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Could newly discovered gold coins be the haul stolen by SF Mint employee in 1901? [GOLD COINS]
DAILY MAIL UK ^ | 02/26/14 | STAFF

Posted on 02/26/2014 7:49:29 PM PST by BunnySlippers

The mysterious haul of gold coins discovered by a Northern California couple while out walking their dog – and valued at $10 million – may well be a previously undiscovered bounty that an employee of the San Francisco Mint was convicted of stealing in 1901.

The couple, who haven’t been named, stumbled across the haul of 1,427 rare, mint-condition gold coins, nearly all dating from 1847 to 1894, buried in the shadow of an old tree on their Gold Country property in February 2013.

The face value of the Saddle Ridge Hoard, as they’ve called it, added up to about $27,000, but some of the coins are so rare that experts say they could fetch nearly $1million apiece.

The couple went public with their amazing discovery on Tuesday, and treasure enthusiasts have been quick to suggest that the coins could be the same ones stolen by Walter Dimmick, an employee of the San Francisco Mint in the late 1800′s, reports Altered Dimensions.  Dimmick began working at the mint in 1898 and by 1901 was trusted with the keys to the vaults – until an audit revealed a $30,000 shortage in $20 Double Eagle coins, six bags in all.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: afterthegoldrush; california; coin; coincollecting; coins; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; gold; goldbugs; goldcoins; numismatics; saddleridgehoard; treasure
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So, does the State of CA claim it, or the thief's heirs?
1 posted on 02/26/2014 7:49:29 PM PST by BunnySlippers
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To: BunnySlippers

Prove it.


2 posted on 02/26/2014 7:50:22 PM PST by ClearCase_guy
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To: BunnySlippers

By the time its over they will probly get to keep the can.


3 posted on 02/26/2014 7:51:14 PM PST by Therapsid
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To: BunnySlippers

Tax-wise, the mint already took the writedown, so it gave up possession of those coins.


4 posted on 02/26/2014 7:51:33 PM PST by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults)
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To: BunnySlippers

You can bet the government will get it’s grubby hands on it one way or another.


5 posted on 02/26/2014 7:52:15 PM PST by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: BunnySlippers

6 posted on 02/26/2014 7:52:29 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: BunnySlippers

Story I heard says the cans were filled gradually with new coins over the course of a few decades, long before the mint theft.


7 posted on 02/26/2014 7:52:40 PM PST by Born to Conserve
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To: BunnySlippers

Finders keepers


8 posted on 02/26/2014 7:52:50 PM PST by miliantnutcase
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To: headstamp 2

THE STORY SAYS THE FINDERS HAVE TO KEEP THEIR NAMES HIDDEN FROM THE THEIF’S HEIRS. THEY HAVE THE MOST COMPELLING CLAIM ... AND THE STATE.


9 posted on 02/26/2014 7:53:44 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: Jonty30

You’re kidding right? I fully expect a raid by the Treasury folk within the week .... can see the Treasury SWAT team kicking down their door in the middle of the night after shooting their 12 week old puppy.


10 posted on 02/26/2014 7:54:10 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (On a good day Slow Joe doesn't do anything incredibly stupid ... waiting for that first good day!)
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To: headstamp 2

sorry about the caps.


11 posted on 02/26/2014 7:54:11 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: BunnySlippers

They should have kept their mouth shut.


12 posted on 02/26/2014 7:55:11 PM PST by Husker24
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To: BunnySlippers

There was a case a few years ago where a guy found some gold coins that had never been issued - the design itself had never been issued. They were a new design that were being made when FDR declared it illegal to own gold.

He had to give his 20 or so $10 gold coins back to the gov’t for face value. People claim it was because the coins should have been returned to the gov’t in the thirties - but I’m not sure - I think it was more that they were stolen.

BUT - wouldn’t the statute of limitations for the theft be over by then? Unless the gov’t could argue that the crime of “receiving stolen property” had just occurred.


13 posted on 02/26/2014 7:55:14 PM PST by 21twelve (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2185147/posts 2013 is 1933 REBORN)
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To: BunnySlippers; ClearCase_guy

>>So, does the State of CA claim it, or the thief’s heirs? <<

>>Prove It<<

I am pretty sure the thieve’s heirs would be SOL.

California, OTOH, may unilaterally decide to use Eminent Domain (or something similar).

If I was this couple I would get the heck out of Cali TONIGHT to someplace like Texas that respects property rights. Even then I would plan on escaping to a country that won’t tax or seize the coins (Monte Carlo?) since California could reach them in Texas via subpoena.

With millions of dollars at stake, it isn’t worth the risk of hanging around while California puts dozens of lawyers on the job of finding a way to steal it.


14 posted on 02/26/2014 7:55:21 PM PST by freedumb2003 (Fight Tapinophobia in all its forms! Do not submit to arduus privilege.)
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To: ClearCase_guy
The problem is that the thief stole double eagles. The coins found were half eagles, eagles and double eagles.
15 posted on 02/26/2014 7:55:25 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
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To: miliantnutcase

16 posted on 02/26/2014 7:56:12 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: freedumb2003

Same story but by Mashable:

http://mashable.com/2014/02/26/saddle-ridge-gold-coins-stolen-1898/


17 posted on 02/26/2014 7:58:30 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: BunnySlippers

If the state doesn’t claim the gold, they will be paying through the nose in state and federal taxes. I would have been tempted to only sell a few coins at a time and keep the rest hidden.


18 posted on 02/26/2014 7:59:49 PM PST by The Great RJ
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To: BunnySlippers
Very soon I predict this couple will learn the first rule of "Finding Lost Gold Club" is to SHTFU about "Finding Lost Gold Club"...

There is no logical reason to shout about finding such things.

All you do us open yourself up to ambulance chasing lawyers and a proctology examination by the Gub'ment...

Go buy a nice floor safe and sell the coins slowly and report it on your taxes when you do and you will do fine.

19 posted on 02/26/2014 8:02:42 PM PST by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: BunnySlippers
The finders would have been wise, perhaps, to first establish residence outside of California, and then slowly under the radar find a way to sell the coins.
Perhaps there is a consideration of the provenance of the coins with respect to their authenticity and value.
I'd be interested to learn how the greedy government interests attack this opportunity to steal wealth.
20 posted on 02/26/2014 8:06:37 PM PST by Amagi (Lenin: "Socialized Medicine is the Keystone to the Arch of the Socialist State.")
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