Ill. treasure hunt halted as possible prank - Woman tore up vacant lot searching

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gfdqKcxmLVrbhs_2B2HkyoBJPbRwD9B4GRC00

By JIM SUHR (AP) – 18 hours ago

ST. LOUIS — An Illinois woman who set out on a treasure hunt for buried gold coins after finding a cryptic note in an antique rocking chair may have been the victim of a prolific prankster who died more than 30 years ago.

With help of a donated backhoe, Patty Henken recently tore up a vacant lot in Springfield, Ill., where a typewritten note signed by "Chauncey Wolcott" — found in an old chair she bought at auction last November — suggested she would find a chest containing more than $250 in U.S. gold coins.

The dig turned up nothing but bricks and old bottles. Henken planned to return Tuesday with the donated services of a man with ground-penetrating radar meant to detect any buried items, but the treasure note's promise may already be debunked.

An Iowa woman who read news accounts of the hunt said she knows Wolcott's true identity: John "Jay" Slaven, a notorious practical joker and coin collector who often used a typewriter in his pranks.

[Barack_America]

1. $250???

???

[AllentownJake]

2. $250 in Gold coins 30 years ago

Is a lot of a money right now. Seeing that Gold was below $300 an ounce 8 years ago.

Now think about this, if it was $250 in cash buried 30 years ago, would you dig up a field?

30 years of bad Federal Reserve policy

[Barack_America]

4. That's what I was wondering. If that was estimated current value or not.

[AllentownJake]

6. I'm guessing the face value is $250

If you had 5 oz of gold it would be worth around $5000 today.

[csziggy]

15. Here is the list of coins claimed in the note

"The stash, the note claimed, included eight $20 gold pieces, six $10 gold pieces, five $5 gold pieces, three $2 1/2 dollar gold pieces and two $1 gold pieces." From the OP article.

I know nothing about gold coins so I have no idea what these might be and if they might be collectible ***IF*** the note was true.

[csziggy]

7. Gold average price in 1979 - $306.68; 2009 - $931.37

So maybe $750 in gold if the note were real. (http://66.38.218.33/charts/historicalgold.html)

Here a backhoe is a minimum of $300 for two hours work, $100 per hour past that. (Or it was the last time I had to bury a horse.) So this sucker has paid for what, a full day's time for a backhoe? And now has to pay to re-level the lot?

Not a smart move, lady.

[freeplessinseattle]

8. right now I could shovel a lot for that kind of money!

but definitely wouldn't pay that much, either. luckily, she knew someone who could donate his backhoe (tho she may have offered him some reward, for who knows what amount, but that's fair).

"With help of a donated backhoe, Patty Henken recently tore up a vacant lot in Springfield, Ill."

[CreekDog]

11. gold peaked at $870/ounce in 1979

it was all over the news when I was a kid. my grandfather traded in commodities and made a killing.

a few years later he lost his shirt doing the same thing, but the market fell apart.

the same thing happens and gold has traded within the same range for years.

[csziggy]

12. Yes, but the average price that year was much lower

That is the problem with commodities - if you don't time it just right, you lose. :shrug:

[CreekDog]

10. No it's not...it's worth $291, big deal...Gold in 1979: $850/ounce Gold today: $1015/ounce

:eyes:

[Oregone]

3. If they are talking about the face value, that could be 5 American Eagles

Which would be $5 grand. Still seems like a lot of effort for that much

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Could be worth tens of thousands. A 1851-O $20 Liberty coin can be worth up to $40,000.

[csziggy]

13. If it were true, the collectible value would be the real bonanza

But it does not seem to be true so it is all a pipe dream.

[zbdent]

9. someone watched this movie one too many times ...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066495/

[csziggy]

16. Or this one

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057193/

[AngryAmish]

14. I love practical jokes

Funny.

[Dirtyhairy]

17. dumbass

LOL

[Nailzberg]

18. I gotta admit, as far as pranks go, that one is a beaut.

30 years after you're dead, still screwing with folks? That's awesome.