User Panel
Posted: 2/26/2014 7:31:37 PM EDT
The mysterious haul of gold coins discovered by a Northern California couple while out walking their dog – and valued at $10 million – may well be a previously undiscovered bounty that an employee of the San Francisco Mint was convicted of stealing in 1901. The couple, who haven’t been named, stumbled across the haul of 1,427 rare, mint-condition gold coins, nearly all dating from 1847 to 1894, buried in the shadow of an old tree on their Gold Country property in February 2013. The face value of the Saddle Ridge Hoard, as they’ve called it, added up to about $27,000, but some of the coins are so rare that experts say they could fetch nearly $1million apiece. Scroll down for video Treasure hunting enthusiasts believe the $10m fortune found by a couple in northern California could be the same gold coins that Walter N. Dimmick was accused of embezzling from the San Francisco U.S. Mint in the early 1900's Dimmick began working at the San Francisco mint in 1898 and by 1901 was trusted with the keys to the vaults ¿ until an audit revealed a $30,000 shortage in $20 Double Eagle coins, six bags in all Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook |
|
Here come the feds...
eta This story is getting more and more twisted every day. I swear if I ever stumble upon a treasure I will NOT be making announcements and doing press releases. Things will be slowly and quietly sold off. |
|
I'll never understand why people don't just shut the hell up when things like this happen.
|
|
|
|
Quoted:
No shit, they should have said nothing! View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
I'll never understand why people don't just shut the hell up when things like this happen. Which is why I (almost) do hope it gets taken away. Might teach a lesson to the next treasure finders. |
|
Quoted: No shit, they should have said nothing! View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I'll never understand why people don't just shut the hell up when things like this happen. I'm sure it was because they were trying to drum up interest in their upcoming online sales. Fail. |
|
|
|
I'd still be masturbating on them. Flip them a few at a time and stay under the radar
|
|
They most certainly would have had to melt the coins down.
Coins that recognizable would have drawn attention in short order anyways. |
|
|
from the dates I heard on the radio these coins are far older then 1901
|
|
Poll question is fucking stupid. Of course they will.
Findees, trying to drum up their sale prices, are going to back fire big time. They'll be luck to not wind up in prison. |
|
If the coins are found to be stolen, then it's okay to keep them and say nothing? Interesting, Arfcom does not hate thieves after all.
|
|
|
|
|
If the facts of the article are correct, the coins are probably the stolen coins in question. However, I would hope that they would have to come up with a bit more compelling evidence than "probably." |
|
They weren't necessarily stolen from the Government. The coins were found, but most likely, no one can prove one way or the other if they were stolen. The government will likely seize them and make the claim. The people should have sold off "Grandpa's Coin Collection" a coin at a time.
|
|
I'd have driven to Canada and sold them in Vancouver. I'm sure that they'd be a small enough package that they could easily be unnoticed in a car full of vacationers' luggage. If they'd done that and converted the proceeds to Bitcoin headed to Europe and then cashed out they could have taken that $10million estimate and multiplied that several times over while enjoying their new life on the French Riviera.
|
|
Quoted:
When you purchase your property isn't everything on it yours? Just curious, I don't know the laws concerning that. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
If the coins are found to be stolen, then it's okay to keep them and say nothing? Interesting, Arfcom does not hate thieves after all. If your guns were stolen and dumped on my property, are they mine? I'm not a lawyer but my first guess would be they are still your guns. |
|
Quoted:
Which is why I (almost) do hope it gets taken away. Might teach a lesson to the next treasure finders. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'll never understand why people don't just shut the hell up when things like this happen. Which is why I (almost) do hope it gets taken away. Might teach a lesson to the next treasure finders. I'm sure that for every story that hits the news there are 10 others that quietly sell off their new-found fortune. |
|
Quoted:
When you purchase your property isn't everything on it yours? Just curious, I don't know the laws concerning that. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
If the coins are found to be stolen, then it's okay to keep them and say nothing? Interesting, Arfcom does not hate thieves after all. As long as you don't have a mortgage. If so, it belongs to the bank... |
|
wtf....
According to 1901 reports, 500 coins were stolen by Dimmick - only 73 coins less than the 1,427 discovered at Saddle Ridge. math fail by the newspaper |
|
|
Quoted: My friend, we all have a price that will test our morals. $10,000,000 is a tidy sum. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: If the coins are found to be stolen, then it's okay to keep them and say nothing? Interesting, Arfcom does not hate thieves after all. My friend, we all have a price that will test our morals. $10,000,000 is a tidy sum. |
|
Quoted:
If the facts of the article are correct, the coins are probably the stolen coins in question. However, I would hope that they would have to come up with a bit more compelling evidence than "probably." View Quote I think the government will change the burden of proof to "beyond a reasonable probably". |
|
Quoted:
Even if they sold them one at a time over a long period of time? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
They most certainly would have had to melt the coins down. Coins that recognizable would have drawn attention in short order anyways. Sad that one would almost have to consider melting them down to just use for spot value. Coin value is likely multiple times more valuable than spot by a factor of ten. But because of that the govt will reclaim whatever proceeds may come from what is stolen property even if ancient. |
|
Quoted:
My friend, we all have a price that will test our morals. $10,000,000 is a tidy sum. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
If the coins are found to be stolen, then it's okay to keep them and say nothing? Interesting, Arfcom does not hate thieves after all. My friend, we all have a price that will test our morals. $10,000,000 is a tidy sum. Knowing what our fucking government would with the coins...it's a no brainer for me. I would keep it all and be a thief. But I would do good things with my new wealth. |
|
"The face value of the Saddle Ridge Hoard, as they’ve called it, added up to about $27,000, but some of the coins are so rare that experts say they could fetch nearly $1million apiece."
It's not like their worth $1,300/ounce in melt weight or anything |
|
They'll probably be charged with a crime before this is done.
|
|
I think they've made a deal with .gov already to pay exorbitant taxes and a fine or whatever. They're in the clear, or amazon wouldn't touch this.
|
|
|
I work at the Jersey shore during the summer. Two years age we were in Seaside Heights on the Funtown pier. Right on the end overlooking the beach. Every morning I'd go get ready to open and I'd see guys out on the beach swinging metal detectors. Lots of guys ! More than once I got to engage them in the parking lot and talk about what they find. Almost everyone told the same story, rings and coins and stuff like that. I asked about gold coins and lost treasure and nobody found anything like that. Then one time I asked a guy about gold coins and he actually said "no" but shook his head yes. Towards the end of the season I was chatting with a guy that I had talked to on several occasions. He was an old dude and his Grandkids came down once in a while to spend a weekend at the shore. I work the Haunted House and when I would see him I'd put him and the kids through the house for free. So, I'm talking to him one day and there's not really a line, it's just him and the kids waiting for the previous group to go through. And I pressed him a little and he just spilled....... Yup, Me and the other guys find gold coins a lot ! Some times 2 or 3 times a year. Almost always after a big storm. Why do you think we are out there every day ? Hell he says, I'm out there in the middle of winter ! If there's a storm and the next day is 15* I'm going out ! Then he told me they all know better than to talk about it. They MAY share with other prospectors but that's it. They don't even tell their wives. Some of them don't talk at all. He also told me that while some guys save the coins most sell them. Some sell them to one another but most take them to a coin shop. He said there are several that are discreet and after a couple of visits where he would make up a back story about "Finding this in the attic" or "It was in a box I bought at an estate sale" the coin shop would catch on and just do the deal quietly. He also told me that these shops would take the rings and broken gold chains with no questions. |
|
I've seen estimates of face value and collector value, does anybody have an idea what spot would fetch?
|
|
|
Quoted:
I've seen estimates of face value and collector value, does anybody have an idea what spot would fetch? View Quote Look a few posts above.. ~$37,000. And I wholeheartedly agree that those folks are idiots for publicizing this. Sell a few here and there over the years. Be discreet. Some of those coins are worth $1 million or more apiece just due to their rarity and condition. |
|
Quoted:
Look a few posts above.. ~$37,000. And I wholeheartedly agree that those folks are idiots for publicizing this. Sell a few here and there over the years. Be discreet. Some of those coins are worth $1 million or more apiece just due to their rarity and condition. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
I've seen estimates of face value and collector value, does anybody have an idea what spot would fetch? Look a few posts above.. ~$37,000. And I wholeheartedly agree that those folks are idiots for publicizing this. Sell a few here and there over the years. Be discreet. Some of those coins are worth $1 million or more apiece just due to their rarity and condition. $37K would be less than 30 oz. total weight. I gotta think the find is heavier than that. Just one of those cans has to weigh at least eight pounds. |
|
The Fed should only be reinbursed for face value. Let them pay it from the sale and keep the rest of the proceeds.
|
|
Quoted:
$37K would be less than 30 oz. total weight. I gotta think the find is heavier than that. Just one of those cans has to weigh at least eight pounds. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I've seen estimates of face value and collector value, does anybody have an idea what spot would fetch? Look a few posts above.. ~$37,000. And I wholeheartedly agree that those folks are idiots for publicizing this. Sell a few here and there over the years. Be discreet. Some of those coins are worth $1 million or more apiece just due to their rarity and condition. $37K would be less than 30 oz. total weight. I gotta think the find is heavier than that. Just one of those cans has to weigh at least eight pounds. 1427 coins, call them 1 ounce just to make the math simple although each would be a little less. Lets say gold is $1,300.00 per ounce- good round number. 1427 x $1,300.00 = $1,855,100.00. |
|
well... it is stolen property... if it's the claimed gold from that robbery.
But... it's really old stolen property where everyone who was involved is now dead. To me that means the statute of limitations (a term I'm probably misusing) should have run out and they should get to keep it. At the very least they should get a hefty finders fee to include at least one of the coins. |
|
Quoted:
1427 coins, call them 1 ounce just to make the math simple although each would be a little less. Lets say gold is $1,300.00 per ounce- good round number. 1427 x $1,300.00 = $1,855,100.00. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I've seen estimates of face value and collector value, does anybody have an idea what spot would fetch? Look a few posts above.. ~$37,000. And I wholeheartedly agree that those folks are idiots for publicizing this. Sell a few here and there over the years. Be discreet. Some of those coins are worth $1 million or more apiece just due to their rarity and condition. $37K would be less than 30 oz. total weight. I gotta think the find is heavier than that. Just one of those cans has to weigh at least eight pounds. 1427 coins, call them 1 ounce just to make the math simple although each would be a little less. Lets say gold is $1,300.00 per ounce- good round number. 1427 x $1,300.00 = $1,855,100.00. You're right, I was citing another post, not doing the math myself. Laziness and drunkenness... |
|
Quoted:
Look a few posts above.. ~$37,000. And I wholeheartedly agree that those folks are idiots for publicizing this. Sell a few here and there over the years. Be discreet. Some of those coins are worth $1 million or more apiece just due to their rarity and condition. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
I've seen estimates of face value and collector value, does anybody have an idea what spot would fetch? Look a few posts above.. ~$37,000. And I wholeheartedly agree that those folks are idiots for publicizing this. Sell a few here and there over the years. Be discreet. Some of those coins are worth $1 million or more apiece just due to their rarity and condition. No, face value was 38k. Spot would be almost 2 million. |
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.