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Treasure Hunters, are you closely watching what is happening to the price of gold? The precious metal has continued to rise steadily the past five years, tremendously in the past few days.

For those of you who need to get up to speed quickly, in May of 1999, gold closed at $274 per ounce on the New York Stock Exchange. The same month in 2000, it had risen only one dollar to $275, and in 2001, creeping up to $282. Things started hopping at a little faster pace in 2002 at $315 an ounce.

But in May of this year, there was a marked increase at $365, a jump of $50 per ounce. And the price of gold continues to jump, sometimes nearly $10 per day. Yesterday the NYSE closed with gold prices at $373.90, today it closed at $382.20.

The gold market is hotter than a firecracker right now. Several analysts are predicting gold will rise well over $400 per ounce by the close of the year.

If you're buying or selling gold in a rapidly changing market, it's a wise idea to keep abreast of prices. My favorite website for doing this is www.kitco.com Not only can you search for today's prices, but also retrieve historical figures dating back several years.

Remember, when gold value continues to rise, it's great to buy at yesterday's prices, but keep a close eye on things so you don't sell at yesterday's prices.

Noteworthy Treasure News

Treasure Found in Afghanistan

Worth millions of dollars, the Bactrian treasure, hidden in Afghanistan for 2,000 years, has been found.

The treasure, approximately 20,000 gold coins and artifacts dating from Alexander the Great's conquest of the country in 327 BC, was discovered inside a palace vault in the capital city of Kabul.

Dating from Alexander the Great's conquest of the country in 327 BC, the artifacts were first unearthed in 1978 by a Soviet archaeologist. It was considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. Found inside six tombs were a golden crown, a gold pendant of Aphrodite and a dagger studded with jewels.

While the Taliban ruled the country, palace staff were beaten and tortured, in an effort to get them to reveal the code of entry to the vault.

Pueblo Packed Goods 55 miles

Ancient Pueblo Indians imported goods up to a distance of 55 miles, according to recent findings during a New Mexico archaeological dig in Chaco Canyon.

The Indians did so before vehicles with wheels were put into use, transporting corn for ceremonial use on their backs down the very long trail.

Evidence indicates not only maize was carried up to 62 miles, but also turquoise, ceramics, chert and approximately 200,000 timbers used to build the village.

Arizona lawmen wants body of Billy the Kid's mother exhumed
An Albuquerque lawman wants to know if Billy the Kid was really killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881, or if the outlaw escaped to Texas and died 70 years later.

Three Lincoln County sheriff's department employees have petitioned the court asking for an order to exhume the body of Catherine Antrim, Kid's mother.

DNA testing will determine if Antrim was a relative of Ollie L. "Brushy Bill" Roberts, a man claiming he was Billy the Kid, who died in 1950 in Hico, Texas.

The lawmen are also chasing down leads to determine whether or not Sheriff Garrett tracked down Billy the Kid and killed him after the outlaw escaped from the Lincoln County Jail.

Or did an accomplice provide a pistol before Kid's jailbreak on April 28, 1881? During that escape two deputies, James W. Bell and Robert Ollinger were gunned down.

Faces found on rocks

Italian experts are trying to decipher some of the oldest artwork ever found, carved faces on rocks that are 200,000 years old.

The expressive faces, one bearded, the other not, have been controversial. Some scientists believe they are geological formations, while others feel prehistoric man enjoyed creating a form of art.

Ship's Bell Found

The Odyssey shipwreck excavation company of Florida has found a ship's bell thought to be that of the SS Republic which sank 140 years ago.

Found off the coast of Georgia, the bell bears the markings "SSEE", which the Odyssey team indicates would have been SS Tennessee, the original name of the Republic. Additional examination and testing of the bell is currently underway.

The ship's cargo consisted of around 20,000 gold coins, planned for use in the reconstruction of the South following the Civil War.