World Atlas Value

[Prime]

World Treasure Atlas

Since this forum is getting more activity than the one about which books to read, I thought I'd post this here to maybe generate a discussion.

I'm trying to find more information on a particularly rare book, first being the value of it. It is the World Treasure Atlas by Thomas P.Terry. This is not the same as the series of US treasure atlases. I have seen copies of it in "fair" condition with some wear and tear go for 2000$ USD 10 years ago, but since the book rarely shows up for sale it is very difficult to gauge what it's actually worth. Since the author unfortunately passed away, the possibility of re-publishing it went away with him as he founded the company that published the original. This is likely to cause the value to go up.

Secondly, there exists a hard cover leather-bound edition that's the size of a small coffee table and gives you the impression you're holding The Neverending Story in your hands. I don't know how this version came to be, was it a custom printing ordered by a library, or did Thomas P.Terry print a few of these. I have never seen it for sale, there isn't even a picture of it anywhere online. I know it exists because I have seen it personally at a library.

Third, how did Thomas compile all the information into one book, it must have taken him years of research. For those who don't know, it lists treasure stories divided by countries that span the entire globe. There are literally 1000's of treasure leads in it. It's really the type of thing you'd come across only if you were into research, which is how I found it.

Personally I feel the book is worth much more than what I've seen it listed for, firstly because of the inherent value of the info contained within it, secondly because of its rarity. I focus on research more than digging, and the amount of valuable information in this book is astounding.

Prime

 

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[Mackaydon]

What is the ISBN of the book you seek?
Don......

 

[Prime]

• ISBN-10: 093985001X
• ISBN-13: 978-0939850013

I'm not sure if one of these is for the hard-bound version, since I haven't found it online. Up until a few years ago there wasn't even a picture of the softcover version on google. I'm equally surprised by the total non-existence of any discussion about it on this forum, until I posted this. And for the record, the other treasure atlas by Derek Wilson is not even close to what this book is, so I wouldn't use that as a point of reference for the price.

Prime

 

[Muddyhandz]

It seems that Worldcat has a "print book" option for this listing......

https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3AWorld+Treasure+Atlas++au%3Aterry&qt=advanced&dblist=638

Maybe if you create an account?

Pretty hard to find otherwise!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Abebooks.com has most of the volumes of the United States Treasure Atlas (looks like 10 volumes make the full Atlas). One seller has the full set in softcover for $200.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=Thomas+P.+Terry&tn=&kn=Atlas&isbn=

I don't see a whole "world" treasure atlas from him listed for sale; though they do provide the ISBN numbers:

ISBN 10: 093985001X

ISBN 13: 9780939850013

 

[G.A.P.metal]

I use to sell the whole set of 10 i think for $39.00 back in the day 90s
I got one i`ll keep but not much help IMO
It is a great read !
Yes i saw it posted for up to $2000.00 the New York ver. is the most popular.
So i tried to sell it for that on another Treasure forum for that, and they deleted my post.
Some times i`m stupid... only worth $20.00 but a keeper.
Gary

 

[Tom_in_CA]

They're all fun reading. But no doubt just camp-fire legend, telephone game gone-awry stories.

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Ya it lists a lot of ghost towns...that have people living in them, and own the property.

 

[Prime]

Alright, I will share more of what I know. The World Treasure Atlas is indeed exceedingly rare, I've only seen a few copies for sale worldwide in 10 years. Less than 50 libraries around the world even have a copy, 37 of which are in the US. It is the type of book that even if you were rich you wouldn't be able to buy, unless someone somewhere decides to sell their copy, which could be next week or next year, or 5 years from now.

I have followed some of the stories for my area and they do check out as legitimate, I've seen them appear in hard to find local books. The thing about any treasure story is that they are all old, 100+ years is almost always the case. What happens over time is some of the stories get muddled, things get changed and so on. Some are based on hearsay while others on actual events but that's the nature of the hobby. It is up to the individual researcher then to figure out which leads to follow and carry on from the first step, if all the stories said "this is the spot, here you go, dig and enjoy" then everyone would be doing it and we'd have nothing left to find.

Without the atlas you'd have to start your investigation by physically going to archives and libraries all over and wade through an insane amount of books to find treasure leads. The book has done that for you, and while it doesn't contain every possible story in your location, it has a lot of them. It is the first step towards a physical search for loot.

I'm aware how common the US Treasure Atlas is, but the World Treasure Atlas is on another level and did not appear to have the same amount of prints issued which would explain why only a handful of people appear to know of its existence, and while the US Treasure Atlas covers only US states, this book covers the whole planet.

It seems that Worldcat has a "print book" option for this listing......

https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti...ced&dblist=638

Maybe if you create an account?

Pretty hard to find otherwise!

Print book means it's a physical copy, you cannot print it online as that would violate publishing terms.

Here is what it looks like.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Some are based on hearsay while others on actual events ....

Even if some have actual names, dates , etc... That still does not necessarily mean "a treasure must therefore exist". I would venture to say that ALL treasure stories will have some facts. But the bottom line is: If there is no treasure, then it doesn't matter if the guy's middle name and hometown were spelled correctly, whether or not he held a certain job on a certain date, etc....

 

[Prime]

Even if some have actual names, dates , etc... That still does not necessarily mean "a treasure must therefore exist". I would venture to say that ALL treasure stories will have some facts. But the bottom line is: If there is no treasure, then it doesn't matter if the guy's middle name and hometown were spelled correctly, whether or not he held a certain job on a certain date, etc....

Well of course, that goes without saying but you could say the same thing about archaeology, that uncertainty is part of the fun. You read what you can, then go out and search. You either get lucky or you don't but that's no reason not to search. The alternative is simply taking your metal detector and wandering around aimlessly. You can't say for sure there is no treasure, there are buried treasures out there, and it's up to the individual treasure hunter to decide what they're going after.

 

[boogeyman]

Ya it lists a lot of ghost towns...that have people living in them, and own the property.

I've got a almost new condition set, and the $39 - $49 price was what I paid. Noticed too about the ghost towns. He seemed to have a problem distinguishing between abandoned & ghost. I've got to give him credit though! Somewhere I've got a picture of him with boxes & boxes of 3" x 5" cards typing on a keypunch machine! Gawd! inputting all that'd make your eyes bleed!

These (my opinion) should be used just for a starting point. As with ANY treasure research you need to back up info with as many other sources as possible or you're going to be locating huge amounts of disappointment.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

...but that's no reason not to search. The alternative is simply taking your metal detector and wandering around aimlessly. ...

The TH'r needs to ask himself "are their more plausible explanations?" That would have saved millions of dollars on Oak Island, for example. Instead of starting with the assumption/premise: "There is a treasure here". Otherwise, you WILL be "wandering around aimlessly".

I have personally seen the "telephone game" at work in/on various local community level situations, that gave me an "aha" moment, of how the same psychology could manifest itself on national levels. And once such a story gets started, you can't put it to rest. And no one will ever dis-believe. Lest you be "left out" . People put critical thinking aside when it comes to treasure potential. And then yes: You wander around aimlessly when you chase such stories.

If anyone wants a bunch to chase: All you have to do it get a bunch of back issues of any treasure mag. from the 1960s and '70s. They were packed full of "lost mine" and "stolen stage coach loot" stories. Each one had faded newspaper clippings, drawings of miners posed next to their burros, etc..... A friend of mine even submitted one of those stories. To get the $50 story-submission/accept pay. All made up conjectures. But he had various "true" names and dates to make the story cool. We got a good laugh wondering if anyone ever went out and looked for it.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... you need to back up info with as many other sources as possible or you're going to be locating huge amounts of disappointment.

This sort of falls into the old saying of "separate fact from fiction". Right? But notice an underlying implication of this saying: It implies that there is a treasure to begin with. If that part of the "sources" and "facts" is true, the sure, the statement stands on its own merits. But if there ISN'T a treasure, then it won't matter HOW MANY "other sources" a person consults.

Kind of reminds me of the silly-ness of Oak Island: Persons sitting around debating coconut fibers, ocean currents that can carry fibers, depth that Cornish miners can dig, blah blah blah . All to "separate fact from fiction" and "consult other sources". Yet it all seems to have some sort of required premise/prerequisite in mind: That there is a treasure there. If there isn't, then who cares how deep cornish miners can dig ? Or how far coconut fibers can float on ocean currents ?

So what I'm saying is: A person can "consult other sources" till the cows come home. And if he finds and accepts that more plausible explanations exist, only THEN will he be freed from disappointment. JMHO

 

[Prime]

Tom, I see that you're not at all a fan of research, that's fine. To each their own as they say.

Cheers,

Prime

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Tom, I see that you're not at all a fan of research...

I research all the time. With critical eye to see more plausible explanations. Don't rush glossy eyed believing every story. It's netted me numerous records by honing time on better-potential leads

 

[G.A.P.metal]

world treasure atlas - Google Search

 

[Prime]

Just as an FYI, a good quality copy of the atlas recently sold on Ebay for above 1800$ USD, which I believe to be on the mid-lower end of its value given how rarely it shows up for sale online, and even more so in good shape.