Real Piece of Spanish Treasure Found!!!

j.d. in the usa

Bronze Member
Sep 21, 2003
1,306
684
Allentown Pa.
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DFX 300
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All Treasure Hunting
Hi everyone, I found this ring on a 300 yr. old estate. I was walking between a lane of large oak trees, I found a crotal bell at 1 in. and was excited since it was my first... I walked about another 2 ft. and got a dime signal 3in. down I dug and found a 1773 spanish 1/2 reale, as I stood up I went back over the hole with my detector and it bounced back between button and quarter at 6in. depth in the same whole, I started to dig and hit 2 large tree roots I dug under the root and out popped the ring 3in. lower in the same whole than the reale, it was very encrusted with dirt and at first I thought it was a button but the dirt came off easy and I saw it was a gold ring I turned it around and there was sunlight going through the trees and when it hit the emeralds they just shined I also found a royal Spanish seal nearby.
I took it to 2 jewelers, the first said it couldnt be old because the emeralds were fake, but they were the best fakes he's ever seen. about 2 days later he called me back and offered me $100.00 for the ring because he wanted to show his apprentices a good quality fake.
The second said it was real and old and very rare because of the marque cut emeralds he said the marking on it was a hallmark and he could tell me the makers name that they didnt use karats when it was made, but thats all the info I got he wanted me to pay $500.00 to give me an official appraisal and info. I dont have that type of money laying around so I never did it, I was cleaning my stuff and I figured I'd show it here.

I took it to an antique jewelry dealer today, at first he looked disinterested in the ring.. he then looked at it under a microscope for about 10 min. it was driving me nuts lol lol, he then did 2 tests on it with some chemicals he was very scientific about it... after about 20 min... he walks over to us and says "I hope you have a safety deposit box, what you have here is real spanish treasure". and he told me the emeralds were real and of very high quality and color and it has 56 facets.. he then pulled out a book and tracked down the hallmark it was made in spain between 1760-1795, then he gave me this info, The 18th Century was a period of great change for the manufacturers of jewelry, for at the turn of the century, a Venetian Lapidary named Vincenzo Peruzzi invented the 56 faceted brilliant cut for stones which is still used today. It replaced the duller 16 faceted Mazarin cut of the previous century and launched diamonds to the forefront of jewelry design for the next 100 years. Metal work receded into the background almost completely and metals were used exclusively as inconspicuous back settings for diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.

The amount they charge for a written appraisal is astronomical!! I have no intention of selling it, needless to say we went and bought a safe today and my kids are already fighting over who's gonna inherit it. lol lol hh all jd

the pics are of the ring and the royal spansh seal....

Now is it 100% I personally cant say... I was told it was fake and I was told it was old... I want to beleive it is old and real spanish treasure!!
 

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One matter of warning to anyone, JD in this case, it's not wise to tell people you have something of that value in your house in a safe or otherwise. You should get a safe deposit box and repost that it is no longer in your house. It's very easy for some criminal to figure out who and where you are and try to steal something from you. Everyone on this site should be aware and not so trusting. It just takes one bad apple in the bunch. Sad to say, but it's the truth.
 

here are some of the other pieces that were found in the area, Doc seems to think they have something to do with the other finds so here they are, one is an old silver purse, there are 3 spanish reales,the other is a piece I dont know what it is, this is a real gun that was found there orig. it was in much better shape but I didnt know I had to preserve the metal and the gun has desintegrated.
 

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WOW! that is a stunning ring and its great that you provided the facinating story to go with it!

Just go`s to show how there are still so many people out there that want to `rip us off`
But thankfully still a few honest chaps eh?

Great decision to keep it safe thanks for sharing it with us.

Colin
 

Congrats on the find ! I agree with Stevesno, that jeweller who tried to hoodwink should be ashamed. I wonder how many people he has victimized? Cheers !
 

Those are some really great finds JD. Congratulations. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Leebo
 

J.D. see my post #15 on this thread; http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,42448.0.html I got a VERY thorough written appraisal from one of the foremost authorities of "historical jewelry" in the country, for $340.00. You can get a "verbal appraisal" from him for 65.00, over the phone, if you send him this ring Registered/Insured mail. His name is Barry Webber. He is a consultant for the Antiques Roadshow. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/roadshow/series/appraisers/s-z/weber.html

I URGE you to invest at least the $65.00 to find out conclusively WHAT this ring is. Barry KNOWS his stuff. I would hate for you to feel that this ring is worth 25,000, and after you die your family is told that it is worth $250.00. Get the best appraisal that money can buy. It will be a wise investment to contact Mr. Webber!!! Find out from someone that sees 300 year old jewelry EVERYDAY, not a local jewel!
 

Just getting into all this treasure hunting stuff and this site has got me so excited. That is a great looking ring, congrats on the find!
 

Bavaria Mike said:
Great finds JD and congrats! I looked at the pic before I read the write up and thought it resembled a Spanish ring similar to rings found from the 1715 fleets. HH, Mike

Mike,
Can you send me the link to those photos of the 1715 Fleet rings that look similar to JD's ring please......
The reason I am asking...is that I have never seen a ring from the Fleet look anything like this...anything like it, not even close.
My problem is with the setting and the historical time period...I didn't think prongs (that style) were in use back then.
Either in Spain......England.........France.........Dutch.....the time period has me baffled.
Can someone help clarify this........that prongs as this style were in use at the historical time period mentioned.

Trez
 

six-prong was introduced in 1886!.....can anyone verify this.

Thanks Doc.......

Just checking............

Trez
 

diving doc said:
DG already did way back around the begining of this thread.

Doc

Doc,
I'm sorry.......I don't really see DG's post.
Can you help w/o calling me a name..........lol

Trez
 

Trez, Doc has been helping out with this stuff and a few other people also... according to a jewelry "expert" I say that lightly at another forum has tracked down the 6 prong style with the flattened ridges with the style of the marquee cut emeralds down to 1840's.. that the most recent info I got on it...

Now I want you guys to help me ID this piece, I am posting it here for ID purposes only, how old is it?? what was it used for??? when I have all the facts about this piece I will say when, where, and how it was found... thanks you jd
 

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JD,
Please.......I hope your kidding ;)
I'm not going there.....lol, not a snow balls chance.....
I am learning in here that....
It is whatever you say it is, whatever it's purpose was? and however old someone says it is...

I will just start posting.. more like this from now on.

Example...

Wow dude or dud'et, whatever it is it's sure looks good to me ........awesome find.....super piece of whatever.
Or....
I will tell you...I haven't seen anything like that before...But, I'll have agree with you, there is no possible way it could be anything else...very nice find. I can only hope someday that I'll find one like that...do you think it may be...na...don't bother.

JD,
I wish I could help you...but I don't think you really need it.

Did you get my e-mail........as we discussed?

Trez
 

That's the sort of thing that keeps you motivated! I got chills looking at it, imagining how it got there. Dropped by a highwayman, slipped off a finger during a lovers picnic? Hurled away with a sob, or a curse?

Great story behind it, I'm sure!
 

Hey J.D.

I just wanted to say that those items are fantastic finds. I hope your going back and still detecting that area. There maybe more. IT might even benefit you to rent a deep box detector. I've enjoyed reading your post and hope your find more neat items. One question, have you or are you going to post how much the ring if worth? I saw one saying $350.00 but there is no way that's correct. Well take care.

Your Friend,

Steve in Michigan
 

This is interesting. Did you find this in Missouri? Excuse my ignorance but isn't Missouri
have more French history than Spanish? Have you done any historical research into
the 300 year old estate?

j.d. in missouri said:
Hi everyone, I found this ring on a 300 yr. old estate. I was walking between a lane of large oak trees, I found a crotal bell at 1 in. and was excited since it was my first... I walked about another 2 ft. and got a dime signal 3in. down I dug and found a 1773 spanish 1/2 reale, as I stood up I went back over the hole with my detector and it bounced back between button and quarter at 6in. depth in the same whole, I started to dig and hit 2 large tree roots I dug under the root and out popped the ring 3in. lower in the same whole than the reale, it was very encrusted with dirt and at first I thought it was a button but the dirt came off easy and I saw it was a gold ring I turned it around and there was sunlight going through the trees and when it hit the emeralds they just shined I also found a royal Spanish seal nearby.
I took it to 2 jewelers, the first said it couldnt be old because the emeralds were fake, but they were the best fakes he's ever seen. about 2 days later he called me back and offered me $100.00 for the ring because he wanted to show his apprentices a good quality fake.
The second said it was real and old and very rare because of the marque cut emeralds he said the marking on it was a hallmark and he could tell me the makers name that they didnt use karats when it was made, but thats all the info I got he wanted me to pay $500.00 to give me an official appraisal and info. I dont have that type of money laying around so I never did it, I was cleaning my stuff and I figured I'd show it here.

I took it to an antique jewelry dealer today, at first he looked disinterested in the ring.. he then looked at it under a microscope for about 10 min. it was driving me nuts lol lol, he then did 2 tests on it with some chemicals he was very scientific about it... after about 20 min... he walks over to us and says "I hope you have a safety deposit box, what you have here is real spanish treasure". and he told me the emeralds were real and of very high quality and color and it has 56 facets.. he then pulled out a book and tracked down the hallmark it was made in spain between 1760-1795, then he gave me this info, The 18th Century was a period of great change for the manufacturers of jewelry, for at the turn of the century, a Venetian Lapidary named Vincenzo Peruzzi invented the 56 faceted brilliant cut for stones which is still used today. It replaced the duller 16 faceted Mazarin cut of the previous century and launched diamonds to the forefront of jewelry design for the next 100 years. Metal work receded into the background almost completely and metals were used exclusively as inconspicuous back settings for diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.

The amount they charge for a written appraisal is astronomical!! I have no intention of selling it, needless to say we went and bought a safe today and my kids are already fighting over who's gonna inherit it. lol lol hh all jd

the pics are of the ring and the royal spansh seal....

Now is it 100% I personally cant say... I was told it was fake and I was told it was old... I want to beleive it is old and real spanish treasure!!
 

ourhistory153 said:
This is interesting. Did you find this in Missouri? Excuse my ignorance but isn't Missouri
have more French history than Spanish? Have you done any historical research into
the 300 year old estate?

No, or both actually. Spanish were first, then in the early 1800's it was changing to French ownership. My aunt lives on a piece of property that was granted to her husbands ancestors during the Spanish Land Grant. I need to get out there and detect one day :)
 

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