. Santiago. Spain 18,000,000 Francs in Gold Buried 1811

[jeff of pa]

Buffalo Courier​

Buffalo, New York · Wednesday, February 07, 1844

 

[jeff of pa]

better quality clipping:​

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Buffalo Post​

Buffalo, New York · Thursday, February 08, 1844

 

[Crow]

Great stuff as usual, Jeff.

But it's not Santiago, Chile. When I first read it, I naturally assumed Chile. But it's Santiago, Spain.

The treasure story is related to the 1811 Napoleonic War in Spain, when France invaded Spain. Retold in 1844, 33 years after the alleged event.

The area below is Larano, which is bordered by a red line around the small village of Lorano today. That gives an approximate area to search to start with. Yet there are still open paddocks and newer development in the vicinity.

An 1811 20 Franc gold coin's value ranges significantly, from around $1,200 to over $1,500 for common Napoleon issues in good condition (bullion value plus premium), but rarer varieties, like those from the Kingdom of Westphalia (Jerome Napoleon), can fetch thousands, even tens of thousands, depending on rarity and condition, with high-grade examples selling for well over $2,000 and rare errors reaching $28,000+, so professional grading and identifying the mint mark (e.g., 'A' for Paris) is crucial

But before we grab our detectors and shovels and get a plane ticket to Spain, there is a proverbial fly in ointment of the story.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Michel Ney (1769–1815) was a celebrated French military commander and Marshal of the Empire under Napoleon I, famously known as "The Bravest of the Brave" for his exceptional courage and leadership during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. Starting from humble origins, he rose rapidly through the ranks, leading key corps and earning titles like Duke of Elchingen and Prince of the Moskowa,

But his complex loyalty and controversial actions, especially at Waterloo, led to his execution for treason by firing squad after Napoleon's final defeat.

French Marshal Michel Ney (often referred to as Michelle Nay) was not in Santiago, Spain, in 1811. He was active in other areas of the Peninsular War and the wider Napoleonic conflicts during that period.

During the general timeframe of 1811, Ney was primarily involved in the following: Portugal: He was part of the French army under Marshal Masséna during the retreat from Portugal in early 1811. Overall Role: Ney was a senior commander whose campaigns typically took place in areas of strategic importance for Napoleon, rather than the more isolated region of Galicia where Santiago is located. His command issues with other French leaders and involvement in key battles like those leading up to the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro were his focus in 1811.

So he was not directly involved in burying this alleged treasure.

It would be a subordinate officer. If the story was true.

Crow

 

[jeff of pa]

Awsome ! Thanks Crow ! I Edited the Title & Moved it