My True Treasure Tale - Long, but the Whole Story.....

[stevesno]

Nightstalker,
I can't thankyou enough for sharing your experience with us. I have been hunting for a cache for the past couple of years,(on 180 acres) I now have a better idea what to do with the find due to your advice. Take care and happy hunting....Steve

 

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[Montana Jim]

Night -

Sounds like you made the smartest decisions you could have under the circumstances, the stress, and the thrill of it all!

Don't second guess yourself, don't listen to the Monday Morning Quarterbacks, and don't start thinking you did anything wrong.

You found a treasure... well done. Go rhino-line some more stuff and enjoy your family.

 

[Mirage]

Wow. Kinda speechless. When they say you never know....guess it's true. Thanks for the story.

Could you imagine if you had not found that stuff and some mall went up there and it all got buried forever?

My wife's uncle was the one of the dozen who financed the search for the US Central America. They found millions in gold coins but due to the litigation it took years and they really didn't make any money from it. One of the problems he said was the supply and demand. Once you try to sell 1000 gold coins valued at $$$$ it becomes a problem selling more than a couple hundred without lowering the price significantly.

 

[stevesno]

Night Stalker,
One more thing that I forgot. Would you please keep us posted if you are contacted by any govt. agency's. Or if you get a knock on your door by men in black suits! Thanks...Steve

 

[viper771]

thats NUTS!!! WOW! If I brought something like that home to show my wife, she wouldn't complain about me going metal detecting ever again! I could say, "see I don't just bring home rusty junk all the time". Happy Hunting!!!

 

[bogeymcq]

Night Stalker

When people, mostly my kids , ask me what I would wish I always say "Foresight to Hindsight"

No one can truly say what they would do in ANY situation . . oh, we can sit back & listen to a story, read the news & proclaim with smug confidence . ."well now, if that was me I would do yadda yadda yadda & blah de blah blah" . . but would we? Probably not

I have read your post, quite a few times , & responses as well & in my opinion you did correctly . . you went for advice, & did what you felt at the time with given information & a bit of pressure perhaps, was the correct thing . .

Again I am glad you shared your story with everyone. . it really gives us a bit more insight to the what if's & what do's

Bogart

 

[Danimal]

Holy mackerel NightStalker!...I literally started sweating along with you as I read your recollection.

No regrets bud about the way you handled it. Anyone who has criticisms for your actions in liquidating cannot imagine what the pressure and stress must have been like.

Unfreakingbelievable.
Hopefully you saved a few representative coins for your personal collection.

Dan

 

[LuisTH]

Wow, i just read the entire thread, and i still can't believe your luck.

You were indeed very lucky for that find.

Thanks a ton for the advice.

 

[Jeffro]

Talking with one of the guys at work today about your story... he told me one of his own, it's pretty funny!

Get this- His cousin hit the Califonia lottery a few years back. His take after taxes was something like 6 million. One of the first things he did was get his DNA on record.

Seems one gal after another popped up wanting back child support for kids he didn't even know about. Turns out he wasn't the father (of course) and after the first one, he decided it'd be a good idea to have the whole schmear on file.

It's amazing the levels people will sink to for a little bit of cash. Hope something like this doesn't happen in your case!

 

[Functional]

Hi Night Stalker;

Others would no doubt have they're own opinion on what they would have done in your shoes and I'm sure that in hindsight you would have done some things differently also.

As for myself in that situation, I would have kept pictures in a secure location, but only shared specific ones that didn't divulge the source of the find, or the quantity. I've been in a situation that required secrecy before and even though it was difficult at first, I managed to keep matters to myself. But, everyone is different and lacking a sedative when the urge to "tell all" strikes you, some just couldn't keep a secret to save themselves. Maybe there should be a new thread titled "What To Do When You Make Your Find Of A Lifetime"?

Personally, I would have stashed that find away and slowly sold it off over 10 years or so, using different "agents" acting on my behalf, (and only after I had a really good idea of the value). But, it wasn't me and everyone is different.

I still wonder though. Since you never had the chance to finish MD'ing the whole area around your find, couldn't there be a second, or even a third cache hidden somewhere? Whoever stashed that cache, very likely didn't want to put all they're egg's in one basket. At least, I wouldn't think so. Sure wish I could hunt that area though.

Just a thought.

F.

 

[romeo-1]

WOW...$109,750 Freaking amazing! Congrats!!!

 

[Night Stalker]

I agree Functional - hindsight is always 20/20, but I'm not complaining.....

Romeo-1..... Sure beats a day at the office!


Me and wifey just after our move to Panama City Beach....

 

[Dimeman]

WOW...$109,750 Freaking amazing! Congrats!!!

I believe NS stated that he gave half to the land owner, so if NS had "(a total) of things to do", that was his half.

 

[skierbob]

WOW, Stalker. I just discovered this post. Fantastic, man. I'm happy for you and your wife. I know a little bit about the feelings and emotions you went through when digging up the cache and hawling it away. Tremendously exciting, wasn't it. Take care and have a good time.
Bob

 

[Nashoba]

I too just discovered this post....About all I can say is Holy crap and CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Could not have happened to a better person.
Peace

~Nash~

 

[djui5]

I think you did the right thing If you had done it the other way, you'd wind up sharing half with "the big house"....

 

[gemee]

NS, I laid in bed most of the night thinking about this amazing find of yours.
I have a couple of questions. Have you done some research yet on WHO possibly was the one that secreted the stash? I would imagine that it was one of the property owners. Is there a record of who all owned this property through the ages? I'm guessing that by the date of the coins, it would tell you WHICH owner was the one that dug this treasure hole. It would then be interesting to discern HOW this person came onto all this loot.

 

[DANGLANGLEY]

It's good that you got rid of it as soon as possible. Two brothers near here back around 1982 amassed a very large sum of money by selling property to a coal mining company and kept large sums of money at their house. They also showed off large wads of hundreds everywhere they went. One of them came home to find the other murdered and the house ransacked. They lived out in the country a long ways from anyone else and nobody heard or saw anything. The police found where someone had been watching the place from the woods. I don't think they ever caught who did it. There's plenty of nuts out there who would kill you just on the off-chance you had kept some of it at your house. I would have been terrified also about who to tell and what to do with all of it. Congrats to you on the find of your lifetime and enjoy!

DANGLANGLEY

 

[tsgman]

Simply an amazing find, one we all dream about and hope for with every signal and dug target. Your story was excellent, it was almost like being there with you. Congratulations and good luck. Tsgman

 

[MalteseFalcon]

Many congrats.

Needless to say...a literal "find of a lifetime".

Enjoy!