local hardware store ( ours is a small town), a man he knew slightly would come in once a week on his payday and purchase a piece of pipe about 8" long and 2 pipe caps. My buddy said he joked with him about it one day and the guy said, " I use these to bury my money in the yard, can't be too safe ya know. Buddy never questioned him further and several years later the man died in his home.
As far as he and I know no one else knows this story and neither of us has ever seen any digging on his small lot his home sits on in town. I would like to detect and find this 'hoard' if it exists but really don't know how to approach the current owners about this. I have obtained permission from many, many owners to detect the yard, or dig outhouses in their yards and split the finds with them, this however is a bit different since it may involve money stashed for somewhere around 20 or so years. If I just said hey theres money buried here and I'd like to find it and split it they would say NO and do it themselves. If I went there with a contract they could just begin the search themselves and tell me to get lost.
Anyone ever been faced with this situation and how did or would you handle it??

I really want to do this for this reason. Some years ago I was told a similar story and took no action. When this person died school kids were playing in the yard and dug up $10,000 in pvc pipe. Of course the cops took it away from them. Thank you.

 

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[cruiserkev]

I'd just approach it like any other house, ask permission to dig there and do not mention the buried coins. It's just hearsay at this point anyway. If found, be honest and split it with the homeowners. If you don't find it at least you tried. Good Karma all around. Better than letting this keep you up at night, hearing a story like that would drive me nuts with anticipation. Good luck! HH

 

[kingvegan]

This is the approach I used on the few times I tried to get permission to hunt properties and it may help you.
I would say that we sign a little sheet of paper that absolves them of any responsibility in the event I get hurt on their property, and as far as items I may find then we use what I call the King Solomon approach. They pick an amount they are willing to pay me for the items and I can either take that offer or can pay them the same amount and leave with it. Don't even tell them that you think there is cash on property , why would you? Information is always key and you have it and they don't, good for you. Granted I only tried a couple of times and I did not work, but it sounds good to me.

also I knew a guy in texas that had a restaurant and a bar and a couple of other cash businesses and he buried cash in plastic pipes too in case the IRS ever nailed him. they eventually did and took everything and he avoided jail....took everything except the cash buried in his yard they new nothing about. so I believe your story

 

[G.I.B.]

If it's paper currency and PVC, it's invisible to a metal detector.

You would have to use a probe and stick it in the ground, 6' deep, every square inch. Or, you would need a very expensive GPR unit, and someone who is very experienced in it's use.

Next, dig every rock or other object you struck with the rod or saw with the GPR.

The only way to accomplish this privately, or as much as you could, would be to purchase the land, then start stabbing/probing the ground.

In the mid 80's I knew a guy that hid kilos of cocaine in a lake, in PVC pipes. There are still millions in coke in the lake settled into the silt. He died in jail, and it's most likely still there.

Some things may never be found...

 

[kingskid1611]

Ask the neighbors to hunt their property, so it doesn't look like you just hit this house up.

 

[BigWaveDave]

What was that address again?

Good luck on your cache hunt, if you get the permission. Sounds like a great adventure.

 

[hvacker]

Think about it. A piece of pipe and two caps are the ingredients of a pipe bomb. I would wonder if the guy booby trapped the cash. Never can be too safe ya know.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

You've got good answers so far. I would just add this: I got called out one time, by an estate executor, d/t there was rumors that a family patriarch had buried $$ somewhere in the yard. I eventually found it for the people. And just like in your story: It was buried in a section of cut plastic PVC pipe, about a foot long, and capped on each end. And it was filled to the brim with silver coins.

So the part of the story about PVC being used as a way to make a pod or container device, is not far flung.

 

[golddigger65]

Thank you all for the replies and advice, some good stuff there. Pipe was galvanized so my only concern is moisture and rotten cash but still would be a great find. Going door knocking next week.

Hmmm, pipe bomb would be the pits for sure. Silver coins would be a gift from heaven for sure. Cocaine, man that would be a dangerous find but interesting to look for.