www.losttreasure.com

Online Newsletter Volume V, Issue 19, November 4, 2003

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. --Jimi Hendrix

Here's the Scoop

If you found a potentially historically significant cache, would you contact archaeologists? Or would you keep the find quiet and discreetly sell the items on the black market?

I am especially proud of metal detector operator Andy Whewell (story featured below). After unearthing an 11th Century A.D. silver hoard on the Isle of Man, he immediately stopped digging and notified officials.

All of us like to tout that we'd do the right thing in a given situation, but would we really? Or would greed and a mountain of red tape choke us under pressure. None of us really know how we'd react until faced with a given situation.

I believe American lawmakers should take a long, hard look at this country's treasure hunting laws. It seems to me, the laws currently in effect, do nothing but encourage people to hide a historical find and utilize the black market to sell it.

Whewell knew when he unearthed the silver cache on the Isle of Man that the government would respond by putting a valuation on the objects found and pay him a specific amount for the item. 

Under this type of system, treasure hunters don't have to run all around the countryside trying to convince an archaeologist, university professor or museum curator to look at an object. Nor do they have as much temptation to just quickly save a whole lot of hassle with the government and unload an object onto the black market.

Whewell also knew that if he didn't report the found objects, he was subject to stiff penalties by authorities.

When the law motivates people to bring in objects, there's more of a chance you'll begin to see treasure hunters, archaeologists, museum curators and the government working together for the same common goal. 

Until that happens, there's a whole lot of people wasting valuable hunting time fighting each other tooth and nail. Nobody gets as much accomplished pushing others around as they do pulling them to the table to work as a team.

Managing Editor

Farewell to the Gold Digger

Born August 22^nd 1955 

Died September 19^th 2003

On September 19^, 2003, the treasure hunting community sadly lost a wonderful person.  Donald Gene Gargis Jr. age 48 was taken from us in the aftermath of hurricane Isabel in an unfortunate accident at his home in City Point, Virginia, leaving a wife, Debbie and daughter Elizabeth Michelle, his mother Carolyn, two sisters, Suzanne Gargis and Julia G. Melvin and other family members.

 In past Lost Treasure magazine articles I have mentioned my friend and constant relic-hunting companion, Donnie the “Gold Digger” Gargis. Donnie and I have been friends for over 18 years.  We had worked together at Honeywell Chemical plant in Hopewell, Virginia.  We shared the same interest in metal detecting, Civil War and Native American artifacts, fishing and canoeing. He was the kind of person that never knew a stranger and lived life to the fullest.

 Donnie was born in Greenville, North Carolina and had spent most of his life in the Hopewell, Virginia area. He served in the U.S. Navy, was a member of the Archeological Society of Virginia, Tri-Cities Relic Hunters Club, he was a committee member of Explorer Post 999 Boy Scouts of America and a former member of the Coastal Canoeists.

If you were lucky enough to know Donnie, you would know how much he loved metal detecting.  He would metal detect or do an Archeological dig at a site and afterwards present all the recovered items to the landowner on a handmade plaque, identifying the artifacts and the history of the property. He was always looking for new places to relic hunt.  He loved the thrill of the search, treasure magazines, history and the great outdoors.

Donnie and I spent countless hours digging relics and having fun. We field tested all the new metal detectors and dug thousands of holes. I will have to say that in 99% of my relic hunting and 100% of my canoeing trips Donnie was with me. He was the guy that always found the most or the best relic wherever he went digging.  I believe you could take him metal detecting on the moon and he would somehow find a Confederate button or a nice silver coin. He has one of the finest relic collections imaginable. Donnie has found nearly every Civil war artifact a soldier could have lost. He beat all I ever saw.

Donnie had started a very successful online business, City Point Relics & Collectibles, selling relics and antique items all over the world.  I introduced him to Internet auctions a few years ago and within a few months he had a thriving business going on eBay, selling as the citypointrelicman.  If you were lucky enough to win one of his auctions, you didn’t just get a great relic, you got the complete history of who used it and where it came from.

I met Donnie for lunch a few days before the accident.  We planned to relic hunt September 18^th, but Hurricane Isabel cancelled the trip and indirectly, tragically took his life.

At his memorial service, the Chapel was overflowing with friends and family, a fitting tribute to my good friend.

My relic hunting days will never be the same with him gone and I will think of him every time I go metal detecting. Donnie always made it a point to fill in the holes he dug when relic hunting and any others he found left by other hunters.  However, the hole left by Donnie’s passing can never be filled.  He was one of the finest men I ever knew. I am proud to have him as my friend.

 If they have metal detecting in Heaven, I guarantee you Donnie is digging this morning. Farewell my friend Gold Digger.  We will miss you greatly. Your memory will live on in the hearts of your family and friends.

Terry M. Botts

Noteworthy Treasure News

Photo Courtesy of Manx Museum

Detectorist Reports Significant Find

Andy Whewell has shown the utmost in professionalism and integrity by reporting a silver cache he found earlier this year on the Isle of Man.

Immediately after discovering the hoard consisting of 464 coins, 25 ignots and a broken armlet, all dating to 1020 A.D., Whewell notified officials what he’d unearthed with a metal detector.

Allison Fox, Curator of Archaeology for Manx National Heritage said it was rare that such an important find is unearthed in such good condition, including fragments of the original container.

Nearly a thousand years ago, someone carefully buried this cache for safety, fully intending to return to reclaim it, according to Fox. For whatever reason, the person never returned and the silver has been left undisturbed ever since, Fox said.

“We have never had a find of this size and quality before. The hoard has even more importance because we had the opportunity to excavate the find site archaeologically,” Fox said.

Fox explained that the silver ingots were being used as bullion on the Isle of Man during the 11^th century A.D. Parts of the silver were cut off as payments were made.

But the coins were being used too, thus creating a dual economy, Fox said. Bends and marks in the coinage show they had been in circulation and most likely received in payment at face value.

“We are grateful to all who have been involved with the discovery and investigation of this find for their prompt and professional approach. In terms of quantity, quality and potential for providing information on our Viking heritage, in all senses, this find really is a treasure trove,“ Fox said.

After much research and documentation is completed, many people will enjoy Whewell’s treasure trove for years to come, as it is scheduled for public display at the Manx Museum.

A value of the silver cache will be determined by Manx National Heritage and Whewell will be “fully rewarded for properly declaring the items for consideration as a treasure trove,” Fox explained.

Under the terms of the Treasure Trove legislation on the Isle of Man, if finds are not promptly reported to Manx National Heritage, authorities could eliminate the finder from any reward and prosecute.

Two accused of taking Civil War-era artifacts from river

Courtesy of The Associated Press

SELMA, Alabama--Two divers who pulled a pre-Civil War-era rifle from the muddy bottom of the Alabama River were arrested and charged with violating an Alabama law protecting antiquities.

Selma police charged Birmingham dive shop operator Stephen David Phillips, 57, and Perry Thomas Massie, the head of a California-based cable television outdoors channel, with taking or possessing cultural artifacts without a permit, a felony.

Phillips and Massie were arrested Monday, just below the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and later released on $1,000 bond. Their boat and vehicle were confiscated. Police had noticed the diving most of the day Monday until about 6 p.m.

"We're not criminals. I don't sell any relics," Phillips told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday.

He believes the 1999 state law protects places like Indian burial grounds or shipwrecks, but not the Alabama River where he has dived for years.

"This law needs to come off the books," he said. "I can dive where I please until it's some historical, cultural site."

Phillips of Shelby County owns Southern Skin Diving Supply. He said Massie of Temecula, Calif., was upset by the arrest and would not comment.

Investigator Mark Rouleau, assistant district supervisor for the Department of Conservation, said the law passed in 1999 prohibits the removal, distributing or collecting of artifacts found underground. Rouleau said the two were dredging the river bottom looking for artifacts. But Phillips described it as a "salvage" operation.

State archaeologist Thomas Maher of Montgomery said four 5-gallon buckets of material taken from the river were taken from the two men. The most valuable item appeared to be a pre-Civil War-era rifle.

Phillips disputed Maher's claim that Civil War bullets also were recovered. Phillips said they were lead fishing weights.

"I don't think they tried to hide what they were doing," Maher said.

He said Phillips was known to the Historical Commission because he had protested passage of the 1999 law.

Rouleau said it is not illegal for someone to take artifacts, such as arrowheads, found above ground, but any digging for them requires a special permit. Phillip said he was unaware a permit was required to dive in the river, which he has done for 30 years.

"There are no shipwrecks there," he said.

Allan Andress, the conservation department's chief law enforcement officer, said his officers had taken training in the past year on enforcing the antiquities protection law.

He said violations more often occur in wildlife refuges.

Andress declined to discuss what Phillips and Massie told investigators about their activities.

Letters to the Editor

Dear Friend and Fellow Explorer/Prospector/Treasure Hunter, I am writing to you to let you know of something that I think is very important that I would like to share with you. I have just completed assembling the most unique and interesting e-package of my life. This is something that might even eventually rewrite the history books.

I have been working on this project for nearly 20 years and it is not yet over. As I write these words, I am in negotiations with the native Shuars who live near the Cueva de los Tayos, whose permission is necessary to enter and explore the area of the caves. I plan to mount an expedition with a film crew in coming months to search for the secret entrance to the cave from which the alleged metallic library can be accessed. This is apparently the greatest kept secret surrounding the Cueva de los Tayos enigma. Many people have entered the cave by the well-known, vertical entrance near the top of the mountain. However, calculate that it is nearly impossible or is impossible to reach the metallic library through this well-known entrance. The secret entrance is only accessed from underwater!

I have included a number of unique, rare and/or completely unknown documents in this package. You can now have some information about Juan Moricz, the metallic library and the tunnels that no living person has ever seen before. Some of these materials were given to me many years ago by Zoltan Czellar (now deceased), Juans partner of over 15 years and Julio Aguado Goyen (now deceased) from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Juan's best friend. You can read all about my past relationships with Zoltan and Julio in the archives of my free newsletter, Stan Grists Adventures Into the Unknown, available on Yahoo Groups using this link.

For your free subscription, please copy and paste this link into your browser address window: http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/StanGrist

For details about exactly what is in my new epackage, and to instantly order and download your copy of "Mysteries of the Ancient Tunnels, the Cueva de los Tayos, Juan Moricz, the Metallic Library and Much More" please copy and paste this link into your browser address window:
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This package, combined with the first round of publications from the archives of my free newsletter, provide you with the best possible information about "Mysteries of the Ancient Tunnels, the Cueva de los Tayos, Juan Moricz, the Metallic Library and Much More" I sincerely hope you enjoy this information and that it motivates you to investigate and study that which is your passion in life.

All the Best,
Stan Grist www.stangrist.com

Sharing Our Finds

It was a hot day in Arkansas to say the least.  My twin brother,  who introduced me to metal detecting,  had 7 years experience under his belt. A nice fishing spot which he has asked me not to share,  was the choice of search for that hot August day. With two Whites detectors,  a classic XL III,  and a 6000 DI Pro,  we began to search the area.  We discovered that a Civil War battle had occurred at this exact place nearly 140   years ago. Several bullets and musket rounds were found immediately. A US button was a nice find for me as well as a token with the words,  "Good for a 5 cent drink at Jim and Joe's Saloon" was probably my favorite find. An 1886 seated liberty dime was my first silver coin I had ever found,  and it made my brother very angry for it was older than any coin he had found since he started hunting treasure. Ha ha ha, I love it! 

The finds were becoming scattered. Few and far between.  My older brother from California asked me one day, "Do you ever search in the trees for bullets?"  He told me that some may exist in older trees still standing.  So I decided to search the trees no believing I would actually find any bullets. 

But what I found was remarkable and very original. And with months of exploration on the net,  I still have not found anything about what this thing is I found that day. I don't know if this is a coin or an amulette. Maybe it was to be a necklace or a good luck piece. I have no clue as to the date or who made this thing. 

I was searching a tree like my brother advised, trying to find civil war bullets. I came upon this tiny copper ring sticking out of a tree about one quarter inch. I knew it was copper because it had a green tint like an old penny left in the rain. I carefully dug it out with my pocket knife.  It took me about 30 minutes. I didn't want to scratch it. I got it out and split the knot of wood open with my fingers  and I was amazed!

I couldn't believe my eyes.  The trouble was,  I had no idea what the thing was.  And I still don't. But one thing that baffles me is,  I've had good luck ever since I found it.  I  found a great job.  I found a nice girlfriend.  And everything is going wonderfully in my life. 

I wish I knew how old this thing was. Or if anyone else in the world can tell me if they have one. I wonder often....Did a civil war soldier make this?

 Mike Owens Mikeyfortsmith@aol.com