The Curse of Oak Island - The last "great" treasure hunting show?

So amigos there you have it a researched planed search that led to treasure. for a lost tomb of the child king. That ended in one of biggest treasure finds in history. And sadly the discoverer got very little from all the years of toil.

psssss want to buy some silver?

Crow :laughing7:

Thanks Crow.. Great share. So you think that research can still result in amazing lost treasure finds... I hope you are right. I like many children spent years dreaming about finding amazing hidden treasures.

Oak Island was one of those treasures I believed may be waiting to be found..

It nice to see that there are still those who believe that research can result in lost treasure being found. I am just one who thinks that if these lost fabled treasures are discovered it is more likely to be random chance.

I suppose it was to much to hope for that a treasure hunting show would find one of these treasures...
 

Thanks Crow.. Great share. So you think that research can still result in amazing lost treasure finds... I hope you are right. I like many children spent years dreaming about finding amazing hidden treasures.

Oak Island was one of those treasures I believed may be waiting to be found..

It nice to see that there are still those who believe that research can result in lost treasure being found. I am just one who thinks that if these lost fabled treasures are discovered it is more likely to be random chance.

I suppose it was to much to hope for that a treasure hunting show would find one of these treasures...

Gidday gazzahk

So you think that research can still result in amazing lost treasure finds... I hope you are right. I like many children spent years dreaming about finding amazing hidden treasures.


I do not think I know amigo. Big difference is in doing than just dreaming:laughing7:

It nice to see that there are still those who believe that research can result in lost treasure being found. I am just one who thinks that if these lost fabled treasures are discovered it is more likely to be random chance

It is true with a large proportion of lost treasures to a certain degree, there is chance even with the best of research an element of luck. Researching lost treasure is a lot like gambling amigo you got to know when to hold and when to fold. When the odds are in your favour. Even so there will always be an element of chance. All you are doing with research is trying to lower the odds against you.

While for the trio the likes of the Oak Island there is no missing treasure begin only speculation that their might be? So its not really some thing of interest. Do not gamble your precious time and effort on a fabled lost treasure that has no proof that a treasure exists in the first place?

Look for real missing treasures not fabled ones.

I suppose it was to much to hope for that a treasure hunting show would find one of these treasures...

TV shows are not in the business of treasure hunting. They are in the business of entertaining people and getting advertising revenue through ratings.

Crow
 

remember Tommy Thompson
to my limited knowledge, the TV coverage did not start until TV's most wanted so probably doesn't count
different hunt
 

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After watching Oak Island faithfully for several seasons, it finally dawned on me that if they actually DO find the treasure it would be all over the “legitimate “ news almost instantly , there’s no way they could keep it a secret and divulge it gradually in a tv show. There’s too many people involved, including the government and bonafide news people always on the look out for the “top” story of the year. So, I’ve pretty much quit watching the show on any kind of regular basis, I’m content to wait for the grand finale where they either find the treasure and embark on a whole new series about treasure hunting legal issues called “The Curse of Nova Scotia Treasure Laws” Or, they finally give up and total up theirs losses in a new series called “ Treasure Hunting and Financial Ruin”, either way, it’s bound to be a good show.
 

Finding treasure and becoming rich is a poor mans dream, I know, it’s one of mine. It seems that most of the great treasures found involved the outlaying of an extraordinary amount of money, like Mel Fisher and others with the shipwrecks. Very few that I know of involved average people stumbling onto unknown treasure, and it seems that those stories didn’t end well for the most part. You could cite the couple in California and their gold coins, but here again, they owned a home and a good bit of land in California which is already way more than I could ever hope to attain, and it still remains to be seen how they make out, so far it isn’t really going well in my point of view.
 

Finding treasure and becoming rich is a poor mans dream, I know, it’s one of mine. It seems that most of the great treasures found involved the outlaying of an extraordinary amount of money, like Mel Fisher and others with the shipwrecks. Very few that I know of involved average people stumbling onto unknown treasure, and it seems that those stories didn’t end well for the most part. You could cite the couple in California and their gold coins, but here again, they owned a home and a good bit of land in California which is already way more than I could ever hope to attain, and it still remains to be seen how they make out, so far it isn’t really going well in my point of view.

Gidday Bruce

Finding treasure and becoming rich is a poor mans dream.

Not necessarily Malcolm Campbell famous 1930's race car driver search Cocos island for treasure was rich already it was just a challenge. Lord Fitzwilliam search Cocos island using a cruise ship. He was so rich that the treasure most likely was nothing compared to what he was worth?

Bernard Keiser was wealthy inventor and owner of company that developed material used to produce space suits.He had wealth already. For some quite successful in their lives they need a challenge. There are others....but definitely not just a poor mans dream exclusively.


Very few that I know of involved average people stumbling onto unknown treasure, and it seems that those stories didn’t end well for the most part.

You have to break the current shackles of American eccentric way of thinking amigo. In many cases that is true but also in many cases people have done quite well. Take some of metal detectorists that have found caches in UK. Some of them have done very well for themselves. The world is your oyster amigo. You need to step out into the big wide world out of you comfort zone.

I find it very unsettling the defeatist attitude that pervades America these days. Its like the soul of America has given up the ghost. Once upon a time many countries looked up to America because of get up and go spirit. The one biggest lesson the trio has always respected and admired was that spirit. When you get knocked down you get back up again every time. That drive belief and desire to learn from mistakes. That is what made America great amigo.

Of
Very few that I know of involved average people stumbling onto unknown treasure, and it seems that those stories didn’t end well for the most part. .
My family was very average and was poor ass out of my pants living in 2 rooms up 2 rooms down hovel in Ireland before emigrated to Australia with only possession fitting in suit case. Nothing buddy absolutely nothing we had. We did the hard yards with all the crap jobs no one else wanted we went with out the toys. We had aspirations that we was going to get rich. From a young kid digging in gravels trying to dig for gemstones but in reality as poor as church mice. Living with hand me down clothes apple boxes stacked as a closet. Never having a bedroom to myself.

Then final working from 14 what ever crap job I could do. And through many jobs many snubbed, I was there doing it. The University of hard knocks is great teacher amigo.

Finally I fell into drilling work for mining industry with all changes of jobs to another through endless mining camps. With the specter of poverty hissing behind my back. I like many had like many employee mind set I worked as the whipping donkey took the whipping regardless of if i liked it or not. Until I became expendable amigos like so many of us do. Tossed to scrapheap of life looking for a hole to die in.

But you know what I and the Trio had many more failures than successes. Some in truth some have been pretty brutal. But it was that inspiration of the American spirit that lifted us amigo.

We decided to rebel from being the whipping donkeys who had enough of the whip. And sized the whip and decided success or failure we rather perish trying to be the master of our own destinies. Better to die on ones feet than cowering like a dog.

It was not easy as at first we had many failures in the attempt sink or swim. Finally we are just Mr average Joe blows. Hell you pass any of us in the street and ya never know. You will not see us with bling. None of us well ever publicly state how much we are worth, but never need to work again. You will find us very down to earth and approachable people.

I still have relatives back in Ireland still whining and moaning that there is no opportunities in life? But never made any effort do anything about that other than think of reasons why not to?

If you want to succeed you have change that mindset.

You have to be a "treasure hunter" in all facets of your life and push yourself way beyond your expected limitations.


Crow
 

During the goldrush many folks went bust or barely broke even compared to those who struck it rich.
And gold was and is real.
Heck , maybe some was stashed and not recovered.
A man in the right locale selling shovels and bowie knives and eggs might have been the one with treasure....
 

This was a pretty good response to read, definitely some things to keep in mind when thinking about treasure hunting.
 

interesting and instructive Crow, and you hit the spike on the head
ya got to get out
cut the umbilical cord
treadmills are for hamsters
beaten paths are for beaten men

Crow I look at the same wrt the US, and would identify narcissim and the feminization of the society. The public education system is so bad I am without words, and this is a worldwide problem. So the sheep are led.

I have never understood why wannabe prospectors do not go where the gold is. Become a geologist.
Or how a treasure hunter does not have a BIG travel budget. Become a writer. (see Snow above)

Gaz, sorry for the negative TV comments but I see TV as a big problem, like cell phones.

edit: should add my favorite while dissing the world
Parents who love their children do not send them to public schools.
 

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I have never understood why wannabe prospectors do not go where the gold is. Become a geologist.

Gaz, sorry for the negative TV comments but I see TV as a big problem,
Thanks Bill.. I am glad you decided to stay around..

The reason many of us wannabee prospectors do not do it is for a variety of reasons.

Like me. I am a successful businessman living in Asia. My own business is doing quite well. I am pretty comfortable with my life... But that does not stop me being interested in treasure hunting..

I am actually Australian and really enjoy Outback Opal Hunters and Aussie Gold Hunters as two great shows finding gold and opals in outback Australia. The life looks very hard and most of them seem at best to make decent wages.. There are some that have struck it pretty rich on these shows..

I just wonder if any of those more fabled treasures will show up... I hope they do...

Thanks everyone this has been a very interesting thread..

Best of luck to all...
 

Gaz
to get to reality, have you considered grubstaking someone? (of integrity, the biggie)
I am presently involved in opening an old mine, from my house.
lots of fun, minor money
 

Finding treasure and becoming rich is a poor mans dream, I know, it’s one of mine. It seems that most of the great treasures found involved the outlaying of an extraordinary amount of money, like Mel Fisher and others with the shipwrecks. Very few that I know of involved average people stumbling onto unknown treasure, and it seems that those stories didn’t end well for the most part. You could cite the couple in California and their gold coins, but here again, they owned a home and a good bit of land in California which is already way more than I could ever hope to attain, and it still remains to be seen how they make out, so far it isn’t really going well in my point of view.

check out 'member's best finds" here on treasurenet. Some of the caches are incredible, with out much money invested.
 

Thanks Bill.. I am glad you decided to stay around..

The reason many of us wannabee prospectors do not do it is for a variety of reasons.

Like me. I am a successful businessman living in Asia. My own business is doing quite well. I am pretty comfortable with my life... But that does not stop me being interested in treasure hunting..

I am actually Australian and really enjoy Outback Opal Hunters and Aussie Gold Hunters as two great shows finding gold and opals in outback Australia. The life looks very hard and most of them seem at best to make decent wages.. There are some that have struck it pretty rich on these shows..

I just wonder if any of those more fabled treasures will show up... I hope they do...

Thanks everyone this has been a very interesting thread..

Best of luck to all...

Gidday Amigo

I confess I have a guilty soft spot for opal Hunters. Especially lightning ridge. There is a bit of nostalgia for me. As a kid growing up I used to help my old boy dig through what they call "shin cracker" To the clays below. That was back in 70's and 80's when the field reached its peak production of black opals. My family did okay out of it as it helped pay off my parents mortgage of house on the coast.

By the 90s production fell. But it can be hard back braking and thankless you can work for months and find nothing.

However I understand fully how addictive it gets....And it is true most people around town live semi destitute others live semi destitute with a fortune of black opals. In summer its hot hot hot and fly blown. We used to go there in the winter months to work. But here is the thing for most if you add up time not getting money your only working for a average wage. That said others have hit pay dirt big time and made a lot of money.

While not as productive as it was its still a place for little guy has a chance through hard graft and a little luck to make it big.

Crow
 

when a kid I used to dig small opals out of a hill on my grandfather's ranch in CA
always wanted to do it seriously but never made it to Australia

but ya got to get out
 

Gidday amigos

"Shin cracker" was old "Aussie slang" for the hard crusty layer above the opal bearing stone below. I have scars on both shins where a pick has bounced off the shin cracker and smacked my shins.:laughing7:

Yep " shin cracker" Term quite explanatory.

Crow
 

I must admit the black open is beautiful gemstone as it comes in all colours of rainbow and no two stones are the same.

Australian-Black-Opals.jpg

Lightning Ridge is famous for Black open the matrix is dark. Cooper Peady is famous for white opal white matrix.

Rule of thumb on your lease ya sink a shaft on one corner work towards the other corner and sink a second shaft. The idea was that if you have a roof collapse and cut off from a shaft you have the second one to escape from. Secondarily it provides cross flow ventilation a draft to suck out carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide we exhale can be dangerous. A high concentration can displace oxygen in the air. If less oxygen is available to breathe, symptoms such as rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, clumsiness, emotional upsets and fatigue can result. As less oxygen becomes available, nausea and vomiting, collapse, convulsions, coma and death can occur.

I cannot count the amount of people I known suffocated themselves down holes or in confined spaces.

Searching from those 2 key shafts looking for traces of pock indicating presence of opal.

Crow
 

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A new season of Outback Opal Hunters has just started and I see in the shorts they are advertising that someone found a Million dollar opal this season. The pics on the shorts for that opal look amazing...

I am always really happy for those that find stuff. They deserve it.

Tuff life. Thanks Crow for the share about your experiences out there.

I visited Coober Pedy a couple of times but never did any looking for opals..
 

Here is some old pictures from mid 1970's this increased production ten fold by the 1990 there was glut and many miners quit the field.

img_0018.jpg

The first mechanical digger with hydraulic ceiling rams to support the room.

img105.jpg

This was in era that pioneered dust and small rock extraction by blower.

Below the even old fashioned way with pick digging by hand.

69-george-lowe.jpg

Today there are many miner reworking old leases finding stones in the walls previous miners missed. Most get lowered into old shafts and rework the edges looking for pock using air driven jackhammers.

2-margaret-scholfield-2002.jpg

Trust me on that it hard graft a few hours of hammers in tight dark hole wreaking havoc with your back and hands. With the risk of the roof coming down. you earn every cent amigo.

Hard Yaka

Crow
 

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