Posted on 05/25/2013 1:58:51 PM PDT by Theoria
A Florida man who went hunting for pythons in Florida’s Everglades returned instead with a mysterious treasure: an antique, diamond-studded gold medallion that could date back to the 17th century.
How the handmade, penny-sized amulet got there is a riddle. One theory is it could have been aboard a ValuJet plane that crashed nearby in May 1996 – or that perhaps it was part of the debris field from an Eastern Airlines crash in the same area in 1972. The fact that it is partially melted on one side could support that idea. But wherever it came from, Mark Rubinstein, the eagle-eyed snake hunter who found it, is determined to get it back home.
“It looks like it belongs to somebody,” he told FoxNews.com. But if the rightful owner can’t be found, Rubinstein says he’ll donate the heirloom to the Archdiocese of Miami.
The saga of the mysterious medallion began last February when Rubinstein and two friends were participating in Florida’s state-run Python Challenge, an attempt to hunt down the invasive snakes that can reach lengths of 18 feet.
After a fruitless day, he said, “We were walking back along a levee and something in the ground just caught my eye. I walked back and forth to make sure. I walked over and dug it out of the dirt. “
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Always keep your eyes open, could be a giant snake or gold. Ya never know.
Or, the guy acquired the item somewhere else entirely and this is his cover story. Happens all the time.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/biggest-python-captured-florida-caught-article-1.1350551
Thanks, I'd rather have the gold behind door #2.
I had been wondering where I dropped that!
It’s beautiful and distinctive. I think if you could figure out where the stones came from, that would be a start. Also, knowing the karat would help. European and Latin American gold is normally 18 K, US gold is usually 14K, and then there are the odd ones: 9 karat gold on Malta, for example.
This is a Greek cross (arms the same size) so it could also be from a Byzantine Christian tradition, probably Catholic rather than Orthodox. Lebanese perhaps?
“We were walking back along a levee and something in the ground just caught my eye. I walked back and forth to make sure. I walked over and dug it out of the dirt. “
I wonder why or if he went back to cover the ground with a metal detector. There my be more
“Partially melted” would lead one to believe that it is from one of the airplane crashes.
Obama will want “his piece” of the action.
I’m sure there’s more because it’s no doubt from one of the crashes. The setting may be hand made but it’s modern.
I’d look from somebody from the Christian Middle East on the manifest of the fallen flights. But then, you never know. The piece is beautiful, and a visitor could simply have bought it during her travels. It’s very possible that a family member will recognize it, however.
I’m glad the man is going to give it to the Church if no owners or families turn up. It meant something to whoever wore it, probably when she died in one of the crashes.
No theories about Pirate treasure? I guess I’ve seen too much Fool’s Gold and Captain Jack.
Only worth thousand bucks with diamonds and sapphires????
Got me?
If the diamonds are modern Tolkowsky-style brilliants instead of old European cuts that would definitely date it to the mid-20th century or later. The piece might also have hallmarks that could help with identification.
Nice dark yellow, the design almost looks celtic.
No granulation so it may be modern.
Nice find, I’d go back .
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
How the stones are cut would probably tell a lot,
the cross looks like amethyst.
Somehow I don’t think I would be advertising my find. But that’s just me.
“We wants it back, our Preciousssssss.......”
Quick, toss it into the fires of Moriah.
I only find loose change in parking lots...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.