VIDEO at this Link.
http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/eca5154a-c0a8-2f11-0116-e03ddf7504af/2f565e5c-c0a8-2f11-01f7-01679a6db270
DANVILLE - Most treasure hunters search the open seas, but one of the nation's best treasure hunters lives right here in mid-Missouri. John Derosa calls his metal detector his musical instrument.
"You have to learn it. Practice it over and over again," Derosa explained.
It's a melodious metal detector that's hit treasures more valuable than a C-note.
"It's like you're walking through the park and you find $100 on the ground. You get so excited. It's like, oh my God, look at this!" Derosa said.
One day during a treasure hunt, Derosa unearthed something that had been in the ground since the Civil War. He found a Civil War soldier's Eagle button.
Derosa's instrument detects all kind of metal in the earth, from old beer cans to precious metals. The Holt's Summit man has found everything from rare coins to a Civil War soldier's bayonet. Once he even found a union soldier's buttons still attached to the uniform.
Treasure Hunter Finds More Than Metal
DANVILLE - Most treasure hunters search the open seas, but one of the nation's best treasure hunters lives right here in mid-Missouri. John Derosa calls his metal detector his musical instrument.
"You have to learn it. Practice it over and over again," Derosa explained.
It's a melodious metal detector that's hit treasures more valuable than a C-note.
"It's like you're walking through the park and you find $100 on the ground. You get so excited. It's like, oh my God, look at this!" Derosa said.
One day during a treasure hunt, Derosa unearthed something that had been in the ground since the Civil War. He found a Civil War soldier's Eagle button.
Derosa's instrument detects all kind of metal in the earth, from old beer cans to precious metals. The Holt's Summit man has found everything from rare coins to a Civil War soldier's bayonet. Once he even found a union soldier's buttons still attached to the uniform.
Story Continues Below
"I always loved history," Derosa explained.
But this treasure hunter's found something even more valuable than that.
"I started digging at what I thought was a little root. I dug underneath it. I picked it up and at first I thought it was a button and I turned it around and the light shining through the trees came through and hit the emeralds. And I'm like, oh my God, it's a ring. And I just ran. I ran to the car to go home, to show everybody," Derosa said.
Derosa's unearthed something even more esteemed than emeralds. Several years ago, he quit his job as a retail manager to become a professional metal detector. For a small fee, he also finds metal property stakes. But in his quest for buried treasure Derosa found one he didn't expect.
"I've been lucky. I'm not rich doing this by any means. I'm not even close. I was a retail manager for many years and I can't tell you how many birthdays, Christmases and Easters I missed with the kids. I'll never do that again. They can never get me to do that again. I watched him play football. I watched practice all last year my son....to me, that's worth it," Derosa explained.
After years of searching for treasure, Derosa found one that had been there all along. He found a chance to spend time with his family.
Derosa donates the items he finds back to the Baker Plantation Museum in Danville.
To contact the Baker House Museum call (573) 590-3069.
Reported by: Sarah Hill
Edited by: Jennifer Jarvis
http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/eca5154a-c0a8-2f11-0116-e03ddf7504af/2f565e5c-c0a8-2f11-01f7-01679a6db270
DANVILLE - Most treasure hunters search the open seas, but one of the nation's best treasure hunters lives right here in mid-Missouri. John Derosa calls his metal detector his musical instrument.
"You have to learn it. Practice it over and over again," Derosa explained.
It's a melodious metal detector that's hit treasures more valuable than a C-note.
"It's like you're walking through the park and you find $100 on the ground. You get so excited. It's like, oh my God, look at this!" Derosa said.
One day during a treasure hunt, Derosa unearthed something that had been in the ground since the Civil War. He found a Civil War soldier's Eagle button.
Derosa's instrument detects all kind of metal in the earth, from old beer cans to precious metals. The Holt's Summit man has found everything from rare coins to a Civil War soldier's bayonet. Once he even found a union soldier's buttons still attached to the uniform.
Treasure Hunter Finds More Than Metal
DANVILLE - Most treasure hunters search the open seas, but one of the nation's best treasure hunters lives right here in mid-Missouri. John Derosa calls his metal detector his musical instrument.
"You have to learn it. Practice it over and over again," Derosa explained.
It's a melodious metal detector that's hit treasures more valuable than a C-note.
"It's like you're walking through the park and you find $100 on the ground. You get so excited. It's like, oh my God, look at this!" Derosa said.
One day during a treasure hunt, Derosa unearthed something that had been in the ground since the Civil War. He found a Civil War soldier's Eagle button.
Derosa's instrument detects all kind of metal in the earth, from old beer cans to precious metals. The Holt's Summit man has found everything from rare coins to a Civil War soldier's bayonet. Once he even found a union soldier's buttons still attached to the uniform.
Story Continues Below
"I always loved history," Derosa explained.
But this treasure hunter's found something even more valuable than that.
"I started digging at what I thought was a little root. I dug underneath it. I picked it up and at first I thought it was a button and I turned it around and the light shining through the trees came through and hit the emeralds. And I'm like, oh my God, it's a ring. And I just ran. I ran to the car to go home, to show everybody," Derosa said.
Derosa's unearthed something even more esteemed than emeralds. Several years ago, he quit his job as a retail manager to become a professional metal detector. For a small fee, he also finds metal property stakes. But in his quest for buried treasure Derosa found one he didn't expect.
"I've been lucky. I'm not rich doing this by any means. I'm not even close. I was a retail manager for many years and I can't tell you how many birthdays, Christmases and Easters I missed with the kids. I'll never do that again. They can never get me to do that again. I watched him play football. I watched practice all last year my son....to me, that's worth it," Derosa explained.
After years of searching for treasure, Derosa found one that had been there all along. He found a chance to spend time with his family.
Derosa donates the items he finds back to the Baker Plantation Museum in Danville.
To contact the Baker House Museum call (573) 590-3069.
Reported by: Sarah Hill
Edited by: Jennifer Jarvis
. JD...you bring a lot of knowledge to the forum - thanks!
