Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters Newsletter

The News
v. 18, n. 1 January 2014 Going for the Gold Visit RMPTH On The Internet At http://rmpth.com

Contents
1 2 4 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 How To Buy A Metal Detector About The News News From The Gold Region (1850) Gold On A Plane Obtaining Permission RMPTH 2013 Find Of The Year Winners Calendar of Events Calendars Golden Dome Renewed Interesting Facts Silverdale Viking Treasure Rich Farmlands Trading Post 2014 Schedule of Events Contact List

How To Buy A Metal Detector

etal Detecting for treasures opens up a new world of excitement and outdoor adventures not only for you, but it can also be a great way for your family and friends to join in America's fastest growing hobby. Metal Detecting is a fun way to enjoy the outdoors exploring for valuable treasures of all kinds. Not only is Metal Detecting fun, but it's the only hobby we know of that pays for itself with the money and valuables you find. So, what's the best metal detector for you? The best metal detector out there is the one that's right for your needs. Depending on where you live, your budget, and what you're interested in finding this could be a number of different metal detectors! Ask yourself... 1. What is it you want to find? Define Your Interests! There are a number of "all-purpose" metal detectors that will find everything from coins, rings and jewelry to relics and even Gold and they're available within every price range. Detectors such as the Pioneer 505, Garrett ACE 250, 350, or the Minelab Explorer SE, and the entire line of MP Series Metal Detectors are perfect for finding just about anything you could want. If your main goal is to have fun, go "coin shooting and jewelry hunting" you'll need an all-purpose metal detector with an exceptional pinpointing and discrimina(Continued on page 3)

Top Questions to Ask Before Buying a Metal Detector

"Freedom has a taste, and those that have fought for it, the taste is so sweet the protected will never know" ~ General George Patton

NOTICE
Due to New Years Day falling on the first Wednesday this month the January Meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 8!

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. Donations for ad makeup from sketches, etc., are available on request. About RMPTH RMPTH is an independent nonprofit hobbyist social club, open to anyone interested in prospecting, detecting or treasure hunting. Its purpose is to provide an educational and social forum of mutual benefit for members. RMPTH holds a monthly meeting and conducts 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.

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 coordinators, 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 prospecting, detecting and treasure hunting topics are welcome and encouraged. All items submitted for publication are subject to editing. Submittals for publication may be made in writing or, preferably, in ASCII text format on IBM-compatible disk. If you have questions about a submission, please contact the editor 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 appears is sent at no cost to RMPTH at the above mailing address. Clubs wishing to exchange newsletters with RMPTH are invited to send a copy of their newsletter together with an exchange request.

CLUB MEMBERS TAKE NOTE

Club Hats, Shirts, Jackets, & Patches are again available. See Paul Mayhak 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.
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tion features such as the Titan 9000, Fisher F5 or F70. But if you're searching specifically for relics, artifacts, buried coins and treasure caches, you'll need a detector like the Garrett GTI 2500 with Eagle Eye and Fisher Gemini III are recommended. For real hidden and buried treasure, Nokta Golden Gate and Golden King are favorites of serious treasure hunters. But if it's natural gold (Gold Nuggets - Gold Flakes) that you're after, you'll need a detector that operates at a higher frequency, such as the Minelab's Eureka Gold, Minelab X-Terra 705 Gold Pack, any of Fisher Gold Bugs or the deepest, the Minelab GPX 5000 a world wide favorite of Gold Hunters. 2. Where will you be metal detecting? Consider the ground conditions! Think about where you'll be hunting the majority of the time. If you plan to be searching in your own back yard, parks, playgrounds, old school yards, fishinghunting camps, and many other dry ground sites, then an allpurpose metal detector is the one for you, and there are many to choose from. If you live close to lakes or rivers and want to hunt the edges of the water for lost rings coins and jewelry, most all purpose metal detectors have waterproof search coils that are safe for shallow water. However, if you live close to a salt water ocean and want to go into the water where the entire metal detector can be submerged or dropped into the ocean, then you'll need an underwater/beach/land metal detector that has a waterproof housing, and one that can find treasures without the signal being disrupted by the conductivity in salt water or on a wet sandy beach. You'll want to check out the Minelab Excalibur II series, the Cobra Beach Magnet, Viper Trident or the Garrett Sea Hunter. NOTE: More Gold Rings and Jewelry are found at ocean beaches and lake swimming areas than anywhere else. 3. How often will you be metal detecting? Think about quality, warranties and more! Chances are, you'll become addicted to this great hobby just like the rest of us, so you'll want to consider the quality and sturdiness of your machine. Detectors like the Fisher F70 and F75 metal detector lines are rugged and built to last. But how often do you plan on going out to metal detect? How rough will you be on your machine? You might not plan on dropping it, but what about storing it in the trunk of your car? You'll want a machine that is built to last, so make sure you read the reviews on your machine and look at the warranty. Manufacturers such as Minelab, Garrett, White's and Fisher offer exceptional ironclad warranties that will keep you searching for years to come! And if you ever
The News, January 2014

need to send your machine in for repairs, these manufactures will give you excellent services! 4. Do you have any experience metal detecting? No worries, most Metal Detectors are out-of-the-box Easy to tune and easy to use. Pioneer 505, Titan 9000, Garrett AT Pro will give a beginner the taste of treasure hunting he or she is looking for. Other metal detectors have intuitive features that keep the learning curve low. MPX Series, Teknetics T2 and Minelab Sovereign are a few of such machines. But most people new to the hobby and even those who have some experience will have an easy, fun time using many detectors that have the very latest features and most of them are automatic! With Turn on and Go Quick Start: (1) Install Batteries (2) Turn detector on (3) Start Detecting. Or.. Turn on, choose prospecting for gold, or find coins, choose trash tune out level, and start hunting. Once you master the Quick Start feature you can either stop there or spend some time reading your instruction manual and trying some of the additional features available that can make you a better treasure hunter. Kellyco's staff of Certified Metal Detector Experts are always available to answer your questions and help you in any way, BEFORE and AFTER you purchase any product from us.. We are proud that we have accumulated more Customer Service Awards than any other company in the Metal Detector Industry. 5. How much do you want to spend? Consider the investment! Depending on the answers to the questions above, you may be making a serious investment in your metal detector. The technology to search the beaches, find pure gold or locate caches 8 ft. below the surface has taken years to develop and can be costly. But remember: One good find such as a diamond ring, gold bracelet or an old coin with a scarce date could pay for your detector. We hear from many people almost weekly who tell us about that "one find" that paid for their detector. It's far more common than you think. Buy the best you can afford. The better your detector, the more you'll find, and deeper you'll go to get the older more valuable coins and treasures. You'll have more features to identify your targets before you dig. You can cancel out all junk and trash and only dig valuable finds. Your detector will be more automatic and easy to tune and use. Whatever your budget, be it $200 or $500 or even $1000, you can find THE BEST for your budget by checking our "Metal Detectors by Price" section. No matter which machine you decide to go with, you
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News From The Gold Region (1850)

The following excerpt has been reprinted from THE DEMOCRAT in Bangor, Maine, September 10, 1850. THE DEMOCRAT Vol. 13, No. 33 Bangor, Maine, Tuesday Sept. 10, 1850 FROM CALIFORNIA - ARRIVAL OF THREE STEAMERS!

"The Central City Register noted that Wells Fargo Express took $14,000 in gold and two hundred pounds of silver bullion down to Denver on 30 December 1868. Nearly a thousand pounds of gold and silver had been shipped in the previous five days." Wells Fargo in Colorado Territory W. Turrrentine Jackson

more.

Gold Glossary
Bucket Line Dredge - Unlike the modern, small scale dredges; a bucket line dredge was very large. Instead of sucking up water and gravel through the use of water pressure, the bucket line dredges would scoop it up and run it through a long sluice box. Only 10 cents of gold was needed for each square yard of material to make a profit back when these dredges were common in the 1890s and on into the early 1900s.

he Empire City arrived at New York on Thursday. She brings $1,000,000 in gold.--The Georgia had $1,500,000, and the Cherokee has $1,000,000

The Panama arrived at Panama from San Francisco on the 21st. She brings TWO MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS in gold dust, and about 240 passengers. The Panama left Acapulco the 16th--On the 17th the Cholera broke out among the passengers and some 50 died. The Dust and Coin on Freight is $756,000--Dust and Coin in the hands of the Passengers is $400,000. ANARCHY IN THE MINES We are in the state of transition from bad to worse. The miners are up in arms, irritated beyond endurance, and there is a universal sentiment of hatred against foreigners. At the Mormon Gulch resolutions have been passed to drive all Mexicans from the mines; they have received notice to quit in 15 days, or they will be expelled by force. A physician and his companion were attacked in their tent near Sonora, by two Mexicans, who attempted to cut the throats of the Americans.--Both of the latter were wounded; but neither fatally. An alarm was given by one of them, and the two assassins were pursued and captured.-- Their trial, condemnation, and execution will be summary; no doubt the whole business of their existence has ere this been brought to a conclusion. MINING INTELLIGENCE The news from the mines is exceeding good, the yields of gold are daily increasing as the waters recede. Extensive dams and trenches have been made in several parts for the purpose of turning the streams. An anticipation shared in by most of the miners is that when the waters subside there will be found an abundance of dust. Murphy's Diggings--A company of seven men have taken out, in one spot, in the above named location, in less than seven weeks, $15,000 in gold dust. This is their net proceeds, clear of expenses.
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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.

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Another company of six took out, in the same diggings, last week, forty-two pounds of dust. The company is working fifty four feet beneath the surface. The great points of concentration are the Mercedes, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus. Encouraging accounts have reached us from the Calaveras.--There is no lack of provisions and the health of the whole district is excellent. In one portion of the mines, a party of Mexicans working under Americans, have perched themselves on a piece of table land, existing on the top of a mountain, and here, secreted from the eyes of the tax collector, they are making a pile. The Sacramentonians boast now and then of a ten or twenty pound lump. At Murphy's a miner has in his possession a lump weighing ninety-three pounds, of which it has been ascertained at least one-half is pure gold. Two thousand four hundred "holes" are registered at Murphy's as preemption claims. Those not present at the first of August to answer in the matter of preemptions, forfeit their claims. Mercedes--A lucky hombre, on the head waters of the Mercedes, has extracted a lump weighing eighty-three pounds, nearly all pure gold. San Antonio--At this point, which was deserted last winter, five men have been taking out, on an average, seven ounces each for the past eleven days. The report is favorable from all the mining region south; and the yield is undoubtedly greater than at any previous season. If the troubles which agitate our district were only at an end, which we feel assured soon will be, the San Joaquin district would rapidly distance any other section of the State. Thanks to New 49's Club http://www.goldgold.com/stories/news1849_3.htm

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

Refreshment Volunteers
January Rick Mattingly & Mike Noll February Dick & Sharon French March Volunteer Needed! April Heidi Short May Volunteer Needed! June Volunteer Needed! July Volunteer Needed! August Volunteer Needed! September Volunteer Needed! October Volunteer Needed! November Volunteer Needed!
The News, January 2014

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.

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Gold On A Plane
$1.2 million in gold bars found stashed in Boeing 737's bathroom EPA World News 11/23/2013 http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/ By Alexander Smith, NBC News contributor

The flight had traveled from Mumbai to Thailand's capital Bangkok, before returning to Kolkata for the night. Sharma said the bars weigh 53 pounds in total and appeared to have originated in the United Arab Emirates. They were found in a compartment in the bathroom. While this is the first time gold bars have been found on a plane at the airport, security checks have in the past caught people trying to smuggle gold onto aircraft in their hand luggage, the airport director said. A customs official told NBC News that an investigation had been launched but no arrests had been made. India has traditionally been the worlds largest importer of gold, although that title is being threatened this year by China. Much of India's vast gold consumption is hoarded or offered to the gods.

hidden stash of gold bars worth $1.2 million was found in a commercial jet's bathroom on Tuesday, according to officials in India.

An aircraft maintenance crew found the 24 gold bars in two bags aboard a Jet Airways Boeing 737 while they performed routine end-of-day checks at Kolkata, India, airport. It was quite a surprise, airport director BP Sharma told NBC News. The bars were packed in bags so we did not immediately know what it was. The bags were inspected and found to be gold.

A customs officer (right) shows 24 gold bars to the media after it was seized at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, India, on Wednesday.
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Obtaining Permission

n this great hobby of ours, there's a key element that plays a deciding factor in being successful. Everyone can be successful and find great stuff, but in order to find great stuff there is a price to pay. This price is "obtaining permission". To many, obtaining permission isn't an easy task. Lets face it, not everyone is a salesman, and some aren't the out spoken type. The way I see it, and I hope others will sit back and really think about this, you only live once, if you don't ask, somebody else will follow behind you and will. I have found through my years of asking for permission, most folks are decent people. It's always a good thing to know the fellas name before walking up to the door and introducing yourself. Why? Well, first off, this fella you just called by name gets the first impression you're either a local which makes him more comfortable, or you know somebody that knows him. It is high priority to make the land owner comfortable when first approaching. Always look the man or lady in the eyes. No eye contact makes land owners very uneasy. Couple of other pointers, dress decent, clean shaven, and well groomed. Just put yourself in their shoes and what they are looking at. First impressions play a huge roll right off the bat. Its also a great idea to ask the land owner if he knows some of the locals that you know, this carry conversation and you never know, he might think highly of this person, if not, which I have run into this before, just play along with his feelings towards this person, but don't dwell on it, make a salesman's move and skip to another subject without breaking stride. I'm always up front with land owners in what I'm searching for. Believe it or not, land owners are just as interested as

you are for the most part. Many times I have told the land owner there's a civil war camp on their property. Their first response is "really?". With this said it gives you a lead to follow up with some of the history. Another key element is putting the guilt treatment on the land owner to say yes. Now this may sound crazy, but it can be done and works. For instance, you have been reading on the activity in your area for a long time. Maybe not on this particular piece of property, but in general the area and time frame. You have also been searching in the area for old sites, this isn't the first piece of property you have looked, so a key line is, "I've been looking for this place for 3 years now an I know I'm getting close. I also will say this right afterwards, "It may not be here, and if it's not, I have just eliminated this property and can move on". What this does to a land owner is, one, he knows you have been searching for this site for years now, and saying NO will make him look like a horses butt, which he probably isn't. Secondly, you told him, "it might not be here" which leads him to believe this might not take long so what's the harm. This also builds curiosity with a land owner. I also tell the land owner if it's there, this is what we will find. At this point and time I show him a small sampling of the GOOD stuff I have found at other sites. Don't show him a bunch of junk, whip out the great stuff. Many times land owners have looked at the stuff and said, "this could be out there?" or "what is this, or that thing?". This leads to more conversation. Throw some humor into the conversation by telling a story about one of your previous hunting trips. Laughing, smiling, and showing confidence is a must. It is crucial to take along some of your cool relics to show a new land owner, you would be surprised at their reactions to this stuff. Many have never seen this stuff before, and
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(Continued from page 7)

with you telling them this could be out there, it makes them even more curious, plus, it shows honestly. Now this guy feels a little more at ease with you being a stranger. It also helps to incorporate a little about yourself here and there. I always offer the land owner whatever I find. Most just say they just want to see it, and some could care less. Old coins are good to show. There's something about the money that really catches their eye versus the relics. I guess its the way our society revolves. Once permission is granted lets say, there's one key line every land owner wants to hear come from your mouth. This should be the first thing you say once he says okay. "I will never come here without contacting you first and making sure it's okay to return". That one line will be the most important line you could ever say. This property is their land which they take pride in. They don't want it abused, taken advantage of, and they want you to respect it. Being shy, timid, or scared has no role in being successful in obtaining permission. Most great sites are on private property, and we must be the salesman to get permission to get on there. It's always a good thing to tell the land owner you're leaving for the day when finished. This shows respect which the land owner wants. If the site pans out, there's only one way to protect for future hunts. Show the guy some of what you found. This shows the land owner it's there, and you're honest. Most think you're going to find gold, well we know the chances of that. I always offer my seated coins to the land owner. I tell them I'm not interested in the coins. Now we are back on the money issue which most think old coins are worth a lot because they are old. I tell them I'm only interested in the relics. I always give eagle buttons and bullets to the land owner. Heck, most have never seen an eagle button. Take the time to explain just what it is. Being successful does have a price, it's the price of the selling ones self. Success doesn't come over night, if you fail, try again. If you don't, somebody else will, and what might have been yours, will be somebody else's. How many times do we live? Once! One other note, before getting out and going to a door., ALWAYS open your car door, slam it hard with you inside. If there are bad dogs, they will be arriving shortly. If they do not, most of the time the coast is clear. Knocking on a door, a bad dog arrives, it's too late I wish you the best in your search, and I hope this helps some. Welcome to this great hobby of metal detecting. P.A.T.H. Finders Keepers newsletter, March, 2002 ED NOTE: You will find several example Permission Forms on the RMPTH Website.

TREASURE HUNT
Paul Mayhak is coordinating another Treasure Hunt for RMPTH members only ! Each month Paul will provide another clue to recovery of the solid 3 ounce silver bar treasure. The clues will be provided first at the monthly club meetings, with a follow up repeat in the newsletter. Based upon the honor system, Paul is asking that members only search for the treasure on weekends to provide a level playing field for those members who have full-time jobs.

First Clue: IM IN A PARK Second Clue: IM NOT IN FORT COLLINS

The News, January 2014

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RMPTH Find Of The Year Winners 2013

inners for 2013 include the following:

Best Jewelry: Ray Hettinger; Mans Gold Ring With Diamonds Oldest Coin: Mike Noll; 1841-O Seated Dime Most Valuable Coin: Bud Yoder; 1872 Shield Nickel Best Bottle: Bud Yoder; Cantrell & Cochranes Torpedo Bottle Most Raw Gold: Brian Hoover; Gold Nugget Largest Raw Gold: Mike Noll; Placer Gold Most Unique Find (Excavated); Bud Yoder; Fort Sanders D.T. Trade Token Most Unique Find (Non-Excavated); Darrel Koleber; Pre-WWII Philippines Peso Rock, Gem, Mineral & Fossil: Darrell Koleber; Dinosaur Fossil ====================== Best Find of the Year: Bud Yoder; Fort Sanders D.T. Trade Token Winners receive a certificate and a Morgan Silver Dollar. Congratulation to all the 2013 Winners!

"The express and stagecoach business continued to have problems from both thieves and Indian attacks. The coach that left Salt Lake City on 25 August 1868 was robbed of $100,000, mostly in bullion, approximately seven miles west of Le Clede Station. There were four men in the party, one of whom was quite young with thin visage, two with very small feet and small bald heads, one with very large boot heels. They appeared from their tracks to have gone south. Wells Fargo immediately offered a $15,000 reward, $10,000 for the recovery of the contents of the treasure box and $5,000 for the arrest and conviction of the robbers, or a proportionate amount for the recovery of part of the treasure or any of the robbers." Wells Fargo in Colorado Territory W. Turrrentine Jackson

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Calendar of Events
January Meeting Wednesday, January 2. We will meet at the Pulliam Building in downtown Loveland at 7:00PM. 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 "Battery Facts By John Ptacek of Batteries Plus. Bring your battery questions!

RMPTH DUES
RMPTH is an unincorporated Social Club with no income generated. All expenses are covered by $25 annual dues. Members are requested to consider minor donations at each monthly meeting to cover refreshments.

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

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!).
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January 2014
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1
New Years Day

2 9
RMPTH Board Meeting 6:00P

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13

7 14 21 28

8
RMPTH Planning Session 6:00P RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

NOTE SPECIAL MEETING DATE FOR JANUARY!

15 22 29

16 23 30

20 27

February 2014
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 9 16 23
The News, January 2014

3 10 17
Presidents Day

4 11 18 25

5
RMPTH Planning Session 6:00P RMPTH Meeting 7:00P

6 13
RMPTH Board Meeting 6:00P

7 14
Valentines Day

8 15 22

12 19 26

20 27

21 28

24

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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 particular 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 ongoing 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, vehicles breaking down, wrong meeting sites, etc. Please be understanding of extenuating circumstances and contact 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.

Golden Dome Renewed

'Wrap' removal begins at Colorado State Capitol Posted: 12/26/2013 Deb Stanley Deb Stanley | Email Me DENVER -

n the next 24-48 hours, Coloradans will once again be able to see, at least part of, the gold dome on the state Capitol.

Last year, crews put scaffolding around the gold dome to do repair work. A few months ago, a scrim was wrapped around the building to allow crews to work in winter weather conditions. Thursday, crews began removing the scrim. The project is expected to take two days. Disassembling the scaffolding will take about six weeks, officials said. During the renovation project, crews repaired damage to the columns, railings and facades above the roof of the Capitol, replaced windows and regilded the famous gold dome. It took 65 ounces of gold to regild the dome. The dome was initially covered in gold by miners in 1908. It has been regilded in 1949, 1980 and 1991. The renovation project was estimated to cost about $17 million, according to the contractors.

PERMISSION FIRST!
Guilder Jill Eide places the 24-karat gold leaf at the base of the state Capitol dome. The new gold leaf was applied over the copperclad dome. (Photo by Kathryn Scott Osler/The Denver Post via Getty Images) Page 12 The News, January 2014

Interesting Facts

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair. A comet's tail always points away from the sun. The Swine Flu vaccine in 1976 caused more death and illness than the disease it was intended to prevent. Caffeine increases the power of aspirin and other painkillers, that is why it is found in some medicines. The military salute is a motion that evolved from medieval times, when knights in armor raised their visors to reveal their identity. If you get into the bottom of a well or a tall chimney and look up, you can see stars, even in the middle of the day. When a person dies, hearing is the last sense to go. The first sense lost is sight. In ancient times strangers shook hands to show that they were unarmed. Strawberries are the only fruits whose seeds grow on the outside. Avocados have the highest calories of any fruit at 167 calories per hundred grams. The moon moves about two inches away from the Earth each year. The Earth gets 100 tons heavier every day due to falling space dust. Due to earth's gravity it is impossible for mountains to be higher than 15,000 meters. Mickey Mouse is known as "Topolino" in Italy . Soldiers do not march in step when going across bridges because they could set up a vibration which could be sufficient to knock the bridge down. Everything weighs one percent less at the equator. For every extra kilogram carried on a space flight, 530 kg of excess fuel are needed at lift-off. The letter J does not appear anywhere on the periodic table of the elements.

t takes glass one million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite amount of times!

Gold is the only metal that doesn't rust, even if it's buried in the ground for thousands of years . Your tongue is the only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end. If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. When a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off. Each year 2,000,000 smokers either quit smoking or die of tobacco-related diseases. Zero is the only number that cannot be represented by Roman numerals. Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers. The song, Auld Lang Syne, is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year. Drinking water after eating reduces the acid in your mouth by 61 percent. Peanut oil is used for cooking in submarines because it doesn't smoke unless it's heated above 450F. The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear. Nine out of every 10 living things live in the ocean. The banana cannot reproduce itself. It can be propagated only by the hand of man. Airports at higher altitudes require a longer airstrip due to lower air density. The University of Alaska spans four time zones. The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot heal itself. In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage. Catching it meant she accepted. Warner Communications paid $28 million for the copyright to the song Happy Birthday.
The News, January 2014

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Silverdale Viking Treasure

County museum service raises 110,000 to acquire Silverdale hoard, the third-largest Viking hoard found in UK Maev Kennedy The Guardian, Friday 11 October 2013 14.04 EDT

made it treasure, which a coroner's inquest valued at 110,000, shared between Webster and the landowner. Dozens of coins dated the hoard to about AD900, and also demonstrated the breadth of the Viking world, including Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian, Frankish and Islamic examples. The rarest with a cross dating it to the time when the Vikings adopted the powerful new god of the Christians bears the name Airdeconut, believed to be an attempt at the Scandinavian Harthacnut, a previously unrecorded ruler. There was also a coin minted for the nephew of Alfred the Great, and a fake coin with a thin film of silver over copper. Dame Jenny Abramsky, chair of the memorial fund, said: "The Silverdale hoard offers a unique window into the lives and craftsmanship of the Vikings who inhabited Lancashire over 1,000 years ago. The fund exists to make sure historic gems such as this are not lost from this country and so our trustees felt it was vital it should be saved for future generations to learn from and enjoy." The museum service has created a special exhibition around the find, The Silverdale Hoard: the Story So Far, which will open at Lancaster City Museum on 25 October, and then go on display in its permanent home at the Museum of Lancashire in Preston next year. The hoard weighs in at more than two kilos, including scores of fragments of chopped-up jewellery the "hacksilver" used by the Vikings by weight as currency. The largest-ever find, the Cuerdale hoard of 8,600 pieces, adding up to 40 kilos of silver, was found by workmen in 1840 only 60 miles away.

spectacular stash of Viking treasure more than 200 pieces of silver including beautiful arm rings, brooches, silver ingots, and a battered, misspelt coin that revealed a previously unknown Viking ruler will go on display this month near where it was found by a metal-detector enthusiast two years ago. The hoard was found packed into a lead container inches below the surface of a field in Lancashire. But whether it would be displayed in the county where it was found had seemed in doubt in the economic climate. Now, though, Lancashire county museum service has raised the 110,000 that it needed to acquire the third-largest Viking hoard found in the UK, with the help of a 45,000 grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, 33,000 from the Art Fund charity, plus other grants and local donations. It was found in 2011 by Darren Webster, a stonemason who was out with the metal detector his wife had given him for Christmas. The field, on the outskirts of the village of Silverdale, near the Lancashire coast, had never yielded anything more exciting than a Tudor half-groat, but in a break between dropping his son to school and returning to work, he had no time to go any further. He was initially disappointed when a strong signal proved to be caused by a scruffy piece of lead, but when he lifted what proved to be part of the container and silver began to cascade out, he realised he had something special. He recalled that as soon as he saw the arm rings, including one unusual one combining Carolingian and Irish design elements, he knew the hoard was Viking. He reported it under the Portable Antiquities Scheme for recording archaeological finds, but the silver
Page 14

A museum examines a silver coin that is part of the Silverdale Viking hoard. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images
The News, January 2014

Rich Farmlands
by Chris Bennett in Farm Press Blog December, 2013

Gold Glossary
Alluvial Or Bench Deposits - An alluvial deposit is an ancient river-washed rock and gravel bar that may be thousands of feet from the nearest stream, creek, or river. Alluvial (or bench) deposits contain untapped potential for finding gold because such areas have never been worked before.

ou just never know what you may be standing on.

2013: Producer Bruce Lilienthal hit the jackpot when he found a large, unusual rock on his Minnesota farmland. He dragged the beast to his driveway and forgot about it. His wife suspected it was a meteorite and after testing, she was proven right the rock was an asteroid chunk. No word on whether Lilienthal sold the rock, but it should bring a hefty sum. In 2012, a 10.5-ounce Martian meteorite sold for 10.5 ounces. Lilienthals is 33 pounds, 16 inches long and 2 inches wide. 2013: When Ifor Edwards, a Welsh farmer, lost his keys in his fields, he called on Cliff Massey, Wrexham Heritage Society, and his metal detector. Massey found the keys and 14 coins from the 14th and 15th centuries. The coins were expected to bring approximately $750 each split between Edwards and Massey. You just cant believe youre holding something that is 600 and something years old, said Edwards. We only bought the land three years ago and nothing like this has ever been found before. Its only a waiting game, more farmland secrets will be coughed up in 2014

Gold Facts
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

YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD BE HERE! Call Rick Mattingly at 970-613-8968 or rickmatt@q.com

The News, January 2014 Page 15

Trading Post
FOR SALE: Jewelers propane/oxygen torch, many cabochons, beads and tools. Contact Ann at (970) 6667-3705. FOR SALE: Tekonsha Prodigy Trailer Brake Controller - 1 to 4 Axles - Proportional, Model 90185. High quality, popular brake controller at a great price. Proportional brake controller. Includes digital display, 3 boost levels, battery protection and continuous diagnostics. Easily transfer between different automobiles and using this brake controller it is simple and easy. Comes with mounting bracket, vinyl cover, and instructions. Requires separate purchase of proportional wiring adapter for your make and model tow vehicle that is available off the Internet. $45 includes shipping within the U.S. E-mail Nick Kerpchar at mtview4us@msn.com 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, instruction booklet & video, carry case. Ready to go for the gold: $1900. Contact Paul at (970) 482-7846. FOR SALE: 5HP pump motor, Gold King 3" Hi-banker with dredge attachment w/adjustable stand, Gold Grabber Hibanker, 125 feet hose, Rock net and steel cable, misc. fittings and valves & large metal bucket. Prefer to sell all together for $1,350 but negotiable. Call Eric Stickland at (303) 833-6848 or estick@live.com. WANTED: Used lapidary equipment. Call Kathie 970-2211623 WANTED: Federal or state duck stamps; mint or used. Contact John Hart at (307) 778-3993. YELLOWSTONE FAREWELL Wyoming adventure novel. Diamonds, Gold, Volcanic activity, Prospecting. Factual geology; Fictional story. $18.00 + $4.00 S&H. Spur Ridge Enterprises, POB 1719, Laramie, WY 82073. Internet: http://yellowstonefarewell.com/

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: rickmatt@q.com Commercial Advertising Specifications (Monthly Donation Rate) Full Page (8 1/2" X 7") Half Page (3 1/4" X 7") One Third Page (3" X 4") Business Card (2 3/4" X 1 1/2") $30 $20 $15 $ 5

Ads must be received by the 15th of the preceding month. Contact Rick Mattingly for information on this service at (970) 613-6968 evenings or e-mail at: rickmatt@q.com.

All mistakes and misspellings were intentionally made so that you could have the pleasure of finding them.

NOTE: Purchase arrangements are between the buyer and seller only and involves no financial benefit to RMPTH.

"When gold panning is outlawed, only outlaws will have gold pans."
Page 16 The News, January 2014

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 cognizant of their potential destructive effect on the environment 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

(Continued from page 3)

are guaranteed to have paid for it in miscellaneous change, coveted relics, rare coins or recovered jewelry in no time. Bonus: What if you are searching for deep buried or hidden treasures on land or water? You need a detector or detectors that will go much deeper than even the best hobby or consumer types. Detecting Devices from OKM can penetrate a few feet in the ground and scan as deep as 80 FEET! The Nokta Golden King is another favorite of serious treasure hunters needing to find DEEP Gold Treasures. Nokta claims to locate and identify Gold Targets to 8 meters. Both are detectors with real time 3D imaging, in a way it's like seeing into the ground! And there are other detectors you can investigate listed as Professional Metal Detectors. Have More Questions? Call a Certified Metal Detector Expert at Kellyco Toll Free: 1-888-535-5926 or 407-699-8700

ARGO TUNNEL PROJECT

The Newhouse Tunnel Co., Ltd. was formed in London in 1893. They acquired the stock of the Argo Mining, Drainage, and Transportation Co., which had incorporated earlier in 1893 for the express purpose of driving a tunnel through the mountain from Idaho Springs, Colorado, to Central City with mining locations along the line of the tunnel, in the same fashion as the famous Sutro Tunnel on the Comstock Lode in Nevada. The investors hoped that the tunnel would intersect gold quartz veins. The mill opened in 1895, and this solid gold piece struck from Colorado gold was given to Company administrators. The small hole at the top shows no wear, and may have been a medal worn at the bottom of a ribbon on the Company president's lapel. About 1898, the Newhouse was controlled by consolidated Franklin Mines Co. By 1899, the Newhouse Tunnel and Mining Company became known as the Argo Transportation and Tunnel Co., Ltd. according to Spence in British Investments and the American Mining Frontier. Another source, The Mining Manual, 1900, said the name of the company was the Argo Tunnel and Mining Co., Ltd. Directors were A. W. Byron, F. Hargraves, J. R. Hutchinson, D. G. Spiro, M. I. Newhouse, and S. Newhouse. By 1900, the Argo was driven 7500 linear feet toward Central City. The projected length was 20,000 feet. By 1901, the 12' x 12' tunnel had been driven 11,500 feet, and was finished in a few short years afterward. The Company was sold in 1905 and the new owners changed the name to Argo Mining and Tunnel Co., incorporated in Delaware, with capitol reported of $1,250,000. Today the Argo Tunnel, Mine, and Mill sites house a mining museum, and is the subject of EPA action concerning acid and heavy metal mine water drainage. In 1995, the local politicians discussed the idea of expanding the tunnel to facilitate automobile traffic between the two cities. It was decidedly not cost effective and tabled indefinitely.
Page 17

Offer Your Assistance To Any Of Our Program Coordinators

The News, January 2014

Rocky Mountain Prospectors and Treasure Hunters Club 2014 Schedule of Events
Month
January

Meeting Program
Battery Facts By Batteries Plus
Found Explosives Safety By Rick Mattingly

Trip/Activity
No Trip/Activity Scheduled

February

No Trip/Activity Scheduled Internet Research Clinic - Rick Mattingly Colorado School of Mines Museum Tour Prospecting & Detecting Clinic at Lions Park Advertised and Open to the Public Wyoming Geologic Survey Office Tour & Diamond Prospecting Clinic Prospecting Clinic at Lions Park Advertised and Open to the Public Clear Creek Gold Outing - Darrel Koleber Lets Go Gold Panning On The Arkansas Event Clear Creek Gold Outing - Darrel Koleber State Annual Gold Panning Championships

March

Gold Wheel Recovery By Darrel Koleber

April

Crack, Crevasse Prospecting By Bryon Morgan

May

Gold & Platinum in Wyoming By Wayne SutherlandWSGS

June

Metal Detecting By Rick Mattingly & Paul Mayhak

July

Diamonds By Wayne SutherlandWSGS

Diamond Hunt Outing Clear Creek Gold Outing - Darrel Koleber Eldora Ski Resort Detector Outing - Robert Crain

August

The Great Wyoming Diamond Hoax By Rick Mattingly

Off-Road Detector Outing Vics Gold Panning Outing Annual Coin & Prize Hunt Denver Colorado Gem & Mineral Show Fort Laramie Wyoming Tour

September

Bottle Hunting By Rick Mattingly

October

Emergency Planning By Light House Ready Annual Show & Tell & Silent Auction Annual Find of the Year Awards & Christmas Party

Grassland Detector Outing

November

No Trip/Activity Scheduled

December

Flatirons Mineral Club & Model Train Show

Good Hunting in 2014!

Page 18 The News, January 2014

Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters Contact List

RMPTH Coordinators President Interim Vice President Treasurer Secretary The News Staff Editor-in-Chief Internet Web Site Web Master Volunteers/Coordinators Finds Program Paul Mayhak Betsy Emond Joe Johnston Rick Mattingly Barbara Schuldt Barbara Schuldt Joe Johnston Heidi Short Bryan Morgan Darrell Koleber Shane Menenti Paul Mayhak Johnny Berndsen Woody Hogdon Shane Menenti 1-970-482-7846 1-970-218-0290 1-303-696-6950 1-970-613-8968 1-970-407-1336 1-970-407-1336 1-303-696-6950 1-970-532-1167 1-970-416-0608 1-970-669-2599 1-970-590-9183 1-970-482-7846 1-970-667-1006 1-970-667-5010 1-970-590-9183 pjmcolo@q.com bemond@fcgov.com cjoej1@peoplepc.com Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 Rick Mattingly 1-970-613-8968 Bud Yoder Shane Menenti Dick & Sharon French Heidi Short Home 1-970-590-9183 1-970-482-2110 1-970-532-1167 E-Mail bydu812@yahoo.com menentiwe2@msn.com dickyf99@centurylink.net heishort@gmail.com

rickmatt@q.com

rickmatt@q.com

Presentations Club Historian Club Meeting Greeter Club Librarian Club Photo Librarian Panning Demos Meeting Setup Door Prize 50/50 Drawing Coin Raffle

rickmatt@q.com
cjoej1@peoplepc.com heishort@gmail.com brymorg@frii.com gutshot1016@yahoo.com menentiwe2@msn.com pjmcolo@q.com ftcolwoody@juno.com menentiwe2@msn.com

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

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

Lets Go For The Gold !

The News, January 2014 Page 19

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

JANUARY, 2014 ISSUE