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Treasure hunting is the common name for a fun and interesting hobby enjoyed by thousands of people around the world. They use portable metal detectors to go outside and literally hunt for treasure.  With the price of gold over $700 oz today, more and more people are getting metal detectors and heading into the hills.

The FMDAC

In order to help you get started in treasure hunting, you should check out the Federation of Metal Detector and Archeological Clubs, Inc.  You can find out about any events, meeting or treasure hunting clubs in your area.  You can find out where to legally go look for gold in treasure hunting.  Usually, you have to go to state parks and public property unless you are invited onto someone’s private property.  And it’s not just a pipe dream to find gold treasure hunting in this way.  People have actually found very valuable items, from gold coins to gold artifacts.

You also need to know your area’s municipal codes, which the FMDAC can help you find.  Sometimes, you can legally go treasure hunting in public schools, church grounds and public beaches with metal detectors.  You might even be asked by neighbors to help locate utility pipelines on their property or to find lost trinkets in their back yards.

Wal-Mart

Believe it or not, Wal-Mart is now playing a big role in promoting finding gold by treasure hunting.  Usually, stores will not allow any solicitation in their premises.  However, Wal-Mart has a unique partnership with the FMDAC where they will allow displays by treasure hunting clubs in their stores.  These can be manned or unmanned display tables with pamphlets.  Your local Wal-Mart or Super Wal-Mart may be the place to go get started in gold treasure hunting business.

Is There Any Gold Left?

The best place to prospect for gold is the place where gold already has been found.  Some nice size nuggets have been found with metal detectors in areas that have had active gold mines in the past.  Not every ounce of gold has been mined or panned from rivers.  Part of the treasure hunting hobby is to learn gold panning and pour over old prospector maps.  There still is a market in this hobby for treasure maps.  Some treasure maps will show you where gold has been found in the past.  The odds are that not all of the gold was found and that there might still be some left in those gold-bearing areas.

The Roaring Camp Mining Company is in Pine Grove California, which is about one hour east of Sacramento.  Visitors to the mining camp are shown many of the mining techniques us for locating gold.  You are able to pan, sluice, dredge and dry wash for gold.  You get to keep any gold that you find.  Gold bearing material is collected from the mine bedrock area and run through a screening process to remove the large rocks and it is then made available to you.

California isn’t the only state where there has been success in gold treasure hunting by amateurs.  Gold has been found in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and Virginia.  The gold was found with the use of portable metal detectors or gold-panning.  So, there still might be gold left “in them thar hills”.

Happy Treasure Hunting.



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Geodes

Thunder eggs, or geodes, are geological rock formations which occur in sedimentary and certain volcanic rocks.  They look like regular rocks from the outside, the exterior typically made up of limestone, but then have crystal formations of quartz on the inside.  They’re referred to as thunder eggs by treasure hunters because they do resemble very large eggs because of their smooth exterior and round shape.  If you’re interested in any type of treasure hunting you may want to start out with these thunder eggs, or geodes.

The real value of the geodes is their appearance when they are halved and polished.  Their crystal formations typically come in a wide variety of colors, from deep purple to pink, blue, and even a silvery crystal color.  The formations of the rock itself leave a wavy design in the color, and the crystals on the inside emit a fiery glow.  Some thunder eggs that have been found are so large that they have been made into furniture, such as coffee or side tables.  Adding a base and a glass top makes the rock into a very interesting and sturdy piece of furniture.

Geodes

It’s often difficult to tell what’s going to be inside those geodes until you actually split it open, and usually they require some polishing in order for them to be at their full potential when it comes to shine and brilliance.

If you’re interested in finding some geodes you need to know where to look or them.  Chances are you won’t find them in your backyard, unless you live in Utah or Mexico.  Other area where Thunder Eggs have been found is Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and the Geode State Park in Henry County, Iowa.  Iowa designated the geode as the official state rock in 1967. 

Geodes

Rock Hound State Park in Deming New Mexico is open to the public for Rock Hounds of all ages.  It is known for its wide variety of mineral specimens due to ancient volcanic activity in the area.  Geodes can be found littering the valley floor.  Look for round or oval shaped rocks with a lumpy surface similar to the look of a cauliflower.  Use your rock hammer and break open the rock.  There is no easy way to determine what you have until you break the rock open.  Thunder Eggs are also found in the rocky crags of the desert walls.  Watch out for snakes and scorpions when reaching into any rocky outcropping.

According to Wikipedia, a large geode the size of a minivan was discovered in Ohio in the early 1900’s in an area now known as Crystal Cave.  You can actually take tours of this area during the summer.  While it’s unlikely that you’ll find any geodes as large as your vehicle, the point is that they are obviously out there and can be quite valuable.

When searching for thunder eggs it’s best to have with you a reliable guide that maps out areas of the dessert or certain cave formations where you may find them.  It’s also imperative that you pay close attention to your own personal safety and never go spelunking or exploring in the dessert alone and without proper precautions.  There are no geodes that you may find that are worth your own personal life and safety.

Happy Treasure Hunting.



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Civil War Cannon

If you’re a modern-day treasure hunter you may wonder how you can find some great Civil War artifacts, whether on your own or through another seller that has already found them for you.  Believe it or not, there are still some great items you can find from the Civil War even after all these decades.

Obviously in order to hunt up some Civil War artifacts you’re going to need some equipment.  Metal detectors are not just for beach bums anymore, and they have become much more sophisticated and useful in the past few years.  For instance, many today have their electronic components built into the headphones you wear, meaning that the stick part of the detector is much lighter than it once was.  This eliminates a lot of the arm fatigue you would normally have when hunting down artifacts in a large field.  There’s nothing more irritating when treasure hunting than to have to stop and rest your arm simply because your equipment is poorly built and far too heavy!

You would also need to travel to where you can find some great Civil War artifacts in order to find these great items.  Chances are you won’t find anything in areas such as Michigan, California, or Maine.  Instead you need to do your hunting where there were significant battles in order to find great Civil War memorabilia.  These states include areas such as Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and areas like this.

Civil War Buckle

It’s also important that you understand just what you’re looking for by way of Civil War artifacts.  Not every coin or piece of metal you find is going to be an actual artifact and there’s no guarantee that it has any connection to the Civil War.  It’s also important that you obey local laws and respect property rights of those who may live in the areas where you’re going to find Civil War antiques.  Obviously you can’t just start walking up and down the streets of Virginia, waving your metal detector, and lay claim to anything and everything you find!  Public parks, beaches, and other such places are really the only places where you can openly go and search and then keep what you find.

You can hunt for artifacts on private property if you first get permission from the owner.  Remember to always leave nothing behind except footprints.  You do not want the next person that tries to hunt in the same area but is denied permission because you left holes in the ground or you left a soda can behind.

If you’re serious about hunting down Civil War artifacts you need to do your homework.  Many people assume that real treasure hunters spend all their time out in the field digging up relics, but in reality much of your time is probably going to be spent in the library or online.  You need to understand what to look for, where to find them, and where to sell them once they’re found if that’s what you want to do with them.  And because antiques can be greatly compromised in value when they are cared for improperly, it’s important to be sure you clean and store them appropriately.  Even the sturdiest of Civil War memorabilia needs to be taken care of delicately in order to preserve it for the next several centuries as well!

Happy treasure hunting.



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David Cowley asked:


People who use metal detectors for treasure hunting do tend to run up against an image problem.  The media and comedians like Steve Martin have poked a lot of fun at people who use these detectors.  But perhaps treasure hunters can have the last laugh when their detectors turn up something valuable, which has happened in the past and is sure to happen again in the near future.

It’s Easy To Get Started

The price of good quality, lightweight metal detectors have been going down in recent years.  You can find them at Sears, for goodness’ sakes.  A basic metal detector will cost you less than $200.  You can always add on bits and pieces from treasure hunting supply stores (usually found online) and from online auction sites like eBay.  It’s good to get a taste of the hobby before making a big financial commitment.

There are professional-quality metal detectors that can be used on boats, as well as other vehicles.  There are those with ground radar that can usually detect how far down in the earth a piece of metal is and some even guess what the metal is and in some cases determine the shape of the metal object.  Metal detectors are used in this case by surveyors, utility companies looking for pipelines and miners.  The detectors used for these professions can often run into five figures.

There are many different types of detectors on the market.  If you are just starting out you may want to consider the Land or Relic detectors.  They have fewer features and are easy for the beginner to start with, just turn in on and go.  Then can be used on land and even in a couple of inches of water.  Most of the coils are waterproof, just keep the electronics out of the water and you will be ok.

As the price increases for the detectors the more complicated they become.  More and more practice will be needed to become an expert with the device but in the long run you will spend less time digging up trash.

You Are Not Alone

Treasure hunting is a hobby that not only lets you get to play with big toys, perhaps make some money, but also gets your outside and exercising.  You should be exercising regularly, anyway, but just doing the same old exercises over and over again can get boring.  And, you can also make new friends with the treasure hunting hobby.

There are treasure hunting clubs all over the country.  In order to find out the closest one to you, contact the Federation of Metal Detector and Archeological Clubs (FMDAC).  Although most of these clubs cater to adults, there are some clubs strictly for kids and some clubs will allow kids to enter with an adult.  There are treasure hunting clubs in other countries besides America.  For example, in England, the use of metal detectors for treasure hunting has gone up 20% in the year 2006.

There have been incredible things found by regular people with metal detectors.  These finds include rare coins, buried cars and ancient artifacts.  And if you loose your wedding ring in a forest, chances are you’ll be able to find it again before your spouse finds out about your little accident.

Happy Treasure Hunting.



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David Cowley asked:


If you grew up dreaming of searching for sunken treasure, you’re not alone.  Many young men and women have had dreams just like that, of searching the ocean floor for remnants of some sunken ship that was loaded down with gold coins and gem encrusted goodies.  That elusive treasure chest of priceless riches is everyone’s dream prize, and whether or not you need to fight off some pirates to get it is yet another matter.  But in all seriousness, if you are truly interested in finding some sunken treasure, where can you go?

Real hunting for sunken treasure is not as fictional or fantastic as you might think.  There are many scuba centers and guided tours that allow a tourist to scour some of the best sites where treasure might be found.  And while many of these scuba centers are located in exotic places like off the coast of the Bahamas or in the Gulf of Mexico, some sunken treasure can be found in much more accessible areas such as off the coast of the Jersey shore and California. 

These organized tours for sunken treasure are not as fruitless as you might immediately assume.  Many have reported that their tourists have recovered actual treasure that can be traced back to sunken Spanish ships and merchants that ran trade routes from Europe to the Americas.  Most companies that operate sunken treasure tours are very careful to check historic records of the routes of these ships and any known records of their location when they sunk.  They check these against ocean current directions and weather reports and make maps of possible locations where the ship’s treasures would now be located.  Of course there are no guarantees that you’ll ever find sunken treasure when you go on such a tour, but their guides are hoping that their tourists will find something – this is good for repeat business, of course.

Hunting for sunken treasure means knowing how to scuba dive.  Most tour companies will give you lessons, but if you’re serious about making treasure hunting a hobby, you may want to consider taking classes near your home.  You can typically find a class that is offered out of your local high school or YMCA, or anyplace with a pool.  This way you can get very skilled at diving and won’t need to rely on just a quick intro course.  And of course if you have the money at your disposal, you may want to search for your own sunken treasure and simply hire a boat to take you to your desired location.  This can get costly as you invest in sonar equipment and diving apparatus, but this is your decision to make of course.

One of the more popular treasure hunting enterprises is run by the decedents of Mel Fisher out of Key West Florida.  If you are willing to invest in the business they will allow you to dive on the Nuestra Senora De Atocha and Santa Margarita Spanish galleons that were sunk by a hurricane on September 6, 1622.  All treasure uncovered during the year are shared by all investors of that year.

Not many people actually get rich from finding that elusive sunken treasure, but it can be a fascinating hobby that will keep you occupied for years to come.

Happy Treasure Hunting.



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Amethysts Ring

The Amethyst gemstones range in color from pale lilac to deep purple.  Gemstones with the deepest colors are the most valuable and some of these fine gemstones are featured in the British Crown Jewels.  Amethyst is a transparent quartz crystal and is used in many pieces of striking jewelry today.

Amethysts, Gold and other Gemstones can be mined by the public at the Gold’n Gem Grubbing mine in Georgia.  For a fee of $15 for a half day or $25 for the full day the treasure hunter can mine just like the ole timers did.  All tools needed for treasure hunting is provided by the mine operators.  You can dig the ore from the commercial mining pit which has been piled at the edge of the creek by dump trucks.  Fill up a couple of buckets and take your finds to the creek for panning and screening. 

Amethysts Rough

Amethyst, Emeralds, Sapphires, Topaz and Gold have been found by rock hounds at the Gold’n Gem Grubbing mine.  You never know what you may find so having a good gemology reference book handy can pay for itself very quickly.  Especially one that will show you what the rough gemstones look like right out of the ground.  I recommend bring a hat, gloves, sun screen, proper clothing, wading boots and a fold up stool.  Kneeling in a stream panning all day can be a killer on the knees.

Kneeling in a stream all day is not your idea of a fun time?  You can purchase buckets of ore and screen them at the convenient sluices.  Trained staff is always nearby to help you identify your treasures.  Buckets of ore can be purchased for $10.00 for a 1 gallon, $30.00 for a 2.5 gallon, $60.00 for a 5 gallon, and $100.00 for the Mother lode 5 gallon bucket.  Buckets of ore come with a $15.00, $30.00, and $50.00 credit towards having jewelry made with the gemstones you find.  The mine operators even have a Master Jeweler on hand to turn your treasure into a striking piece of jewelry.

Amethysts Rough Clusters

Myth And February

If you were born in February, then you will have a special reason to go Amethysts treasure hunting, because it is your birthstone.  It is also the stone to give as presents on your 33 Th wedding anniversary.  Legend has it that wearing or keeping an Amethysts on your person not only protects its wearer against seduction but is also a symbol of trust and piety.

Moses said that the amethysts gemstone is a symbol of the Spirit of God and the gemstone was often used in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews.  The Greek word for Amethysts means not intoxicated and the popular belief is that the gemstone offers protection against drunkenness.  It is also said to protect crops against tempest and locusts, bring good fortune in war, inspire the intellect and if worn around the neck on a cord made from dogs hair it would protect against snakebite.

Amethyst will change color when it is heated.  This gemstone should not be worn while sunbathing or anywhere there is black lighting.  Sudden changes in temperatures can be harmful.  Smoky colored stones can become yellow to brownish red with temperatures as little as 250 degrees.  Stones with a high degree of transparency become yellow or colorless when exposed to temperatures of 400 degrees.

Happy Treasure Hunting.



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Emerald

As with most gemstones the emerald can be created as the result of volcanic activity, where the extreme pressure and heat creates the gemstones.  Another process knows as hydrothermal circulation, which in the most general sense is the circulation of hot water containing dissolved minerals passing through pockets in the underlying bedrock, evaporate caused the stones to cool as large crystals.

Emeralds belong to the beryl family of gemstones.  This family also contains aquamarine, goshenite, morganite, heliodor, quartz, ruby and red beryl to name a few.  The emerald has a hardness of 7.5 to 8 and is composed of chromium and vanadium.  When iron sulfate pyrite is entered into the mix the result is the rich green color traditionally associated with the emerald.

Trapiche Emerald

The very rare Trapiche emerald displays a pattern of dark lines radiation from the center of the crystal like the spokes of a wheel.  The term trapiche is derived from the miners belief that the spoke design reminded them of the processing wheel that is commonly used in Colombia that is used to extract the juice form the sugar cane.

Energy healers believe the emerald can heal relationships of the heart, health, clear vision, faith, intelligence, memory, inspiration, love, romance, cleansing and clairvoyance.  It is believed to have more metaphysical properties than any other gemstone.

Emeralds can be found in Hiddenite County in North Carolina.  The Emerald Hallow Mine will allow treasure hunters a verity of techniques when searching for this precious gemstone which is more valuable per carat than diamonds.  The fees vary based on the type of hunting you plan to do.

Creeking:

Prospect by collecting sand and gravel from the creek bed, and then using a screen to wash the loose dirt away from the gravel and gemstones.  Be sure to look at the material left in the screen from all angles including from underneath.

Picking:

Take a shovel, pick ax and a 5 gallon plastic bucket to the mine area and pick your area.  Fill the bucked with loose dirt and gravel.  You could then use the screening method or you could take the bucket to the stream or the sluicing area and then wash the material collected and look for your treasures.

Sluicing:

You can purchase pre-loaded buckets of gemstone bearing material from the mine operators and simply sit down at the sluicing area and wash the loose dirt away.  Roll around the remaining material looking for the elusive green color.

Screening:

Loose dirt is shoveled onto a screen and the screen is then shaken to remove small particles and sand.  Watch the screen while shaking it, emeralds will often flash as they roll around.  Always examining the screening area with the sun facing you.  The sunlight will reflect through the emeralds making them easier to spot.  Examine the screenings from various angles and roll the gravel around while doing so.  Before discarding the screenings always look from underneath the screen with the sun at your back.  Many dusty stones can be missed until you see the light pass through them.

Tools are available for rent at the Emerald Hallow Mine, but should you decide to bring your own be sure to include, shovel, pick, screen, gloves, bucket, and safety glasses.

Happy Treasure Hunting.



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Turquoise rough

Turquoise is possibly the most valuable, non-transparent mineral used in jewelry.  It has been mined since at least 6000 BC by Egyptians.  Like other opaque such as coral, turquoise is commonly sold by the size in millimeters rather than by weight.

Turquoise is usually found sandstone layers and can be seen as splotches or as a network of brown or black veins running through the sandstone.  There are many small-scale mining operations that are worked by hand.  Only one mine in Apache Canyon California operates at a commercial capacity today.

With a hardness of just under 6, about the hardness of window glass, this gemstone takes a good polish.  It comes in white, blue, green, brown, yellow and all of the shades in between.  The value of the turquoise you will find is determined by the richness of color.  Robin’s egg is usually the most valuable.  The more of a green hug or lightening of color will decrease the value.  Turquoise should never be soft or chalky in color.

Turquoise polished

Turquoise is typically found in the arid regions of the world and some high quality gemstones have been found in the Southwest United States such as Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.

More that 120 mines have produced significant quantities of gem quality turquoise in Nevada.  Nevada mines are primarily worked for the gemstone as apposed to other mining areas where turquoise is usually the result of the by product of other mining activities.  The geological formation of Nevada turquoise, it is hard and dense and usually does not require any treatment or enhancements to be used in jewelry.

The Royston mining district located near Tonapah, Nevada conducts tours of the mining facility Wednesday through Saturday excluding holidays. For $100 per person you will get a bucket to fill up by picking through the tailing piles.  You will need to bring gloves, hat, sunscreen, water, and a good pair of shoes.

The mines in Royston have been in operation since 1902 and by 1915 over $5,000,000 worth of turquoise has been removed from the mines.  It was believed to have been the largest single producing turquoise mine in America at that time.

The Otteson’s Mine also offers mine tours, Wednesday through Friday excluding holidays. For $50 per person you will get a bucket to fill up by picking through the tailing piles.

Turquoise is found throughout the Southwest United States.  Always contact the states Bureau of Land Management for any fees or permit requirements before treasure hunting on public land.  Also get permission from any land owners before hunting on private property.

In Arizona turquoise has been found near Albuquerque, Bisbee, Cave Creek, Globe, Kingman, Turquoise and Birdeyes mountains.

In California turquoise has been found  in San Bernardo, Imperial, and Inyo counties.

In Colorado, search Conejos, Lake, El Paso and Saguache Counties.

 

In Nevada, search Clark, Elko, Esmeralda County, Eureka, Lander, Mineral County and Nye counties.

New Mexico, Eddy, Grant, Otero, and Santa Fe counties.

Tools you will need to hunt for turquoise; Pick Axe, rock hammer, gloves, safety glasses, bucket.  Remember you are searching arid regions of the world so proper clothing is a must.  Wear clothing in layers because weather can change very rapidly in these areas.  Water, hat and a good sunscreen is a must.

Happy Treasure Hunting.



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