MW’s Top Five: Top Five Treasures Unexpectedly Found

Whether hiking or fishing, renovating or bargain shopping, or doing whatever else- who knows what you might discover!

Treasure awaits and you never know when you might find it like those of the stories that follow.

Watch on video or read below MW’s Top Five Treasures Unexpectedly Found:

1)Middleham Jewel: Found while metal detecting

While metal detecting casually along a path near Middleham Castle (northern UK home of Richard III) in 1985, Ted Seaton discovered what is now called the Middleham Jewel.  This Jewel dates back to the late 15th century. It is an exquisite gold pendant set with a large blue sapphire.

The pendant is beautifully and skillfully designed.  The obverse includes a scene of the Trinity and Crucifixion of Jesus.  The reverse of the pendant depicts the scene of the Nativity, and figures of fifteen saints are around the frame.  There is also a sliding panel revealing a small cavity within the jewel.  This was found to hold tiny pieces of silk and gold thread.

The location where the jewel was found, and the remarkable quality of the jewel, leads many to believe it was owned by someone within or very close to the royal family.

Its value is around 3 million dollars.

 

2)Saddle Ridge Hoard: Found while hiking

In February 2013, a couple (who have chosen to remain anonymous and keep the location secret), were hiking along a trail on their property in California gold country when they spotted a rusted can near the base of a tree.  Exploring and digging further they realized there were several cans filled with gold coins hidden there.

The final cache of over 1400 gold coins, dating between 1847 to 1894, is the largest known hoard ever discovered in the USA.  It remains a mystery who originally buried the gold coins.  Who might have left them there for the present owners of the land to find.  Could they have been stolen and buried for safekeeping, or were they buried by someone who was distrustful of the banks?  We may never know.

Today, the value of the coins is believed to be around 10 million dollars.

 

3)Dunlap Broadside: Found behind a frame bought at a flea market

Shortly after the July 2nd decision to sever ties with Britain, a fair copy of the Declaration of Independence was taken to the shop of John Dunlap for printing. Leaders of the newly formed United States wanted to announce this event and distribute the Declaration across the colonies as quickly as possible. Although an exact count is not known, it is estimated around 200 first copies of the DOI were printed as Broadsides on July 4th, 1776.

Broadsides were large 23 inch x 17 ¼ inch one sided sheets and differ slightly from the following engrossed copy produced a few weeks later and now on display at the National Archives in Washington DC.  Only 26 Dunlap Broadsides are accounted for today.  And while a person might be quick to assume all others must be lost or destroyed from the passing of almost 250 years since their production, this is not the case.

It seems that every now and then a Dunlap Broadside is found.  According to a Harvard overview there were only 5 copies known to exist in 1888.  As time went on the number increased to 8 in 1900, then 11 in 1909, and 19 by the 1950’s.  Its current number of 26 is the result of some Broadsides being discovered in some unexpected and surprising places.

For instance, in 1955, a Dunlap Broadside was found in an attic in Albany, New York. It was being used as wrapping paper. And in 1968, it is recorded that a copy had been found in a crate, unopened since 1911, in Leary’s book store of Philadelphia.

I think the most incredible discovery of the Declaration was found in 1989 by a person looking for an old picture frame to use. Buying one for four dollars at a flea market in Pennsylvania, the person went home to replace the frame’s picture with the one he purchased the frame for. In this process, he discovered the backing of the picture inside his flea market frame was an authentic Dunlap Broadside.  This copy sold for over 8 million dollars in the year 2000.

 

4)Pearl of Puerto:  Found while fishing

The largest pearl ever found was discovered while fishing in the Philippines sea.  Not realizing the value of the pearl, it sat under the fisherman’s bed for years before it was appraised and given the attention it deserved in 2016.

The pearl weighs almost 75 pounds and measures over 2 feet long and 1 foot wide.  It is irregularly shaped, and replaces the Pearl of Lao Tzu as being the largest.  That pearl only weighed in at around 15 pounds and was found in 1939.

The Puerto Pearl is on display at the Puerto Princesa City Hall and is valued at about 100 million dollars.

 

5)The Sroda Treasure:  Found while renovating

The Sroda Treasure had been lost for over 600 years and was surprisingly found while renovating a section of old town in Poland.  It proves one never knows what hidden treasures are out there lost for you to find.

The treasure hoard was discovered in 1985 and included items considered to be one of the richest finds of the 20th century.  Most historians agree the valuable cache of jewels, coins, and royal ornaments, to have once been owned by Charles IV (House of Luxembourg), King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor.  It is believed the collection of precious artifacts had been hidden, forgotten, and lost since 1348.

One of the most notable pieces of the found treasure was a Royal Crown.  The adornments and style of the crown helped conclude the treasure belonged to Charles IV and most feel the Crown was that of Charles IV’s first wife.  Other items in the cache included 12 and 13th century gold pendants, rings of various designs, gold coins, and silver coins.  Much of the jewelry was set with incredible gemstones and included intricate designs.  The treasure’s extreme rarity makes it difficult to value, but estimates range upwards from 50 million dollars.

 

 

Best of luck with all that you seek!  Always Treasure the Adventure!