Treasure found...food for thought...

[Fuddyduddy1952]

In the county where we live buried is the Beale treasure.
Virginiaplaces.org
Geography of Virginia › beale

Beale's Brewery
Beale's Brewery › legen...
Legend of the Beale Treasure
(Bad links, but easy to look up)

Like most treasures it may be fact or fiction, but gold, silver, jewels in today's value probably worth $80-$100Mil.
What's fascinating to me is if you found it (seriously) what would you do?
If you reported it, you'd be faced with a nightmare. First, taxes I bet would be well over half. Then people would come out of the woodwork with lawyers...decendants claiming their share, "friends" asking for money. I bet it would be worse than lottery winnings.
Then, you could keep quiet...or could you? Even kept secret you'd have to get rid of it a little at a time, but how? Gold or silver bullion there are buyers, but wouldn't they get suspicious or report it? Jewels really hard to get rid of.
Even your (or family's) life could be in danger.
It seems like such a strange problem, a real roller coaster ride!

 

[Hoss710]

don't report it, lol. find a reliable buyer that you give a good deal when you decide to sell from time to time. A buyer who can buy it reasonable enough to make a profit. won't bite the hand that feeds him. be discreet and fair.

 

[Boss 302]

"In plain view of the Peaks of Otter"

My brother-in-law made a good living digging for Beales treasure throughout the years.

 

[Jstpssng]

Interesting. This link https://www.historicmysteries.com/beale-ciphers/ may work better, it's the one I used to read about it.

It seems like there are so many variables that even if it did exist, the finder would get nothing more than the recognition for finding it. I would go dig it up myself some weekend, but don't have the century left to live, that it would take to get through all of the litigation.

 

[Eaglesfate]

neat.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Life is too short to fantasize about this kind of stuff, plus my opinion is that people who fantasize about it all the time never win or find the jackpot.

 

[Eaglesfate]

Reminds me of all the various stories I heard about when I grew up in southern Illinois, each one had a huge sum of funds if one could find it. 11 Lost Treasures of Illinois

 

[polo1665]

Around these parts it's the "Legend of the Lost French Gold".

Legend of the Lost French Gold -OHIO

The story begins at the French occupied Fort Duquesne before an oncoming battle* against the English. Not knowing the outcome of the battle, the French spared ten men to escort a hoard of gold and silver to a place of safety, presumably Fort Detroit. According to the legend there were sixteen...

www.treasurenet.com

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Life is too short to fantasize about this kind of stuff, plus my opinion is that people who fantasize about it all the time never win or find the jackpot.

Oh, I agree 1000%, but I've always been fascinated with food for thought. I've never bought a lottery ticket, I've been to Vegas (the 60s was great...hate it now) but never gambled. I retired early.
I don't fantasize at all, but curious. I have my jackpot.

 

[Jstpssng]

Oh, I agree 1000%, but I've always been fascinated with food for thought. I've never bought a lottery ticket, I've been to Vegas (the 60s was great...hate it now) but never gambled. I retired early.
I don't fantasize at all, but curious. I have my jackpot.

It would be fun to do some research and maybe spend a couple of weekends looking... especially if you can turn it into a road trip.
I would like to spend a weekend panning for gold sometime. I wouldn't do it for the money, but it would be fun to have a vial of dust to remember the trip.