RMPTH MARCH 2015 NEWSLETTER

v. 19, n. 3 March 2015 Going for the Gold

Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters Newsletter

The News Visit RMPTH On The Internet At http://rmpth.com

Contents

"Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies."

- Thomas Jefferson

1 Israeli Gold Coin Hoard 2 About The News 4 Find Of The Month Program 5 This Is Victor 6 Man Dies In Sewer Treasure

Hunt 7 A Very Good Deed Done 8 Meteorite Hunting Tips 9 Colorado Treasure Tale 10 Calendar of Events 11 Calendars 12 How To Be A Successful Relic

Hunter 15 A Simple Pineapple 16 Trading Post 18 2015 Schedule of Events 19 Contact List

Israeli Gold Coin Hoard

Largest trove of gold coins in Israel unearthed from ancient Harbor

Published February 17, 2015 | FoxNews.com

A group of divers in Israel has stumbled upon the largest hoard of gold coins ever discovered in the country. The divers reported the find to the Israel Antiquities Authority, and nearly 2,000 coins dating back to the Fatimid period, or the elev-enth century, were salvaged by the authoritys Marine Archaeology Unit. The find was unearthed from the seabed of the ancient harbor in Caesarea National Park, according to a press release from the Israel An-tiquities Authority. The discovery of such a large hoard of coins that had such tremendous economic power in antiquity raises several possibilities regarding its presence on the sea-bed, said Kobi Sharvit, director of the Marine Ar-chaeology Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority, in the release. There is probably a shipwreck there of an official treasury boat which was on its way to the central government in Egypt with taxes that had been collected. Sharvit suggested that the treasure trove of coins might have been intended to pay the members of the Fatimid military garrison stationed at Caesarea, Is-rael. There are also other theories as the origins of the coins. Sharvit said that the coins could have belonged to a sunken merchant ship. The coins are in excellent state of preservation, and despite the fact they were at the bottom of the sea for about a thousand years, they did not require any cleaning or conservation intervention, said Robert Cole, an expert numismaticist someone who studies currency with the antiquities authority. The five di-vers have been called model citizens by the antiqui-ties organization. Had the divers removed the objects from their location or tried to sell them, they could

(Continued on page 3)

The News, March 2015

T he News is the official newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters Club (RMPTH): our mailing address is 278 Sierra Vista Drive, Fort Collins, CO. 80524. Opinions expressed in The News are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the club or its members. Publication of information in The News constitutes no guarantee of accuracy. Use of any information found in this publication is at the sole risk of the user. Neither RMPTH, nor its coordi-nators, nor The News, nor its editors or contributors assume any liability for damages resulting from use of information in this publication. Submissions Articles, letters and short items of interest on pros-pecting, detecting and treasure hunting topics are welcome and encouraged. All items submitted for publication are subject to editing. Submittals for pub-lication may be made in writing or, preferably, in AS-CII text format on IBM-compatible disk. If you have questions about a submission, please contact the edi-tor for information. Copyright Unless otherwise noted, other nonprofit groups may reprint or quote from any articles appearing in The News without prior permission, provided that proper author and publication credits are given and that a copy of the publication in which the article ap-pears is sent at no cost to RMPTH at the above mail-ing address. Clubs wishing to exchange newsletters with RMPTH are invited to send a copy of their news-letter together with an exchange request.

About The News Advertising Classified advertising for topic related items is free for non-business ads. See the Trading Post section for donation pricing of camera-ready display ads. Do-nations for ad makeup from sketches, etc., are avail-able on request. About RMPTH RMPTH is an independent nonprofit hobbyist social club, open to anyone interested in prospecting, detect-ing or treasure hunting. Its purpose is to provide an educational and social forum of mutual benefit for members. RMPTH holds a monthly meeting and con-ducts various field outings, as well as offers special presentations and seminars. Active participants have voting privileges. The monthly newsletter, The News, is readily available on the Internet. Annual dues are $25 payable in June. Applicants joining in any month other than June pay partial dues of $2 per month for months remaining prior to following June plus $1.

CLUB MEMBERS TAKE NOTE

Club Hats, Shirts, Jackets, & Patches are again available. Ask for info at the club meetings to purchase your club items!

We will be running a 50/50 Drawing at each club meeting. At the end of each

meeting Tom will split the pot 50/50 and a lucky member will go home with more money than they came with.!

The remaining 50% goes to the club treasury.


sive treasure highlights the uniqueness of Caesarea as an ancient port city with rich history and cultural heritage, stated the Caesarea Development Company and Nature and Parks Authority in the release. After 2,000 years it is still capable of captivating its many visitors when other parts of its mysterious past are revealed in the ground and in the sea.

have faced a sentence of up to five years in prison. The oldest of the coins is a quarter dinar that was minted in Palermo, Sicily during the second half of the ninth century. The majority of the coins can be traced back to the Faimid caliphs, Al-kim and his son Al-hir who were alive in during the eleventh century. These coins were minted in Egypt and North Africa. There is no doubt that the discovery of the impres-

(Continued from page 1)

Ancient gold coins on the harbor floor

$6 Goodwill Watch Turns Out To Be A Major Treasure Posted 8:44 pm, February 6, 2015, by Paul Choate PHOENIX A man got the deal of a lifetime when he saw a watch at Goodwill and purchased it for $6. According to KSAZ, Zach Norris found out the watch was worth a lot more than $6 after doing some research. Norris ended up selling the watch for a whopping $35,000. A watch specialist confirmed to Norris the piece was a Jaeger-LeCoultre Deep Sea Alarm. The specialist agreed to purchase the watch from Norris and even threw in an Omega Speedster Professional watch as part of the deal.


Today's Short Reading from the Bible... From Genesis:

"And God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all

corners of the earth." Then He made the earth round...and He

laughed and laughed and laughed!

TREASURE HUNTERS CODE OF ETHICS

I WILL respect private property and do no treasure hunting without the owner's permission. I WILL fill all excavations. I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife, and private property. I WILL use thoughtfulness, consideration, and courtesy at all times. I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only. I WILL leave gates as found. I WILL remove and properly dispose of any trash that I find. I WILL NOT litter. I WILL NOT destroy property, buildings, or what is left of ghost towns and deserted structures. I WILL NOT tamper with signs, structural facilities, or equipment.

Gold Glossary Drywasher - A common desert mining tool. The dry-washer is like a highbanker but lacks the need for water. A drywasher operates by the use of wind. The light junk material is blown off the top of the sluice in the drywasher and the gold stays on the bottom. The sluice riffles in a drywasher are backwards for better recovery.

Find of the Month Winners

February, 2015 Most Valuable Coin: Bud Yoder - 1950-S Silver Quar-ter Oldest Coin: Joe Johnston - 1913 Dime Largest Raw Gold: No Entry Most Raw Gold: Bud Yoder - Clear Creek Placer Gold Best Bottle: Mike Mehaffey - Antique Olive Bottle Best Jewelry: Tom Marschall - Silver Bracelet Most Unique Find (Excavated): Tom Marschall French Horn Mouth Piece Most Unique Find (Non-Excavated): Tom Warne - Antique 50-70 Bul-let Casing Rock, Gem, Mineral & Fossil: Bud Yoder - Garnet & Epodite Vein Specimen Still Frozen .. But We Have Gold!


Property Wanted For Detector Hunt

RMPTH is looking for private property on which to hold an organized club detector hunt. Obviously, it would be most ideal if this property is known to have seen some

past historical activity. If you have such property or know of someone who does, please contact Rick

Mattingly to plan a club field outing event.

Mineral Specimen Identification As part of their community outreach, Metropolitan State College of Denver, Dep. of Earth & Atmospheric Science, Professional Services Division offers FREE MINERAL SPECIMEN IDENTIFICATION. Participants will aid in the education of future Geoscientists! Details and specimen submittal forms with instructions can be downloaded from: SPECIAL OFFER FREE MINERAL SPECIMEN http://college.earthscienceeducation.net/MINPET/MINID.pdf

This is Victor

The biggest payroll mines were near Victor and in the early days when they all got paid in gold, there

would be a queue of miners three or four blocks long on paydays marching four abreast past the bank to

receive their pay. And the golden eagles were piled so high on the paymasters tables that the tables had to be reinforced with steel to stand the weight., noted

one story under the title This is Victor.

T he city of Victor, according to the paper, was founded in 1893 by the Woods Brothers and named for Victor Adams who fathered the town of Lawrence, southwest of Victor on Wilson Creek in 1892. The Woods Brothers made their origi-nal fortune with the Gold Coin Mine in Victor, which they discovered while digging a basement for a hotel. With some of their fortune they built mansions in Colorado Springs on Wood Avenue and other Cripple Creek district miners followed suit to create a Millionaires Row that is still partially intact today. The only hard money seen in the District now is sil-ver, and silver dollars are still popular with the na-tives to the delight of tourist, notes the 1961 edition. Gold coin went out in 1933, during the Roosevelts bank holiday, a fact much bemoaned by the miners. Gold Rush Days in 2008, sponsored by the City of Victor, still featured a parade, family events, and tra-ditional mining games presented by the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company that include loading a one-ton ore cart by hand, jack leg drilling, hand drill-ing and mucking. Also the historic home and building tours are conducted this weekend as well.


Refreshment Volunteers MarchGary Dahlgren AprilBetsy Emond & Mike Noll MayEd & Mai Edwards JuneFred Sugden JulyDick & Sharon French AugustRay & Loralee Hettinger SeptemberBard Schuldt OctoberRay McGehee & Ann Nichols NovemberGeorge & Peggy Stumpf


Man Dies In Sewer Treasure Hunt 2014-11-15 10:28 news24.com Amanda Khoza, The Witness Durban, South Africa

A television documentary probably piqued a mans interest to go on a treasure hunt in a sewerage pipe - a dangerous and sometimes deadly exercise. Unfortunately, the 45-year-old man never lived to tell the tale of his unusual expedition because he was found dead, twisted and stuck between shaft screws inside the machines at the Southern Waste Treatment Works last Friday. The unidentified man has put a face to an increasing problem facing the eThekwini Municipality. Treasure hunting syndicates often include men going down sewage pipes to search for jewelry and any valu-ables that have accidentally been flushed down toilets, showers or kitchen sink drains. 3 deaths this year This year alone, three men have died while perform-ing the daring illegal activity and three have been res-cued, according to the police. In July last year, the body of Bhayo Mnqayi was pulled out of a drain by eThekwini municipal work-ers. The man and three others were in a sewerage pipe in the Merebank canal using torches to find gold and diamonds when they slipped and landed in the fast flowing effluent. In a separate incident, it was reported in April that a man was found trapped in a Newlands West sewerage pipe while searching for gold. Search for gold A police source investigating the treasure hunters told Weekend Witness: Many of them first saw this on a documentary called Cutting Edge, which showed a man going down the sewerage pipes with a head torch to search for gold. Another police officer said treasure hunters are usu-ally members of a neighboring community. They climb down the manhole and into the drains, then walk along the drains underground. Then they will crawl into the sewer pipes and sometimes the sewer levels increase because as people flush their toilets, it increases the pressure levels, said a police officer, who also asked not to be named because he

was unauthorized to speak to the media. They tie a rope or a string to their necks, with a little plastic bottle on the other end where they store their treasure. Sometimes they drown and their bodies get pushed down the pipes, and then they block the pipes and that is usually how we find them, said the offi-cer. We will be calling on club members to volunteer for this new treasure hunting technique. Ed

Victor has been through the years, and still is, Crip-ple Creeks chief rival in top honors in the District, notes the 1961 newspaper. The other thriving towns have gone with the wind. There are a few residents left in Goldfield, two in Independence, a very few in Elk-ton and Lawrence and none at all in Cameron, Mid-way, Anaconda, Altman, Love and Gillette. Of the paper it-self. Were not the nations au-thority on min-ing, but were not dead yet, notes a subscription advertisement. True, we have what we call our selective readers who buy the paper just for the weather column, those who read only Them Was The Days, or The Evesdropper, and then wrap up the garbage with the rest of our wasted efforts. We have a man in Oklahoma who subscribes because he got cut off from Sears and Roebucks mailing list. A few friends subscribe because they dont dare not to. And other content comes into question. We almost forgot about the editorials. Theyre not always good and you wont agree with us all the time, but a least you dont have to read them over two or three times to find out what we think. We call a square point a square point. Thats a shovel, in case you dont dig mining jargon. Thanks to Paul Mayhak


Victor Mine


A Very Good Deed Done By Rick Mattingly

I n October I received a frantic email to the club from a Fort Collins man who had the terrible misfortune of losing his platinum wedding ring somewhere in a large soccer field. They had looked and looked but no ring. He had apparently searched the internet in the hope of finding a detector club nearby and found us. I imme-diately sent out a broadcast email to all RMPTH members requesting detector help to assist with a hopeful re-covery. Within hours, RMPTH member Tom Warne beat out other members and was on the scene. In the perfect ending Tom ended up recovering the lost ring! The family was so grateful that they emailed again wanting to let the club know how much they appreciated the club coming their rescue. Great PR for the club. Thank you Tom for pulling this off. I am sure that this was one happy husband . and family!

Tom Warne (center) with the happy family


Meteorite Hunting Tips

K now Your Rocks When meteorite hunting it is good practice to obtain knowledge of the different rocks on

earth and in your area. This will help narrow your search and save time when looking for meteorites. Odd Looking Items When meteorite hunting keep your eyes open for things that are out of the ordinary for that area Look For Craters One of the most obvious things to look for is craters in the earths crust. Impressions left by a meteor can be hard to notice depending on their age. They can range in any size. Topographical Charts Navigate through US geological surveys website to ac-quire topographical charts. Google Earth On your down time Google earth can be a fun and very handy tool to locate possi-ble future hunts. Never Dismiss An Item Meteorites can come in many sizes, shapes, and physical features. Never dis-miss an item till you have had it properly evaluated. Stick Magnet When metal detecting for meteorites. It can come in handy to carry a strong magnet or even a magnet attached to a shaft. If there are any meteor fragments on the surface they should stick to your magnet.

Before You Buy That Metal Detector Handbook Check:

http://www.mdhtalk.org/articles/before-you-buy-hb/before-you-buy-handbook.pdf

Meteorites And Magnets Not all, but a lot of meteorites are composed of iron which is magnetic. A strong magnet attached to a shaft can be used to help scan the surface. Website For Identifying Meteorites www.identifying-meteorites.com Talk And Learn With Other Meteorite Enthusiasts There are quite a few Facebook groups with plenty of other meteorite enthusiasts. It's a great way to learn, ask questions and view pictures of meteorites found from around the world. Just type in a search for me-teorite groups. Thanks to: http://www.mytreasurejournal.com/tips/results/meteorite_hunting


Colorado Treasure Tale Dead Man's Cave

I n the winter of 1880 three prospectors E.J. Oliver, S.J. Harkman and H.A. Melton were pros-pecting two miles north of what would later become known as Dead Man Camp. As they were working, the sky threatened an oncoming blizzard and they quickly looked about for shelter. Spying a small opening in a shear rock wall across the canyon, they made their way through the opening, lighting several crude torches. Though the passageway was narrow and less than four feet high, it opened up into a large 20-foot long room. Wet Mountain Shining their torches around, Oliver found the first of five skeletons scattered around the dusty, dark cavern. While exploring the cavern, they found several tight passageways extending into the gloom of the mountain. Choosing one, they followed the tunnel deeper into the mountain until it too, opened up into a large vault-like chamber. Shining their torches around, Melton noticed shelves on the western wall that had been carved into the stone. Bringing his torch closer, he saw several odd-looking stones stacked on one of the shelves and picking one up, he was surprised at its heavy weight. When he and his partners scrutinized it more carefully, they were astounded to discover that the stone was actually a crude bar of gold! After the threat of snow had passed, the three excited men gathered up five of the bars and headed over the pass to Silvercliff, in the Wet Mountain Valley. Imme-diately, they had the bars assayed, which proved to be worth $900 apiece. Becoming instant celebrities in Sil-ver Cliff, the men were questioned by all whom they encountered about the source of the gold bars, but all three men steadfastly refused to divulge the location, making plans to return to Dead Man's Cave in the spring. In the early spring, they made their way back to Dead Man Cave. They thought the cave would be easy to find again but when they returned, there were many places that looked like the area in which the cave had been found. Over the years, they frequently returned to the area but they never again found the cave. The story of these three prospectors was reported in both The Fairplay Flume and The Denver Post in 1880. To this day, the gold has never been found.

GOLD COIN DRAWING RESULTS

The drawing for the gold coin raffle took place at the November Club Meeting. Ticket holders did not need to be at the meeting. Also, Coordinator Paul

Mayhak sweetened the pot by donating a silver coin to this drawing as well ..

Thanks Paul!

Winner of the Gold Coin: Joe Johnston Winner of the Silver Coin: John Masslich

Congrats to the Winners!


Calendar of Events

MAP TO THE MEETING PLACE Pulliam Community Building

545 Cleveland Avenue, Loveland, Colorado

Directions: The Pulliam Community Building is situated on the west side of Cleveland Avenue in Loveland,

Colorado. Park at the rear of the building (west side). Entry to the meeting room is from the doorway on the south side of the building (not the main entrance on Cleveland Avenue!).

March Meeting Wednesday, March 4. We will meet at the Pulliam Building in downtown Loveland at 6:00PM. Refer to the adjoining map for directions. Meeting Agenda 6:00 - 7:00 Social Hour & Finds Program 7:00 - 7:30 Business, Announcements & Find of the Month Program 7:30 - 7:45 Break 7:45 - 9:00 "Setting Up A Gold Sluice Box By RMPTH members Bud Yoder and Rick Mattingly.

Visit RMPTH On The Internet At http://rmpth.com

RMPTH DUES

RMPTH is an unincorpo-rated Social Club with

no income generated. All expenses are covered by $25 annual dues. Mem-bers are requested to

consider minor donations at each monthly meeting to cover refreshments.


March 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 RMPTH Finds Program & Social 6:00P RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

5 6 7

8 Daylight Savings Begins

9 10 11 12 RMPTH Board Meeting 6:00P

13 14

15 16 17 St. Patricks Day

18 19 20 Spring Begins

21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 Palm Sunday

30 31

April 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 RMPTH Finds Program & Social 6:00P RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

2 3 4

5 Easter Sunday

6 7 8 9 RMPTH Board Meeting 6:00P

10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Local Detector Hunt

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Map, Compass & GPS Clinic

26 27 28 29 30


RMPTH Field Outing Statement

NOTE: The Coordinators and participants stay in touch and continue to review and plan upcoming presentations and outings for the year on a monthly basis. Our editor Rick Mattingly needs timely event information for each

issue of The News. Please get information about any par-ticular event to him by the 15th of the month to meet the

printing deadline for the next issue.

Planned trips, outings, activities, and meeting programs are in the newsletter and on line at the clubs website.

Planning is a work in progress and additional outings and activities are added and sometimes deleted on an ongo-

ing basis. Events planned in the upcoming month are emphasized to the attendees at the monthly meetings. Contact the Presentations Coordinators or Editor if you have any suggestions or ideas throughout the year for

fieldtrips, outings, and programs.

The best made plans may change at the last minute due to the illness of the Trail Boss, weather, land access, ve-hicles breaking down, wrong meeting sites, etc. Please

be understanding of extenuating circumstances and con-tact the coordinator or Trail Boss of a specific event if there is any question of an event being cancelled or

changed at the last minute.

targets that hobbyists seek and unearth. You don't have to live in an area containing Old West ghost towns or historic military battlefields to be a relic hunter as relics can include virtually anything ranging from everyday household items to mining equipment, military gear, wagon parts, trade beads, horse shoes, early American settler artifacts...simply add any item you can imagine to the list and there will probably be someone out there looking for and finding it with one of today fs metal de-tectors. Anywhere - and that means anywhere - people have been, lost relics are just waiting for detectorists to find, recover and preserve their story. Relic hunting was the first "recreational" uses of metal detectors. Many of the 'ole timers used surplus World War II mine detectors beginning in the late 1940's to lo-cate artifacts from Civil War sites, pioneer trails, mining camps and the like. Despite the limitations of this early equipment, countless relics were in fact recovered and found their way into museums and other collections for others to enjoy. When the first detectors with ground balance circuitry were released in the 1970 fs, many sites that were previously un-huntable due to high min-eralization were searched effectively. Some relic hunters reported that the problem back then was not finding a site to hunt but rather being able to carry all of their finds back out at the end of the day. I'm sure we all wish we had problems like that today! Many of the well-known sites have been hunted for more than 40 years and, while no site is ever completely hunted out, finds have become few and far between. Be-fore you get discouraged and give up relic hunting with-out even getting started, take heart, as there are hun-dreds of sites remaining that have never been searched with a metal detector. Selecting the right equipment, conducting the proper research to lead you to these loca-tions and then using the right search techniques will al-low you to find what others have missed. Let fs take a look at what you need to be successful in the field re-gardless of the type of relics you might be seeking. EQUIPMENT: None of the manufacturers today make a bad detector but certain brands and more specifically, certain models stand out from the crowd when it comes to specific ap-plications. The key factor for most relic hunters will be the overall detection depth afforded by a particular model and the one that goes the deepest will often be the one that finds the most at the end of the day, especially at sites that have been hunted for decades. Since relic hunting tends to be an all-day activity, finding a detector that you can hunt with for extended periods of time with-out discomfort should also be a prime factor to consider. I know several veteran relic hunters who purchased de-tectors that were ideally suited for the conditions in their areas; however, they had to switch to a different model due to being unable to hunt with it for any length of time. Weight and ergonomics should be high on your list of factors to consider if you intend on spending a good part of the day in the field. Another factor to consider is the overall design of the detector. If you have to hipmount the control housing to be able to use it for extended periods of time or it requires that the battery pack be attached to your belt, is this really going to work when you fre slogging through thick underbrush a mile or two


How To Be A Successful Relic Hunter By Andy Sabisch

B arry is a successful relic hunter who through care-ful research has pinpointed the location of a long-forgotten Civil War cavalry camp a short drive from his home. Obtaining permission to search the site from the current property owner, he used his handheld GPS unit to navigate through the woods to reach the site of the camp. As he scouted out the area the results proved that his research had been "spot on" as several nice period relics were soon recovered. As the sun began to set over the nearby ridge hours later, Barry started to hike back to the truck with a pouch filled with relics. Each of his finds that included bullets, buttons, coins and bridle pieces had a story to tell and their recovery allowed history to be preserved. A week later Barry brought his finds to the monthly meeting of the metal detecting club he belonged to and the reaction from fel-low club members was almost predictable. Many of the members searched for Civil War relics in the local area; however, with the exception of an isolated bullet or two, it seemed that Barry was the only one that was able to find decent artifacts with any regularity. If this sounds familiar, then this guide is for you. So what exactly is relic hunting? It is actually the most diverse form of treasure hunting in terms of the types of


have not been hunted to any degree. Relic hunters often focus on specific sites like battle-fields, settlements or ghost towns. Keep in mind that the people or troops had to move from point 'A' to point 'B', and unless there were railroads available, they walked. If you can pinpoint two locations on a map, try to deter-mine the most likely path that they would have taken between them. Does the route pass along a stream or river? If so, they may have stopped for a rest and to col-lect water. A number of outstanding finds have been made by relic hunters searching sites that by all ac-counts should not have had anything since there were no camps or battles in the area; however, those passing through lost artifacts that were waiting to be found. With the increased competition among relic hunters to-day, research is the key if you want to be successful. With a little effort you will be able to locate sites that have not been heavily hunted and you may in fact be the first relic hunter to visit the site. OK, IT'S SEARCH TIME: Your research should have helped you identify several potential sites to search. There are a number of tips and techniques that can help you find more in less time, which should be your overall goal. It's surprising how often relic hunters who have taken the time to conduct research and locate sites do not have a formal plan or method to actually search the site once they arrive. As they say "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while" but hoping for the best will rarely ensure you will be successful on a regular basis. The following tips have been honed over time and will help you find more in less time when you are out relic hunting. Use the least amount of discrimination possible. As the discrimination level is increased, the potential for a re-jected target; i.e. one below the setpoint of the selected discrimination, to override the signal from a good target also increases. If the signal from the rejected target is stronger either because it is shallower or larger than the good target, you may not receive a signal from the target you are hoping to find. This is why many heavily hunted sites are still producing valuable relics for hunters who are willing to dig a little more trash in order to be sure they do not inadvertently miss a "keeper". The actual discrimination level you use in the field should be selected based on the amount of trash present and how much "patience" you have at the time which can and will change from day-to-day or site-to-site. Try using different search coils to hunt the sites you know have produced in the past. As discussed earlier, each coil has its advantage. At times, simply changing coils can uncover artifacts that were undetectable with the coil that came with your detector. Successful relic hunters often bring two or three different coils with them so that they have the flexibility the different sizes pro-vide. If you gain access to a field that is still being farmed on a regular basis, plan to revisit the site after it has been tilled. Artifacts that may have been beyond the detection


from where you had to park your vehicle? Several detec-tors now offer wireless capabilities which make it easier to hunt overgrown areas. Interchangeable coils are a must when selecting a detec-tor for relic hunting and you should see what the largest coil is that can be used on the detector you are consider-ing. Larger coils allow you to cover more ground with each sweep and are invaluable when trying to find a pos-sible site among acres of fields or woods plus they detect targets deeper than stock coils. On the other hand, once you find a site, a smaller coil may enable you to find rel-ics in between trash or amongst rocks or fallen trees that a larger coil might otherwise miss. See if there are after-market coils available as the additional choices will greatly expand the versatility of any model you might be looking at. Kellyco carries optional coils from both the metal detector manufacturers as well as third party sup-pliers for many of the brands and models they stock. FINDING SITES TO SEARCH: Once you have the right equipment, you need to have sites to search that hold the relics you are hoping to find. A good way to start is to pick up some of the books cov-ering the period you are interested in which can provide leads to sites that may be near your home. Remember that if they are described in widely-distributed, popular books, the sites will probably have been searched by oth-ers before you but with the right equipment and tech-niques, you can find what others have missed. Kellyco carries several books and maps that will help you locate sites in your area to get started with. Local research is what will put you onto sites that few if any detectorists have searched before which are what we are all hoping to find. Libraries, historical societies and regional muse-ums are all sources of research material that can help you zero in on potentially productive sites. You will find that with a few targeted questions, the librarian or histo-rian is often more than willing to talk about the area and you may find several sites being offered with little effort on your part other than listening to the conversation. Don ft forget about long-time residents as they can tell you where buildings once stood, what changed when highways were built and even stories they heard from their parents or grandparents as they were growing up. In several instances I was told about a Civil War camp-site, old mine or hermit fs shack from an older resident that turned out to be very productive yet was not docu-mented in any book. A few proven tips to put into practice when you are look-ing for sites include the following: People and livestock required water so camps, settlements and even isolated homes would typically be situated near a source of wa-ter. When you are looking over a map, pay particular attention to areas near streams, lakes or rivers that would have provided a source of water. If settlers or troops had a choice, they would try to set up home or camp as close to water as possible. Military commanders tried to setup vantage points on high ground. If you are searching for a camp or battle site, see if there is high ground in the area. Even if most of the activity occurred in the lower areas, troops would have been stationed on the higher ground as lookouts or to direct the course of the battle and often these sites



depth of your detector or situated at an angle that pre-vented it from being detected may now be easily located. Productive fields can be hunted year after year with a continual harvest of relics being recovered. If you hear about a field that produced relics years ago and is now thought of as being "hunted out", get permission and head over there at the first opportunity to see what is still waiting to be discovered. Keep an audible threshold on your detector. If your de-tector has a search mode with an audible threshold, try using it when relic hunting. Unless you are hunting in all-metal, when you pass over objects that fall within the area(s) you have opted to reject, you will hear the thresh-old disappear or null out. Often if you are looking for a camp site, home place or skirmish area, the first indica-tion that you are in the right location will be ferrous items such as nails, tacks or small pieces of rusted iron. When you come across signals that null out, slow down, tighten up your search pattern and see what turns up. Most pre-1900 sites contain a great deal of ferrous targets such as nails, boot tacks, horseshoes, tool parts, iron pins, etc. Even if you are not interested in dig-ging up all of these targets, the fact that they are present can help you find the right location to tighten up your search pattern and start recovering the relics you are hoping to find. Let's assume that your research has identified the exis-tence of a small campsite or long-lost settler's cabin. You have determined the approximate area where it was located; however, it would take a considerable amount of time to thoroughly cover the entire 10 to 20 acre area. In this case the best way to try to pinpoint the campsite is to set your discrimination as close to '0' as possible and simply walk back and forth across the area. Once you start to find a concentration of targets, slow down and start working a more formal pattern to ensure you don't miss anything. Remember the previous tip of using minimal discrimina-tion as you search to ensure a rejected target won ft keep you from detecting a good target located nearby. Fire pits are another area worth trying to find when searching campsites or even settler's cabins. Camp fire pits were not only used for cooking. Trash was often tossed into the fire at the end of the day. Much of what is recovered from fire pits shows signs of being in the fire; however, a number of first-rate finds have come out of them. This is another reason why you want to search camps with very little discrimination. A fire pit will usu-ally contain ferrous trash and non-ferrous trash so even the slightest amount of discrimination will cause you to miss a potentially productive area. Once you've located a camp or cabin site and searched it, don't be too quick to head on to the next one. If it was occupied for more any length of time, they would have found an area a short distance away to get rid of the trash. It is human nature is to carry the trash to a spot

(Continued from page 13) downhill. After all, if you had the choice of carrying trash uphill or downhill what direction would you choose? You can either walk the area yourself or spend a few minutes looking over a topographical map and using one of the aerial map websites on the Internet to identify potential dumpsites. A few fellow relic hunters I know actually use their Smartphone to look at maps real-time in the field to figure out where to search next - leverage today's tech-nology! Remember that yesterday fs trash is today fs treasure. Items such as belt buckles with broken pins, threadbare clothes and other items that could not be salvaged were typically discarded with the daily trash - any of which would make a welcome addition to your collection. RECOVERY TOOLS: Unless you are searching for shallow relics in a grassy area, you will need a tool that can reach down to where the relics will be found and do so without bending after a few holes have been dug.

Many times the soil will be rock-hard which will truly put any digging tool to the acid test. Saving a few dollars in buy-ing a lesser-quality tool will quickly turn into an expensive mistake when you find yourself a long way from your vehicle with the digger you just bought bent or broken in half...and I've seen it happen more times than I care to remember to fellow relic hunters. You know it will usually take place when you are in a great site and have been given permis-sion to hunt it one time only. Most relic hunters use a shovel or spade designed to provide years of ser-

vice in all types of soil conditions. Typically constructed entirely of metal, the only real maintenance that might be required is to occasionally sharpen the edge so you can cut through roots or vines often found in wooded sites. Other options you might want to investigate include folding military shovels (just make sure you get a true surplus shovel and not an im-ported look-alike that rarely holds up), a hand-help pick (again, get one that is solidly built) or an all-metal gar-dening tool that works in your ground conditions. A handheld digger is also a necessity as a shovel will not be able to extricate finds from under large rocks or thick roots. An electronic pinpointer is another handy item as it can keep you from damaging a relic that may be wedged into a tight area or in a hole with multiple targets. These pinpointers also reduce the time it takes to find a small item in loose dirt and at the end of the day, the quicker you find each target the more you will have in terms of finds. SUMMARY: Take a minute and look around your own area, delve into the local history and see just how many different types of relics are waiting to be found within a short dis-tance of your house. Thanks to Kellyco and Andy Sabich


Gold Glossary Flour Gold/Gold Dust - Gold that is so fine that it looks and feels like flour or dust. "The bread and butter of prospect-ing." Nuggets are just a bonus.

Symbol: AU Atomic Number: 79

Atomic Weight: 196.967 Melting Point: 1063 (1945 F)

Specific Gravity: 19.2 MOHs Scale of Hardness:

2.5 - 3

Karat

24K = 100% Pure Gold 18K = 75% Pure Gold 14K = 58% Pure Gold 10K = 42% Pure Gold

Troy Weights

1 grain = 0.0648 grams

24 grains = 1 penny weight (DWT) = 1.552 grams

20 DWT = 1 ounce = 480 grains = 31.10 grams

Gold Facts

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE! Call Rick Mattingly at 970-613-8968 or [email protected]

A Simple Pineapple

T he pineapple is a member of the bromeliad family. It is extremely rare that bromeliads produce edible fruit. The pineapple is the only available edible bromeliad today. It is a multiple fruit. One pineapple is actually made up of dozens of individ-ual floweret's that grow together to form the entire fruit. Each scale on a pine-apple is evidence of a separate flower. Pineapples stop ripening the minute they are picked. No special way of stor-ing them will help ripen them further. Color is relatively unimportant in determining ripeness. Choose your pineap-ple by smell. If it smells fresh, tropical and sweet, it will be a good fruit. The more scales on the pineapple, the sweeter and juicier the taste. After you cut off the top, you can plant it. It should grow much like a sweet potato will. This delicious fruit is not only sweet and tropical; it also offers many benefits to our health. Pineapple is a remarkable fruit. We find it enjoyable because of its lush, sweet and exotic flavor, but it may also be one of the most healthful foods available today. If we take a more



All mistakes and misspellings were

intentionally made so that you could have the

pleasure of finding them.

Trading Post

About Trading Post The News runs classified ads in Trading Post for three consecutive issues. Trading Post ads

for topic related items up to 10 lines (or 70 words) long are free. To place an ad in Trading Post contact Rick Mattingly at (970) 613-8968

evenings or e-mail at: [email protected]

Commercial Advertising Specifications

(Monthly Donation Rate) Full Page (8 1/2" X 7") $30 Half Page (3 1/4" X 7") $20 One Third Page (3" X 4") $15 Business Card (2 3/4" X 1 1/2") $ 5

Ads must be received by the 15th of the preceding month. Contact Rick Mattingly for in-

formation on this service at (970) 613-6968 evenings or e-mail at:

[email protected].

Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum Golden, Colorado

Contact us: 303-273-3815 or

[email protected]

Identification of specimens is performed between 10 a.m. and noon, Tuesdays and

Thursdays.

WANTED: By NRA Card Holding Law Abiding Private Citizen. Colt S&W Ruger Taurus .357 Wheel Gun/Revolver for Home/Personal Defense. If you have a Collectors Item, Please keep it. Im looking for a gun to shoot/Not display. LMK what ya got. Thanks. 970.222.2323 FOR SALE: Jewelers propane/oxygen torch, many cabo-chons, beads and tools. Contact Ann at (970) 6667-3705. FOR SALE: A "MUST HAVE" T-Shirt for every Prospector and Treasure Hunter. Quality 100% cotton tees. See and order from: http://BestBlackandGold.com. FOR SALE: Minelab SD2200 Gold Nugget Metal Detector: 10-1/2" Mono Super Coil, 10-1/2" SD Series Super Coil, two batteries w/wall & car charger, headphones, backpack, waist battery pack, signal enhancer, extra lower stem, in-struction booklet & video, carry case. Ready to go for the gold. New Price: $1625. Contact Paul at (970) 482-7846. FOR SALE: 5HP pump motor, Gold King 3" Hi-banker with dredge attachment w/adjustable stand, Gold Grabber Hi-banker, 125 feet hose, Rock net and steel cable, misc. fit-tings and valves & large metal bucket. Prefer to sell all to-gether for $1,350 but negotiable. Call Eric Stickland at (303) 833-6848 or [email protected]. WANTED: Used lapidary equipment. Call Kathie 970-221-1623 WANTED: Federal or state duck stamps; mint or used. Con-tact John Hart at (307) 778-3993.

NOTE: Purchase arrangements are between the buyer and

seller only and involves no financial benefit to RMPTH.


detailed look at it, we will find that pineapple is valuable for easing indigestion, arthritis or sinusitis. The juice has an anthelmintic effect; it helps get rid of intes-tinal worms. Let's look at how pineapple affects other conditions. Pineapple is high in manganese, a mineral that is critical to development of strong bones and connective tissue. A cup of fresh pineapple will give you nearly 75% of the recom-mended daily amount. It is particularly helpful to older adults, whose bones tend to become brittle with age. Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, is the key to pineapple's value. Proteolytic means "breaks down protein", which is why pineapple is known to be a digestive aid. It helps the body digest proteins more efficiently. Bromelain is also considered an effec-tive anti-inflammatory. Regular ingestion of at least one half cup of fresh pineapple daily is purported to relieve painful joints common to osteoarthritis. It also produces mild pain relief. In Germany , bromelain is approved as a post-injury medi-cation because it is thought to reduce inflammation and swelling. Orange juice is a popular liquid for those suffering from a cold because it is high in Vitamin C. Fresh pineapple is not only high in this vitamin, but because of the Bromelain, it has the ability to reduce mucous in the throat. If you have a cold with a productive cough, add pineapple to your diet. It is commonly used in Europe as a post-operative measure to cut mucous after certain sinus and throat operations. Those individuals who eat fresh pineapple daily report fewer sinus problems related to allergies. In and of itself, pineapple has a very low risk for allergies. Pineapple is also known to discourage blood clot develop-ment. This makes it a valuable dietary addition for fre-quent fliers and others who may be at risk for blood clots. An old folk remedy for morning sickness is fresh pineapple juice. It really works! Fresh juice and some nuts first thing in the morning often make a difference. It's also good for a healthier mouth. The fresh juice discour-ages plaque growth.

(Continued from page 15) WEEKEND & SMALL-SCALE MINERS CODE OF ETHICS

I WILL respect other prospectors claims and not work those claims without the owners permission I WILL have on-site all necessary permits and licenses I WILL build fires in designated or safe places only, and in accordance with current State and Federal guidelines I WILL be careful with fuels and motor oils and be cog-nizant of their potential destructive effect on the envi-ronment I WILL remove and properly dispose of all trash and debris that I find - I will not litter I WILL be thoughtful, considerate and courteous to those around me at all time I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife, fisheries and private property, and respect all laws or ordinances governing prospecting and mining I WILL NOT remove stream bank material, destroy natural vegetation or woody debris dams, nor discharge excess silt into the waterways I WILL NOT refuel motorized equipment in the stream I WILL NOT allow oil from motorized equipment to drip onto the ground or into the water I WILL NOT prospect in areas closed to prospecting and mining

Offer Your Assistance To Any Of Our Program Coordinators


Month Meeting Program Trip/Activity

January Cheyenne War: Indian Raids on the

Roads to Denver, 1864-1869 By Jeff Broome

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

February Cache Hunting By Rick Mattingly No Trip/Activity Scheduled

March Setting Up A Gold Sluice Box By RMPTH Members No Trip/Activity Scheduled

April Metal Detecting By Tom Warne & Rick Mattingly Local Detector Hunt

Map, Compass & GPS Clinic

May Gold Nugget Shooting With Detector By Rick Mattingly

Prospecting & Detecting Clinic at Lions Park Denver GPAA Show

Lets Go Gold Panning On The Arkansas Event GPOC

June Gold Dredging By RMPTH Members Clear Creek Gold Outing

State Annual Gold Panning Championships

July Map Reading for Prospectors by Wayne Sutherland WSGS Clear Creek Gold Outing

Eldora Ski Resort Detector Outing - Robert Crain

August Surface Finds by Tom Warne Vics Gold PanningBlackhawk

September Map & Internet Research By Bud Yoder & Rick Mattingly Local Detector Hunt

October Gold, Silver & Gem Recovery by David Emslie Local Detector Hunt

November Annual Show & Tell & Silent Auction No Trip/Activity Scheduled

December Annual Find of the Year Awards & Christmas Party Flatirons Mineral Club & Model Train Show

Good Hunting in 2015!

Rocky Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters Club 2015 Schedule of Events


Lets Go For The Gold !

Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters

Contact List RMPTH Coordinators Home E-Mail

President Bud Yoder [email protected]

Interim Vice President Shane Manenti 1-970-590-9183 [email protected]

Treasurer Dick & Sharon French 1-970-482-2110 [email protected]

Secretary Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 [email protected] The News Staff

Editor-in-Chief Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 [email protected]

Internet Web Site

Web Master Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 [email protected]

Volunteers/Coordinators

Finds Program Dave Landes Betsy Emond Joe Johnston

1-720-985-4186 1-970-218-0290 1-303-696-6950

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Presentations Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 [email protected]

Club Historian Volunteer Needed

Club Meeting Greeter Barbara Schuldt 1-970-407-1336

Club Librarian Joe Johnston 1-303-696-6950 [email protected]

Club Photo Librarian Volunteer Needed

Meeting Setup Jim Friedricks 1-970-590-9183

Door Prize Shane Manenti 1-970-590-9183 [email protected]

50/50 Drawing Woody Hogdon 1-970-667-5010 [email protected]

Coin Raffle Woody Hogdon 1-970-667-5010 [email protected]

General Information Contact: Rick Mattingly at 1-970-613-8968

Visit RMPTH on the Internet at: http://rmpth.com

Zinc Penny Project Tom Marschall 1-970-396-0133 [email protected]

MARCH, 2015 ISSUE

The News Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters Club 278 Sierra Vista Drive Fort Collins, CO. 80524

Documents

RMPTH MARCH 2015 NEWSLETTER