LOST TREASURE - OCTOBER 2017

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Newsletter – October 17, 2017

Only available in digital format CoTinhe&TiRdeelwicaCtelrub

GOLD ANTHOLOGY:
This Anthology is a collection
of treasure, adventure and mys-
tery short stories, by multiple
authors, in a book format. It

was compiled from the
Archives of one or more of our

six publications:

–Lost Treasure–
–Treasure Cache–
–Treasure Facts–
–Treasure World–
–True Treasure–

– Rockhound–

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Online Newsletter

October 17, 2017

FEATURE CLUB

Feature Club — page 4

FEATURE CLUB2

Feature Club — page 13

OTHER FEATURES

3 The Coined Phrase
6 Tips From the Pros
8 Special Bonus Feature From
Lost Treasure Magazine

15 THers' News
24 Industry Press
25 Calendar of Events

2 LOST TREASURE Newsletter 10-17-17

LostTreasure The Coined Phrase

CELEBRATING OUR 50th YEAR By Carla Nielsen

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Feature Club

The Tidewater Coin &
Relic Club’s Fall Hunt

T​ he Tidewater Coin & Relic meeting starts at 7 p.m. Librarian:  Ron Ratcliff 
Club (TC&RC) was Bring your Finds For the Web Master:  Ron Ratcliff,
established in 1973.
Month!  Kelley Rea.
Club meetings are held the Club Officers: For more about the club, log
second Tuesday of the month at President: John LeFevre   onto http://www.tc-rc.com/
the Mary Pretlow Library, 111 Vice President:  Eric Walker 
Secretary:  Ina Finn  You can also visit their
W Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, Treasurer:  David Main  Facebook page at https://
Virginia. PR:  Betty Ward 
www.facebook.com/
Doors Open at 6:30 p.m., groups/141109545958462/

4 LOST TREASURE Newsletter 10-17-17

Feature Club cont'd...

www.LostTreasure.com Newsletter 10-17-17 5

Tip From the Pros

Reliable Grounds
By Jay Pastor

Areas where sidewalks This worked over soil often If you can manage it, be there
are being ripped out for brings deeper buried metal before the workers leave for the
replacement usually seem objects closer to the surface, day, and get the foreman’s per-
to yield interesting finds. where they may be more readily
That’s particularly true of detected, as well as making even mission to coin shoot the soil
those in older sections of shallow-buried coins accessible before the crew returns.
town where the paving because they are no longer cov-
material was flagstone You’ll probably get such per-
ered by stone slabs. mission if you convince him that
or cut flat-stone. Try to get there after the old there’s no way you can damage
After the old stones are pavement is removed, and before anything, and that you’ll be gone
removed, the soil is loosened
a bit, and dug out to provide the cement mixers arrive. before the work resumes.
good footing for the new Typically, the ground prepara- I’ve never had any problem
concrete to be poured. tion and laying of the concrete obtaining such permission, and
are not done on the same day. I’ve discovered a lot of good
things at sites like these.

6 LOST TREASURE Newsletter 10-17-17

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The Mystery
of Galactic

Gold Jade

By John Christopher Fine

The stone levels of govern-

itself is enthrall- ment. Indication

ing. Black jade- of its value.

ite jade flecked There are

with gold, silver, two areas in the

platinum and Jade Maya General Manager Raquel Perez wearing a disk of Galactic Gold Jade. world where
pyrite. She is standing next to the Galactic Gold Jade display area in Jade Maya’s retail geological con-

It has only store in Antigua, Guatemala. Standing next to her is pioneer jade explorer Mary Lou ditions combine
been found one Ridinger. to form jadeite

place in the jade.

world - in a land of mystery and While there are many places in

intrigue where searchers go armed. the world where nephrite and any

There is no law in these remote number of other jade-like stones are

areas except that imposed by physi- found, real jade, jadeite jade, the

cal force. very hard, very cold, very dense gem

Three murders took place the stone is rare.

week before our venture into the Revered by Aztec and Maya peo-

mountains of Zacapa Province in ples, and the Olmec before them,

Guatemala investigating the theft Jadeite is only found in quantity

of jadeite from a protected national in Guatemala and Burma. Chinese

forest. exploitation has almost depleted

An entire village was attacked Piece of jadeite jade with the broken Burma’s jadeite.
by 500 armed riot police for their drill bit. Jade is hard but fragile and Incursions by gangsters, with the
protest against this illegal jade strip can break if dropped. It is difficult to
mining. carve and cut, requiring diamond bits protection of corrupt politicians,
have given China venue to rape

Corruption reached the highest and tools. Guatemala’s protected biosphere

86 LOST TREASURE NMeawysl2e0tt1e7r 10-17-17

Dr. Manuel Moran holding a piece of If it bounces off with a charac- back after a week in the field," Mary
jadeite jade in Vise-Grip plyers attempt- teristic “crack” then it is jade. By Lou Ridinger recounted.
ing to drill a hole in it with a steel contrast, stone simply accepts the
drill. The drill bit broke. It required blow with a thud and the hammer She is a six-foot tall Texan with
an hour to make only a small indented does not recoil. green eyes and long blonde hair.
hole in the jade. Jadeite is one of the
hardest gem stones. Photos by John It required three years diligently She clearly stands out among
Christopher Fine. searching the mountains until the diminutive Guatemalans. She’s got
Ridingers hit pay dirt. a good sense of humor and can
forests in quest of the valuable stone. enthrall listeners with her tales of
The story how jadeite jade was Their discovery, or more properly adventure.
their re-discovery, of the source of
rediscovered in Guatemala and how Maya jade along with jade work- "We were thrilled with their sam-
it is now being exploited is a tale of shops that Mayas used to quarry the ples. One rock was blue green trans-
perseverance and courage by a hus- gems, was a revelation. lucent jade that archaeologists refer
band and wife team of anthropolo- to as Olmec Blue.
gists and archaeologists determined It required many more years to
to discover the source of Maya jade. convince Guatemalans that their "We knew we had never found the
country did indeed have jade and source for Olmec Blue jade. They
The story began when Mary Lou that it was valuable. also found very dark green, almost
and her late husband, Jay Ridinger, black, jade with metallic flecks in it.
came to Guatemala in 1974. Of the many rare and valuable
jadeite stones the Ridingers recov- "Let me show you the piece that I
They searched the Zacapa ered, one discovery remains poi- always carry with me. I had it today
Mountains and rivers looking for gnant. to play poker with. It’s my winning
the source. Intricate jadeite jade was poker piece…"
used in funerary masks, decorative The tale is related by Mary Lou,
objects, as inlays for teeth, as tools, widowed in 2009, when Jay suc- All this tall Texan needed to com-
and as weapons by the Mayas. cumbed to cancer. plete the television image of a poker
playing cowgirl was a six gun -
It was not easy to get to mountain- "It was 1987. Jay and I were an accouterment Mary Lou likely
ous sites. Jay and Mary Lou would looking for jade source number two. packed along when necessary.
drive as far as they could along rug- There had to be more than one jade
ged dirt roads, park their car and go source. What we found in number Her husband likewise played
off on foot into the mountains. one wasn’t going to cover all the poker.
archaeological material.
They would bring tools and back- “We had the same poker piece. Jay
packs, and heavy hammers to strike "We were raring to go. Geologist always wanted two pieces together
rocks to determine whether they Andy Duncan with Francisco Zuniga, so it would make noise when they hit
were jadeite. who had 10 years’ experience at that against each other…”
time working with Jay and I went
Mary Lou demonstrates the reso- out into the Motagua River Valley in She produced two clam-shell-like
nance of jadeite by taking a heavy Zacapa, Izobal and El Progresso. thin pieces of black jade flecked
hammer and striking the rock. with gold held together by a leather
"This was June 1987. They came thong.

Mary Lou returned to the tale of

Jade Maya’s retail store in Antigua Guatemala offers free tours, jade demonstra-
tions, a jade museum, and this new display of Maya funerary masks carved by
the ancients using jadeite jade. Jade Maya General Manager Raquel Perez (white
shirt) stands with Jade Maya owner and jade discovery pioneer Mary Lou Ridinger.

www.LostTwrweaws.Luores.tcTormeasNuerwe.scloemtterM1a0y-1270-1177 97

Jade Maya Production Manager Vinicio Jerez and owner Mary Lou Ridinger hold “Where did you find the book?”
cut Galactic Gold Jade rocks. The jadeite jade is so hard it requires diamond saws Raquel asked. Angela thought for a
and blades to cut it. moment.

their first jade samples with flecks 5.23 mm” was “Jadeite jade, natural “It had to be in your library.
of gold: color,” and weighed 8:00 cts. I’m sure it was in Mom and Dad’s
library,” she answered on speaker
"With my total lack of brilliance I “So we were confused,” Mary phone.
said, no, it could not be jade. There Lou related. “Where were the arti-
are no Maya artifacts of that mate- facts?” Her mother was impressed. She
rial. had never even been aware that the
It was a declarative sentence, little paperback book, the text that
"We sent it to the Gemological since she knew the answer. provided important clues to jade
Institute of America (GIA) labora- flecked with gold, had even been
tory in New York." At the time one answer came from among possessions she and Jay
an old paperback book their daugh- moved from the U.S. to Antigua,
Mary Lou produced GIA’s Gem ter, Angela, had been reading about Guatemala.
Trade Laboratory’s December 7, Marco Polo’s voyages in China. The
1987, Gem Identification Report book was published in 1921 by the “Marco Polo came to Khotan.
numbered 2425777. Century Company. This is what was Turkestan or Xin
Xiang Province now in China. The
The laboratory tested the sample The author was Bryan Donn- book reports the journey.”
with a binocular microscope, refrac- Byrne who titled it “Messer Marco
tometer, spectroscope, polariscope, Polo.” Now Mary Lou picked up the story
dichroscope, heavy liquids, ultra- from the text: “…and so they went
violet, color filter, X-radiography, Mary Lou put her hand on her on eastward, even eastward, and the
and X-ray fluorescence and con- chin. “There were no bookstores in moons were born, grew waned and
cluded the “Semi-translucent to Antigua at that time, no libraries died…they passed through Khotan,
opaque mottled very dark green where Angela could have gotten the where the miners bring in white jade
(with numerous metallic yellow book.” and black jade and green jade veined
inclusions) oval cabochon measur- with gold…”
ing approximately 17.36 x 8.93 x Raquel Perez, Jade Maya’s
General Manager, picked up her cell Little by little, Mary Lou Ridinger
phone and dialed Angela Ridinger. shared the adventurous tale of their
discovery of Galactic Gold Jade.

By Christmas 1987 Jay and Mary
Lou had their craftsmen polish sam-
ples of the special jade and gave
them as gifts to their family.

"When you find a world unique
you can name it anything you want
if you have the source. Every family
member gathered at the Christmas
party could submit a name.

"Most sounded like names for a
Chinese restaurant. There was starry
night, moon dust, Milky Way. My
sister, Christina, was the winner with
her Galactic Gold Jade.

"Jay wanted to determine the
metal content of the jade. He sent
a sample to David Hargett who was
working at the GIA lab in New York.

"David already visited us and took
pictures of the Galactic Gold Jade.
He did a story for GIA’s Gems and
Geology Magazine in 1990. Jay sug-
gested samples be submitted to a
metallurgical lab.

"When the analysis came back it
showed that the majority of inclu-
sions, 75%, were pyrite. There were
also inclusions of gold, silver, plati-
num and other metals.

180 LOLOSSTTT TRREEAASSUURREEMNaeyw2sl0e1tt7er 10-17-17

"Square or oblong flecks are Jade Maya salesperson Loly Flores and owner Mary Lou Ridinger
pyrite. Globules are gold and silver," hold a Galactic Jade stone that has been cut with diamond saws.
Mary Lou explained. Golden flecks are visible on the cut surface.

They still had not discovered amateur lapidary. If you cut Maya the production manager, and Loly
Mayan artifacts with gold flecked axes and buff it up you see metallic Flores. They brought Galactic Gold
jade. flecks'." Jade samples out of the vault.

"After the article appeared in The mystery was solved. "Jay “We want people to touch jade.
the magazine we were contacted was knocked out. The artifacts were Everything here is laid out so people
by an old guy living in Bethesda, there if you cut them up and polished can touch it. This is too valuable and
Maryland. them. No museum can do that. we keep it in the vault,” Mary Lou
said.
"He wrote Jay, ‘I’m old. I’m not "The metallic flecks eroded or
going to travel any more. If you oxidized from the surface of Galactic Loly Flores held out a slice of
come up to Maryland I’ll tell you Gold Jade artifacts that were like- Galactic Gold Jade rock. The metal-
why no artifacts were found with ly 1,000-years-old. You won’t see lic flecks glinted in powerful over-
Galactic Gold Jade'." Mary Lou the metal on the surface, but if it head lighting.
paused for dramatic effect. is buffed up you will see metallic
flecks." Vinicio Jerez pointed out gold
"Jay flew up to Washington, flecks in other samples before they
DC. He got a car and went to Ken Galactic Gold Jade is one of the returned them for safe keeping to
Russell’s house. most precious and rare gem stones. Jade Maya’s vault amid heavily
armed security guards wearing bul-
"Ken told him, ‘Come down to To give an idea of the value, a let proof vests.
my basement. I used to go to Lake small disk neckpiece of black jade
Attitlan and bring back jade. I’d flecked with gold is sold in Mary “It is unique. There are no other
walk along the beaches and find Lou’s Jade Maya retail store in places that I know that have it,”
Maya axes in Panajachel. I’d buy Antigua, Guatemala, for $826. Raquel Perez said.
some celts in the markets. I’m an
A Galactic Gold Jade bead She pointed to a jade boulder
Mary Lou Ridinger is a tall Texan expa- necklace modeled by Jade Maya’s in the corner of a room, “Some of
triate living in Antigua, Guatemala. General Manager Raquel Perez cost the Galactic Gold Jade rocks are
She and her husband, Jay, re-discov- $740. A polished Galactic Gold Jade that big. They are beautiful,” Raquel
ered the source of Maya jade in 1974. rock cost $2,000. added.
She is holding her lucky poker playing
Galactic Gold Jade neck piece. The “This was made from a 20-pound Her white shirt accentuated the
oblong clam shell design enables it boulder of Galactic Gold Jade,” extraordinary beauty of the rare
to be clacked together like castanets. Raquel Perez said. Galactic Gold Jade necklace she
Mary Lou avers that it brings her luck wore.
at the poker table. If she looks content She handed Mary Lou a replica
it is because she just won. of the Maltese Falcon made famous A gem of great beauty finely
in the now classic movie starring crafted in the Jade Maya factory by
Humphrey Bogart. When asked, expert hands likely descended from
Raquel said it cost $52,000 with its Maya ancestors who lusted for the
ruby eyes. stone that imparted long life and
good luck.
The Galactic Gold Jade Maltese
Falcon held in Mary Lou Ridinger’s Sources:
hand had a mysterious appeal. Onsite exploration of jade areas,
interviews and archive research.
Mary Lou and Raquel were joined
by Jade Maya experts Vinicio Jerez,

www.LostTrwewaswu.Lreo.sctoTmreaNseuwres.lceottmer M10a-y172-01177 119

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Feature Club

The Lost Dutchman
Mining Association

Shown are a few pics from the recent outing of the Lost Dutchman Mining Association.
Dredging, highbankers and a trommel were used to chump up material. 
www.LostTreasure.com Newsletter 10-17-17 13



THers' News

Photos courtesy of http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/category/treasures

The Loss of a Metal Friendship-killing remains of the pot and its coin hoard
Detecting Matriarch Hoard On Display of more than 1,500 pieces.
Michael and Daniel Bernzweig A hoard of 1,608 coins Roman
recently announced that their moth- coins discovered by metal detector- Aartsen had scanned that area
er, Sondra (Adelson) Bernzweig, age ists in a field it Boldre, in the New earlier and gotten a signal but had
80, passed away Friday, September Forest near Lymington, Hampshire, moved on.
29th. in 2014, has gone on public dis-
Sondra founded Detector play for the first time at the St According to the rules of the metal
Electronics Corp. with her husband Barbe Museum and Art Gallery in detecting club, if you walk away
and partner, David, in 1983 in the Lymington. from a signal it counts as abandon-
garage of their home. The hoard dates to the 3rd century ment and the next guy gets to pick
Together they marketed David’s A.D. and contains bronze radiates up where you left off, but Aartsen
patented invention under the from the second half of the 3rd cen- apparently thought his earlier signal
DepthMaster® brand name. Their tury. granted him perpetual rights because
story is a testament to the fact that The earliest coin in the group he told Petts “Eff off, it’s mine.”
good old-fashioned hard work and was minted under the reign of
perseverance can pay off. Trebonianus Gallus (249-51 A.D.). That’s a quote from James Petts’
They moved to a business facil- The most recent is barely 25 years testimony at the coroner’s inquest
ity and the company grew quickly older, struck in 276 in the waning that determined whether the coin
in the years that would follow. Her days of the emperor Tacitus (275-6 hoard was official treasure by the
company went on to become the first A.D.). standards of the Treasure Act of
online retailer of metal detectors. The bulk of the coins were found 1996, which is downright spicy
Sondra traveled the country and in the remains of a round vessel, 15 compared to the usual testimony
the world and attended organized sherds from the bottom of the earth- from British Museum and Portable
treasure hunts and rallies where she enware pot. Antiquities Scheme experts one
shook hands and met face to face After slumbering underground encounters at treasure inquests.
with customers, dealers, distribu- for more than 1,700 years since its
tors and manufacturers. Her business owner buried his savings, disturbed The conflict caused a permanent
philosophy and lasting legacy are an only by the farm equipment that like- rift between the former friends, and
inspiration to all. ly broke the pot, the hoard has seen it really wasn’t about the money
Sondra was one to share her quite a bit of drama starting with the because bronze radiates aren’t big
knowledge with all. She touched the moment of its discovery. ticket items.
lives of countless individuals, earned There were several metal detec-
the respect and confidence of those torists scanning that field in Boldre The amount of the valuation
around her, and left the world a bet- on May 4th, 2014, among them two that would be paid by the museum
ter place. old friends Andy Aartsen and James that acquired the hoard was around
Submitted by Jim Straight, who Petts. £8,000 to be split 50/50 by the finder
said, “Sondra was one of the best Aartsen made the first discov- and landowner.
business managers any company ery: 25-30 coins on their own. Then
could have.” Petts hit the motherlode, finding the This fight was all about credit,
who gets to be the official finder
of the Boldre Hoard. Andy Aartsen
wanted to be declared the sole find-
er; Petts wanted it declared a joint
find of both men, which seems more
than fair given that he found the

www.LostTreasure.com Newsletter 10-17-17 15

THers' News continued...
vast majority of the hoard and the where they were discovered and that senter Dan Snow who lives in
container. was going to require some fast fun- the area launched the fundraising
draising. campaign last fall with a target of
At the time of the inquest, the £30,000 ($40,000).
dispute was still ongoing and Central Rosalyn Goulding, of the muse-
Hampshire Coroner Grahame Short um, said the coins were an “excit- Donations large and small came
suggested the two ex-friends might ing” find for the town. from private individuals, local busi-
have to duke it out in court if they nesses, organizations and grants
couldn’t come to an agreement. “We haven’t had too much evi- from charitable trusts.
dence of Roman activity here but
I couldn’t discover what the dis- this find helps us to build up a pic- When the January 31st deadline
position their dispute was, but the ture of settlement and agriculture,” arrived, the campaign was just short
articles about the new exhibition she said. of its target at £27,842.20. One of
refer only to James Petts as the the donors, American Anglophile
finder. “One of the coins is really inter- Richard Beleson, bumped up his
esting because it has an unrecorded already generous donation of £7,500
The British Museum seemed reverse. in matching funds to cover the short-
interested in acquiring the rarest of fall.
the coins — three coins struck under “The emperors would strike a
the rule of Marius who reigned for series of coins and they each had a Most of that money was not need-
exactly 12 weeks in 269 A.D. — but pattern to them – they would have ed for the acquisition of the hoard
that would have broken up the hoard. similar things on the front and on the itself, which was modestly valued.
reverse – but this one had an altar on It was to be spent on conservation
The St Barbe Museum and Art the back which has never before been of the hoard, necessary restoration
Gallery wanted to keep every coin seen on a Divus Victorious coin, or of the space and to build a secure
and the pot together and put them any coins issued by Victorious.” display case which will preserve the
on display a few miles away from
Historian and television pre-

16 LOST TREASURE Newsletter 10-17-17

THers' News continued...
Wreck of A Ship Sunk By Hitler up to four tons of valuable metal,
A group of British treasure hunt- believed to be gold from South
ers have found a chest that could American banks, in the post room of
contain up to £100million in Nazi the SS Minden, which sunk in 1939.
gold in the wreck of a German cargo
ship off the coast of Iceland. The gold was believed to
UK-based Advanced Marine be on board the ship and headed
Services found a box containing to Germany when the boat sank
120 miles southeast of Iceland on

UK-based Advanced Marine Services SECURITY
found a box containing up to four WARNING DECALS

tons of valuable metal, believed to be Protect Yourself and
gold from South American banks, in Your Belongings!
the post room of the SS Minden. The
Minden's sister ship, SS Porta, which Protect Your Detectors
it likely looked similar to, is pictured and Your Property!
here. Photos courtesy of http://arch-
mdmag.com/breaking-news-treasure- • Heavy duty vinyl self-adhesive decal’s warn that your
chest-100million-nazi-gold-found- property is protected by ELECTRONIC AUTOMATIC
british-crew-wreck-ship-deliberately- ALARM SYSTEM.
• Frighten burglars away.
sunk-hitler/ • Apply easily to glass, metal, plastic or wood.
• Ideal for home, apartment, car, truck, factory, ware-
coins and pot in controlled condi- house, equipment, store or boats.
tions. • Great low-cost security system.
• Color decal’s 2 3/4” x 1 3/4”
The hoard’s needs fit seamlessly • 1 pkg = 4 decal’s for only $3.00 includes s&h
with the museum’s. A month before
the fundraiser was launched, the Click on this ad to order OnLine
St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery
began an extensive refurbishment or call 800-423-0029 Ext 2
paid for by a £1.78 million grant
from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The galleries were enlarged, the
entrance improved and a new cafe
was built. Altogether, this was a
major upgrade for the small local
museum, making it a fitting home for
the Boldre Hoard and the extra eye-
balls it is sure to draw. (Everybody
loves a hoard, especially when it’s a
local kid made good.)

The refurbished museum had its
grand reopening recently with the
Boldre Hoard as its centerpiece and
signature treasure.

Lord Montagu of Beaulieu did the
honors, officially opening the inau-
guration day festivities.

Courtesy of http://www.thehisto-
ryblog.com/archives/category/trea-
sures

Submitted by Len Myers.

Treasure Chest of Nazi Gold
Found By A British Crew In the

www.LostTreasure.com Newsletter 10-17-17 17

THers' News continued...
September 24, 1939, shortly after ‘vague and different explanations’, erately sink - the ship so the Royal
Navy wouldn’t seize the cargo.
World War II began. prompting the coastguard to instruct
The Minden crew was rescued
Advanced Marine Services has them to dock at a pier Reykjavik by the HMS Dunedin and brought
to Scapa Flow naval base in the
applied to the Icelandic government before sending in police to question Orkneys.

in hopes of gaining permission to cut the crew. Historians have claimed records
say the cargo on board was worth-
a hole in the ship to remove the box. Georg Lárusson, director of the less, but due to how expensive it is
to rent a research vessel, rumors are
The treasure hunters, who believe Icelandic Coastguard, told the web- now circulating that the materials are
valuable, with some saying that gold
the haul belongs to the finder of the site they did not have a permit to was on board.

box, want to bring the contents back search in Icelandic waters. Courtesy of http://archmdmag.
com/breaking-news-treasure-chest-
to Britain, according to The Sun. He added: ‘The first answers we 100million-nazi-gold-found-british-
crew-wreck-ship-deliberately-sunk-
Earlier this year, the group was got were that they were looking at an hitler/

accused of looking for the wreckage ‘interesting target’ from the WW II, The Search Is On For the
Lost Ships of Hernán Cortés
of the German cargo ship without but couldn’t explain it any further.’ The lost fleet is thought to lie at

proper licensing. The SS Minden set sail from

Authorities became aware of the Brazil on September 6, 1939 after

firm after a stationary Norwegian officials from Banco Germanico, a

research boat Seabed Constructor, subsidiary of German Dresdner bank

essful rTeHnetresd GbuyidteheBWfir1m_2, pwg ascoslpoort.teqdxdin 2/7h/e2l0p1e2d lo11a:d1t7heAMshipP’asgcear1go.
Icelandic waters. When the ship was spotted by

According to Iceland Monitor, British cruisers HMS Calypso and

when the coastguard asked the crew HMS Dunedin, Adolf Hitler ordered

why they were there, they gave Minden’s captain to scuttle - or delib-

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18 LOST TREASURE Newsletter 10-17-17

THers' News continued...
ships, the Mexican newspaper La dozen Spanish ships still remain in
Crónica de Hoy reports. the Gulf of Mexico where they were
left 500 years ago, and what state
The project will be led by they are in.
Pilar Luna, former head of the
Sub-Directorate of Underwater The expedition was spurred on
Archaeology. by the enthusiasm of treasure hunt-
ers, who had been pressuring the
They plan to see how many of the

Cortés gave the order to sink his own Click the blue ad above & order your copy of the
ships to deter his men from trying to
escape. Jan Karel Donatus van Beecq Treasure Hunter’s Logbook
/ Wikimedia Commons. Photo courtesy
of http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/search- or call 800-423-0029 ext. 2
lost-ships-hernan-cortes-conqueror-
www.LostTreasure.com Newsletter 10-17-17 19
central-america-1630242

the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Spanish conquistador Hernán

Cortés landed in Yucatan, Mexico,
in 1519, eventually to conquer the
Aztec empire of Central America.

Now, 500 years later, Mexican
researchers plan to find these lost
shipwrecks and explore them to see
what artefacts they might hold.

Popular accounts suggest that
Cortés burnt his ships to prevent his
men from attempting to flee. But
Cortés himself claimed in a letter to
the Spanish king Charles V that he
sank, or ‘scuttled’, the fleet off the
coast of Veracruz.

About a dozen ships are thought
to remain at the sea bed in the Gulf
of Mexico, where he left them. They
have never been found or explored
by archaeologists.

The Sub-Directorate of
UnderwaterArchaeology at Mexico’s
National Institute of Anthropology
and History (INAH) has announced
that it plans to dredge the shores
where Cortés landed to recover the

THers' News continued...

Photos courtesy of http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/category/treasures

Mexican government for permission rare. Only 200 copies are thought to The latest announcement is of a
to explore the cargo of the lost ships. have sold before being recalled by discovery made by archaeologists
Nintendo, for re-branding, shortly earlier this year: the remains of a
If the ships and their contents are after the 1987 release. sacrificial wolf literally draped in
found to be well-preserved, they gold. The final tally is 22 intact
could reveal crucial details about According to the seller’s YouTube pieces of jewelry made from thin
Cortés’ mission and the long voy- video, the copy was found by the sheets of gold elaborately decorated
age to Central America. Relatively seller’s mother-in-law, who had with symbols.
little is known about this period, picked it up at a local thrift shop
although recent documents discov- for her son (the seller’s husband) Most were pendants, the tie
ered have shed some light. because she thought he might like it. that held them together long since
decayed; there’s also a nose ring and
In the wake of Cortés’ invasion, Apparently she later forgot about a chest plate.
land was divided up, taxes demand- the game. While visiting his mom,
ed and many local people were the son noticed it on a shelf in The wolf was about eight months
enslaved. Wars with the Spanish as his childhood room. After he asked old when it was ritually killed. Its
well as disease conspired to bring about it, he found out it was for him, body was adorned with gold orna-
about the quick demise of the Aztec and he began researching it. ments and a belt of shells from the
civilization. Atlantic.
Bandai Stadium Events is high-
Courtesy of http://www.ibtimes. ly desired by top Video Game It was then placed on a bed of flint
co.uk/search-lost-ships-hernan- Collectors, who sometimes pay more blades inside a stone box and buried
cortes-conqueror-central-ameri- than $30,000 for copies in excellent near the staircase of the Templo
ca-1630242 condition. Mayor (behind the colonial-era
Metropolitan Cathedral), the primary
Submitted by Len Myers. Courtesy of http://www.what- center of worship in the sacred pre-
sellsbest.com/news-stories/2017/07/ cinct of Aztec Tenochtitlan.
Vintage Video Game game.php
Could Fetch $30,000 It was buried facing west and was
QUEENS, NEW YORK – A vin- Submitted by Len Myers. meant to represent Huitzilopochtli,
tage Nintendo video game report- the Aztec god of war and of the
edly found in a thrift store may fetch Aztec Golden Wolf Burial sun. Archaeologists found layers of
over $30,000 in an eBay auction. Found In Mexico City offerings in the burial pit, items rep-
If authentic, the game described as Excavations in Mexico City resenting air, earth and sea and laden
a factory sealed Bandai Nintendo run into momentous finds often, it with religious meaning.
(NES) Stadium Events, is one of the seems. It’s like Rome. As soon as
rarest video games available to the anyone puts a shovel a couple of In 40 years of excavations around
collector market. feet into the ground, they bump into the Templo Mayor area in Mexico
The video game is extremely a treasure trove of the city’s ancient City’s Zocalo, or Central Square,
history. the gold covering this little wolf is

20 LOST TREASURE Newsletter 10-17-17

THers' News continued...
far and away the finest in both metal The golden wolf was buried dur- is one of India’s most popular and
quality and in its crafting. ing the 1486-1502 reign of King most sacred temples. Located in
Ahuitzotl, the most feared and Thiruvanathapuram in Kerala, India,
More than 200 ritual sacrifices powerful ruler of the Mexica, who it is one of the most visited temples
and offerings have been found over extended the empire as far south as in the country.
the four decades. Only 16 of them present-day Guatemala.
contained gold and little wonder However, inside its heavily-
since the Cortes and his successors The reign of Ahuitzotl was par- guarded gates is a locked room with
took every last atom of Aztec gold ticularly brutal, which may also supposedly hidden treasures and for
they could find and melted it down explain the fate of the young wolf. sure a deadly legend. And in order
for the Spanish treasure ships. [Lead archaeologist Leonardo] to understand the mystery behind
Lopez said tests on its ribs will be the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, one
Looters, both deliberate (treasure needed to confirm his theory that the must learn about its history.  
hunters) and incidental (workmen animal’s heart was torn out as part
stumbling on something and pock- of the sacrifice, just as captured war- The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is
eting it for sale on the black mar- riors were ritually killed on blood- one of 108 temples of Vaishnavism,
ket), despoiled what was left under- soaked platforms of Aztec temples. or the worship of Vishnu. The
ground. Temple has been mentioned as early
But this was no ordinary violence, as the 6th Century in ancient Tamil
The Aztec, famous for their prized noted [Harvard historian and Aztec literature, with renovations occur-
gold work, have been archaeologi- expert David] Carrasco. ring in the 16th Century.
cally denuded of it in Mexico City,
the modern city built over their great “These people didn’t just kill Sri Padmanabha, the central
capital of Tenochtitlan. these things. They didn’t just kill Vishnu icon, reclines on the serpent
people and throw them away,” he Anantha or Adi Sesha. This pose is
This small wolf burial, therefore, said. “They took elaborate, symbolic highly unlike the portraits of Vishnu
is of oversized historical importance care for them because they knew that in other temples, where the deity is
as well as great pecuniary and artis- the presence that they represented, depicted standing.
tic value. It came very close to the presence of god, had to be nur-
disappearing from the archaeologi- tured.” The Adi Sesha in The
cal record before it was ever docu- Padmanabhaswamy Temple has five
mented. Courtesy of http://www.thehisto- hoods facing inwards, which sym-
ryblog.com/archives/category/trea- bolizes contemplation.
A city sewage line built in 1900 sures
interfered with the burial, damag- The Temple’s name is taken from
ing the box. Thankfully the contents Submitted by Len Myers. the word “Padmanabha,” which
were not exposed, because one little means, “One emerging from the
glint of gold and the crew would Mysterious Sealed Temple lotus.” This is illustrated well on
have helped themselves to all of it, Door No One Can Open the Sri Padmanabha icon, which has
leaving nothing but scattered bones. The Padmanabhaswamy Temple the deity Brahma emerging from

Photos courtesy of https://www.beyondsciencetv.com/news/2017/6/15/the-mysterious-sealed-temple-
door-no-one-can-open-last-door-of-padmanabhaswamy

www.LostTreasure.com Newsletter 10-17-17 21

THers' News continued...
Vishnu’s navel on a lotus. guard something else - something that horrors throughout India, and perhaps
The entire icon is carved out on a even the government may not want to the rest of the world.
be unveiled.  
massive stone measuring 20 feet high The urban legend surrounding the
and 2.5 feet thick. Onlookers cannot see The Padmanabhaswamy Temple has Padmanabhaswamy Temple begins with
the icon from only one of the open doors six enormous secret vaults that con- the seven-member committee. It is said
of the Temple. tained its many treasures. These were that some of the members have fallen
named Chambers A through F. The sev- ill while trying to open Chamber B.
In fact, one has to look through three en-member committee was able to open Another member has apparently lost his
doors from the outside in order to see the five of these vaults, with exceptional mother while investigating the Temple’s
icon in its fully glory. difficulty. hidden treasure.

The shrine is currently run by a They have been able to open and Sunder Rajan, the one who filed the
trust headed by the royal family of reopen chambers C through F through case to re-assess the Temple’s treasures
Travancore. The trust itself was estab- the years. It was said the committee was in the first place, also died a few years
lished as early as 1729. able to visit these chambers for at least later.
eight times.
The temple and its assets belonged There is very little evidence to sug-
to Lord Padmanabhaswamy and Chamber A took a bit of time to gest a relationship between these events
the Travancore Royal Family. open. The impressive architecture of to Chamber B.
However, recent events took the trust the Temple was evident in the door’s
away from the family. construction. It took more than a day to However, this is eerily similar to
open Chamber A with existing human other events concerning ancient arti-
This decision from the Indian technology. facts.
Supreme Court not only uncovered the
treasure inside the Temple, but revealed Regardless of these efforts, all but The infamous Hope Diamond was
one of its most sacred mysteries.   one of the six vaults were accessed - the said to cause great calamity to the per-
mysterious Chamber B. son who currently owns the stunning
In 2011, Sunder Rajan has filed piece of jewelry.
a case to the Supreme Court appeal- In fact, Chamber B is not part of the
ing that the Travancore Royal Family documented Temple Treasury. No one Unfortunately, it seems an even big-
has mismanaged the assets in The knows what lies beyond its gates. It is ger mystery surrounds Chamber B.
Padmanabhaswamy Temple. said that the chamber is holy in nature, Legends say that Marthanda Varma of
as it houses an idol of Sri Padmanabha the Travancore Royal Family arranged
As a result of the proceedings, the and many valuables of mystic origins. for the creation of the six chambers.
Supreme Court appointed a seven-mem-
ber committee to explore the Temple and It is said that the chamber may very Of the six vaults, Chamber B was
document its many belongings. well have walls of solid gold. It may affixed with a special spell by hundreds
even contain the largest undiscovered of Sidda Purushas and tantriks, or reli-
What they discovered were six enor- treasure in world history. gious officials, from different regions.
mous secret vaults that appear to house
many of the Temple’s treasures. Unfortunately, the only thing people The legends add that only a high level
have seen is its gates, guarded by two Sadhus or priest familiar with chanting
The doors were made of iron, and enormous embossed cobras. what is known as the Garuda Mantra can
lack locks, hatches, or any form of open- open the Chamber.
ings. This is what made the chambers In fact, aside from these, the steel
very mysterious, even to the eyes of the door of Chamber B does not have and If this is to be believed, then some
public. bolts, latches, or other means of entry. Yogic power is protecting whatever is
inside of Chamber B.
Upon opening, the Temple appears to Much to the fascination of the com-
have at least 22 billion dollars’ worth of mittee members, Chamber B has in fact Some say Chamber B is directly
golden idols, elephants, necklaces, and three doors. linked to the ocean floor. Anyone who
coins. attempts to open the door by force will
The first one has metal grills on it. It be met by a torrent of ocean water. Its
They also discovered an assortment is the one visible to the naked eye, and is force is said to be capable of flooding
of jewels, ceremonial costumes, and accessible like the other chambers. the entire city of Kerala.
solid gold coconut shells studded with
jewels. However, they discovered a second Others also say that Chamber B
wooden door behind it. Upon unlock- may have some hidden trick. It is quite
The most impressive of the gems ing this door came yet another door, a possible that there is a hidden tunnel
were large diamonds, some of which menacing door made of iron that was beneath the chamber. This will allow its
were even a hundred and ten carats. slammed shut. architects to lock the chamber from the
inside.
Some archaeologists and gemolo- There appears to be no
gists estimated that a small gold idol of way of getting through it. At the same time, this method will
Vishnu from the Temple could very well It is said that any human attempts are not allow anyone to access the chamber
easily cost $30 million. made with technology to open the door from the outside.
will unleash an unspeakable calamity in
Visitors today would see metal detec- the city. If this is true, then people who knew
tors, security cameras, and more than of the secret tunnel may have been
200 guards protecting the Temple and Some even say opening the door plundering the chamber without anyone
its treasures. against its will can release unspeakable noticing.

However, it seems they are tasked to

22 LOST TREASURE Newsletter 10-17-17

THers' News continued...
Regardless, the High Court of India these snake deities. spell with the wrong intonation, the
has issued a warning against opening the However, the prevalence of snake sound waves are directed somewhere
doors of the chamber. This is possibly else.
due to the repercussions of trying to go deities and figures is not exclusive to
against the will of the Naga Bandham Indian culture. Ancient cultures such as Perhaps this can cause a trap to
guarding Chamber B. the Greeks and the Egyptians also fea- be opened or, in the case of Chamber
ture serpentine and reptilian creatures. In B, the aforementioned calamity.
However, just what is the Naga Greek culture, a “dragon” is some form No one knows what lies inside The
Bandham, and how is this related to the of superior snake. Padmanabhaswamy Temple and its
supposed treasure in the temple? secret Chamber B.
Even Egyptians have deities such as
The Naga Bandham is said to the the protector goddess Wadjet who has No one has chanted the Garuda
power that is protecting Chamber B. the head of a snake, and the chaos god Mantra correctly up to this day, and
Tourists or foreigners who have heard Apep who appears as a snake. the order of the Supreme Court against
of this phrase will be looking at a more opening Chamber B still stands.
intricate aspect of Hinduism. The Naga Bandham is Chamber B
is said to be unlocked by special sound Are the legends surrounding Chamber
The Naga Bandham is also called a waves. Some say the lock inside the B true? Will there be an unspeakable
snake-binding spell. A successful spell door can be accessed through sound. calamity once its doors are opened by
will have various serpentine deities force? Or will there be someone who
guard the treasure of a particular place. Given the right frequency, the sound can chant the spell correctly and give
This is also the reason why there are var- waves will be amplified and “con- access to its rumored treasure?
ious snake idols worshipped in temples nect” through the links inside the door.
around the country. Continuous exposure to the sound will Courtesy of https://www.beyond-
have the links interact and eventually sciencetv.com/news/2017/6/15/the-mys-
In fact, the deity Vishnu is also often open Chamber B. terious-sealed-temple-door-no-one-can-
depicted riding a snake. There are also open-last-door-of-padmanabhaswamy
special parts of the temple dedicated for If another person tries to open the
door with a different spell, or the same Submitted by Len Myers.

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www.LostTreasure.com Newsletter 10-17-17 23

Industry Press

Introducing the Next Generation -
Minelab PRO-FIND Series Pinpointers

PRO-FIND Series pinpointers mium level functionality in a fully What technologies do the new
assist in accurately locating targets waterproof design for the serious PRO-FIND 15 and PRO-FIND 35
at the point of extraction where a detectorist. A summary of the key pinpointers utilise?
metal detector coil cannot fit. differences is below:
Both models use VLF transmis-
This results in smaller holes, less PRO-FIND 15 PRO-FIND 35 sion and incorporate Minelab’s
environmental disruption and faster Splash proof Ferrous Tone ID unique Detector Interference Free
target recovery time! Audio indication ` Waterproof to (DIF) technology.
3m (10ft)
How many PRO-FIND Series High visibility Audio & vibration What is DIF technology?
pinpointers will be released? indication Minelab’s Detector Interference
Holster included Adjustable sen- Free (DIF) technology significantly
There will be two new pinpoint- sitivity reduces interference with an operat-
ers, the PRO-FIND 15 and the PRO- High Visibility ing metal detector, when the pin-
FIND 35. Holster & lanyard included pointer is switched off, by disengag-
Battery included ing the pinpointer coil’s magnetic
What happens to the existing field.
PRO-FIND 25? Can you please explain what the Therefore, DIF eliminates many
Ferrous Tone ID feature is in the of the false signals and noise caused
The PRO-FIND 25 will become PRO-FIND 35? by other pinpointers not having this
obsolete once the new PRO-FIND functionality.
15 and PRO-FIND 35 are launched Ferrous Tone ID is a new feature
to market. that helps you to identify ferrous When will the new PRO-FIND
junk from non-ferrous treasure. 15 and PRO-FIND 35 Series
What are the differences Pinpointers be available, and how
between the PRO-FIND 15 and The response generated by the much will they cost?
PRO-FIND 35? pinpointer from a ferrous target is
different to the response generated Both models will be available in
The PRO-FIND 15 offers essen- by the pinpointer from a non-ferrous the coming months. Exact timing
tial core pinpointer features and is target. The PRO-FIND 35 is there- and pricing will be announced at a
designed for simplicity and ease of fore great to use with non-discrimi- later date.
use. nating detectors.

The PRO-FIND 35 provides pre-

24 LOST TREASURE Newsletter 10-17-17

Calendar of Events

This section is provided by Lost Treasure magazine as a
free service for non-profit treasure clubs and organizations.

OCTOBER Pickett’s Charge. In the evening take swbell.net or (512) 632-3139.
28th – Irving, Texas. 43rd Annual one of the many ghost tours…if
Lone Star Treasure Hunters Club you dare. For more information, log FEBRUARY 2018
Open Hunt, rain or shine. One busy onto www.FMDAC.org or contact 9th - 11th – Round Rock, Texas.
day! Last year we awarded 18 metal Treasurer John Howard at (585) 663- The Quartzsite, Arizona, Gold Show
detectors, 35 gold coins, many other 7368, [email protected], at the QIA Bldg., 235 N Ironwood,
great prizes, and 3,759 silver coins President Mark Schuessler at (585) Quartzsite, Arizona, Friday –
were seeded in the Hunt Fields. 591-0010, [email protected] or Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sun.
Contact Robert Jordan at (972) 839- Central Region Director Don Hayes 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. $5 Admission good
6647 or [email protected] or at (740) 252-1322, dmhayes61@ for all three days. Vendors inside
visit the club’s website at www.lon- sbcglobal.net and out selling and demonstrat-
estartreasure.com for information. ing gold prospecting equipment,
NOVEMBER nuggets, jewelry, coins and more.
28th – 29th – Gettysburg, 11th – Round Rock, Texas. Speakers demonstrations, questions
Pennsylvania. The Federation of The Austin Metal Detecting Club’s and answers for metal detectors
Metal Detector and Archaeological Veterans Day Open Hunt at the Old and other prospecting equipment.
Club’s (FMDAC) Convention & Settler’s RV Park. The event will Door Prizes, including gold nuggets,
Hunt in historic Gettysburg, in con- include three hunts, including two metal detectors and more. For more
junction with the Autumn Civil War silver. Tokens will be planted for sil- information, contact Richard Trusty
Show, at the AllStar Events Center ver dollars and other prizes. In addi- at  QuartzsiteAZGoldShow@gmail.
with over 300 tables of Civil War tion, the Texas Association of Metal com or (651) 587-6136 or (928)
and Military Collectibles. Saturday Detecting Clubs (TAMDC) is spon- 927-5479. You can also log onto the
Morning will be the Open Hunt soring a hunt that afternoon on site. website at QuartzsiteAZGoldshow.
and Sunday features two hunts, For hunt flyer and more information, com
open meeting, seminars, and raffles. see the Austin Metal Detecting Club
Tour the Gettysburg Battlefield. See website at www.amdconline.com or E-mail upcoming events to manag
Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, and contact Jim Lawhon at jlawhon@ [email protected]

www.LostTreasure.com Newsletter 10-17-17 25