We lived near a big publicly owned wild area and it was during the Vietnam War era, so the only people you would see in the deep woods were hippies usually there to do drugs, draft dodgers and bikers, but mostly there was nobody. We were not supposed to go into the public woods because our parents warned of us these people that could be dangerous, especially to kids. Back then (about 50 years ago) everyone in the neighborhood of widely spread out homes on an acre to 10 acres of land each let their dogs run free. So we felt real safe going down into the woods because we welcomed every dog that wanted to go into the woods with us to join us on our hikes deep into the woods, which gave us a huge pack of dogs that all were very protective of us. We figured what our parents didn't know wouldn't raise any issues. And on numerous occasions we did have bikers or grimy homeless looking people try to mess with this bunch of 11 year olds but our huge dog pack always backed them off. We learned the most intimidating thing to do was flip a big rock to one of the dogs that would start to viciously attack it and reduce it to ruble with its teeth if it could. We learned what type of rock that would be destroyed most easily and carried one just for that purpose. Once anyone saw that dog destroy a rock in no time they left us alone.
Anyway, one day we are hiking far from any of the few overgrown trails that existed and our pack of dogs took of barking so we ran after them like members of the pack. When we caught up with them they had some kind of critter surrounded that was hiding under the remains of a fallen old wooden structure too small to be inhabited by people. It looked like some sort of small outbuilding for just one piece of small equipment, or a small shelter for a few small animals that had succumbed to the elements ages ago. But all that was left was a pile of short siding type boards randomly in a heap that they made when the structure collapsed as it rotted. We sort of knew where we were but had never been there before.
We decided to move the boards to see what critter the dogs had at bay beneath them. But as we moved the boards something more interesting was exposed. It was an old chest. It looked like a big old crusty tool box. So we pulled it out. It was really heavy. When we opened it we saw it was full of silver and gold coins. Mostly silver, but some gold. So we moved it to a new location that we knew well and hid it. Then after a few weeks with nobody looking for the moved chest we figured it was as long abandoned as it looked. The coins had dates that were all pre WWII so it had probably been there undisturbed and abandoned for 40 years or so.
So after a while we divided the treasure between the four of us and planned not to do anything with it until we were old enough that trying it sell it didn't look suspicious. We never told anyone, and nobody ever figured out why we had so much disposable income at such a young age. It turns out the people buying precious metal coins at the time didn't ask questions about them, because I don't think they cared. They just wanted the precious metal coins, no questions asked (the Hunt brothers were trying to corner the silver market at the time so silver prices were skyrocketing to 10 times what they were when we found the treasure chest). I still have some of the rarest silver coins somewhere in my home, but most were liquidated into cash many decades ago. I never show them to anyone and would probably have to take a while to find them. But there is not that many possibilities for where I stashed them. The coins were well worn for the most part, so the cache wasn't for collectibles. It was for the precious metals. But the gold coins was in mint condition as if they had been an investment that was never in circulation. The gold coins were the only coins that were not US coins.
Anyway, one day we are hiking far from any of the few overgrown trails that existed and our pack of dogs took of barking so we ran after them like members of the pack. When we caught up with them they had some kind of critter surrounded that was hiding under the remains of a fallen old wooden structure too small to be inhabited by people. It looked like some sort of small outbuilding for just one piece of small equipment, or a small shelter for a few small animals that had succumbed to the elements ages ago. But all that was left was a pile of short siding type boards randomly in a heap that they made when the structure collapsed as it rotted. We sort of knew where we were but had never been there before.
We decided to move the boards to see what critter the dogs had at bay beneath them. But as we moved the boards something more interesting was exposed. It was an old chest. It looked like a big old crusty tool box. So we pulled it out. It was really heavy. When we opened it we saw it was full of silver and gold coins. Mostly silver, but some gold. So we moved it to a new location that we knew well and hid it. Then after a few weeks with nobody looking for the moved chest we figured it was as long abandoned as it looked. The coins had dates that were all pre WWII so it had probably been there undisturbed and abandoned for 40 years or so.
So after a while we divided the treasure between the four of us and planned not to do anything with it until we were old enough that trying it sell it didn't look suspicious. We never told anyone, and nobody ever figured out why we had so much disposable income at such a young age. It turns out the people buying precious metal coins at the time didn't ask questions about them, because I don't think they cared. They just wanted the precious metal coins, no questions asked (the Hunt brothers were trying to corner the silver market at the time so silver prices were skyrocketing to 10 times what they were when we found the treasure chest). I still have some of the rarest silver coins somewhere in my home, but most were liquidated into cash many decades ago. I never show them to anyone and would probably have to take a while to find them. But there is not that many possibilities for where I stashed them. The coins were well worn for the most part, so the cache wasn't for collectibles. It was for the precious metals. But the gold coins was in mint condition as if they had been an investment that was never in circulation. The gold coins were the only coins that were not US coins.
Last edited:
Upvote
3
