Treasure Hunting Expeditions (i.e. Cocos Island)

[adiemus]

I've spent quite a few days researching treasure legends, etc. and stumbled across this wonderful forum, which I just joined.
I have so many questions, would kindly appreciate any thoughtful replies:

1) Perhaps I am naive, but some of the stories, especially with so much detail (i.e., Benito Bonito's treasure hidden on the Cocos Islands, or the Treasure of Lima) seem so compelling it strikes me as bizarre there haven't been more recent 'professional' efforts to explore the Cocos Islands.

2) For that matter, when I read of some other stories (i.e. Oak Island, even a more recent story about divers looking for Montezuma's treasure), I'm just surprised there haven't been more proper, professional and documented efforts.

Why is this the case? Is it that after centuries, these legends are really just for the crackpots and dreamers and most practical rational people find these stories fanciful but just that?

I guess I'm asking because I'm so fascinated and want to believe that these treasures can still be found! I'm also wondering because I imagine there are some more "professional" treasure hunters out there - is it just a lack of capital to 'go for it'? Seems like it would be incredible to be involved in a serious, well capitalized search (say, on the Cocos Islands)...

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

adiemus, it's because the legends are just that: legends, embellished stories, etc.... If you really want a bunch more to chase, just pick up any 1960s to '70s treasure mag, and have your pick. They all sort of sound like this: The dying cowboy miner, stumbled into the wild west saloon, the lone survivor of an indian attack. As curious bar patrons look on, he tells the story of fabulous wealth, in a hidden mine. After giving the 3 or 4 clues, he dies of his injuries, never able to reclaim his fortune!

I mean, c'mon! The reason they all sound so iron-clad, is the human psyche wants sooo hard to believe "lest you be left out"

And if you read closely between the lines of every one of the treasure lores, and ask yourself "how did they know this?" "who said?" etc.... things start to un-ravel. Even if things like newspaper clippings, etc... are cited, you still have to ask yourself "how did this reporter know?" Merely because someone told him!

Let me give you a short term example of how things like this get born, and you can extrapilate out over 100 yrs. This one took place in the space of only a few days:

A friend of mine was detecting an old-town sidewalk demolition project. As he would find each old coin, he would show the finds to the construction workers. As time went on, they became very dazzled and excited to see each new find. Then my friend found some sort of old amulet owl-shaped pendant thing, with what looked like red jewels for the eyes. Based on the age of the coins he was finding, he explained to the workers that this might be old. In fact, looked like gold too! And the jewels looked like rubies or something in the eyes! Everyone was very dazzled.

That night, my friend cleaned up his various finds. Turned out the owl charm thing, was nothing but gold plated worthless costume jewelry, with nothing but red glass for the eyes.

At the end of the next day, he was out working the newly removed sidewalk sections. This time however, a new worker on a tractor was eyeing him curiously from a distance. After awhile, this worker got the courage up to come talk to my friend. After some chit-chat about what my friend had found this day, the worker began to spin a story about a guy who had been there the day before, and was finding gold and silver! As he listened to the worker though, the worker made specific mention of a "solid gold owl jewelry thing", blah blah blah. Right away, my friend realized the worker was talking about him! So he corrected the worker, and told him that ...... "no, the charm thing wasn't gold, no the red stones were just common glass, and no, he was not finding "fistfulls of silver coins". But get this: The worker would not be dissuaded! When the guy heard my friend say this, he assumed then, that there must have been someone else out there hunting! Because you see, his buddies had told him around the water cooler, what had gone on the day before. And by then, must've .... uh .... gotten a little embellished. Whatever they told him, continued to baloon in his mind I guess.

Now this happened over only the course of a day or two. And if that worker had been interviewed, months later, he'd have probably given sworn testimony as to the accuracy of these details! Afterall: he got his information first hand right??, and afterall, he worked for the very company that was contracted to do the work, etc.... Can't argue with that, right?

I can give multiple other examples of this pschology going on. After 30+ yrs. of this, if I had a dollar for every sure-fired treasure lead, I wouldn't need to metal detect

 

[NHBandit]

Just my opinion but I'm guessing that out of 100 "lost treasure" legends 60 are bogus or the story has changed so many times it's truly lost forever, another 25 have been found over the years by people smart enough to keep it a secret and 10 were found by someone who made it public & then spent it all on lawyers in legal fees trying to keep it. If you know which 5 are legitimate AND are still in the area where they are supposed to be go for it. Keep in mind a 5 square mile area will take YEARS to search.