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In need of Information, Couple things, same area.
NewRockHounder
post Jun 8 2015, 01:16 PM
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I'm trying to find as much information on the Lost Topaz Mine and the Lost Treasure of Devil's Head. I came across an article awhile back on the Lost Treasure. Have yet to come across it again. I got some interesting tidbits of info from the FS Rangers on Saturday, has my interests peaked yet again. Misewell kill two birds, one giant topaz. happy112.gif Hound and treasure hunt... that is (yes, hounding is treasure hunting, I know..)

Any info, ya can give, is much appreciated. I'll keep on my search in the meantime.

Colin

P to the S - I tried to do a search in forums for both, nothing came up, is there any posts reguarding either?


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Denise
post Jun 9 2015, 09:21 AM
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Very cool Colin! As far as I can remember, I don't recall any CP forum talk about the Lost Topaz Mine and the Lost Treasure of Devil's Head. Sounds really interesting though! Would love to hear about what you find out.


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NewRockHounder
post Jun 9 2015, 10:47 PM
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I'll post, if you haven't heard already... if I find anything... happy112.gif research.gif


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Rockyrat
post Jun 10 2015, 09:59 AM
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I actually came across the Colorado Prospector website as a result of searching for lost treasure type stories in Colorado. It seems that there are several websites that state "There are numerous tales of buried treasure in the Devil's Head vicinity just waiting to be found" but they have few, if any specifics. I can only find references to two tales, the ones you know as well. If there are more tales specific to the Devils Head area, I have no idea what they are.

I did find one forum where someone posted the story I copied below. There isn't any specific location mentioned to start the search.

Story below copied from a post here: http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=28541

I thought about driving out there and looking for it but decided to do some research before I went. I spent a bunch of time Googling-here's what I found out. The story goes, that in 1923, an old man showed up at Devil's Head and was searching around for something. He was approached by a forest ranger who inquired about what he was doing. He eventually confessed he was part of a gang that robbed a train years back and was looking for the loot they stole and had buried there after the robbery. The newspaper article posted in the first post of this string was written in 1923, so it will be more accurate than the stories told years later that can be found by searching $60000 gold Devils Head in Google. Anyway, according to the article, the old man apparently confessed he was part of the Joel Collin's gang that had robbed the Union Pacific train and he was looking for the $60,000 in gold coins, or possibly just part of it, that the gang had buried during their getaway. Here's what actually happened: Joel Collins was part of the noted Sam Bass gang and in 1877 this gang did rob the Union Pacific in Big Springs, Nebraska-about 200 miles away from Devil's Head. They stole $60,000 in $20 'double eagles' (minted in 1877 and worth about 1400 each today). There were six robbers. After the robbery, they split up the loot, six ways, and headed out in pairs in different directions. Each would have been carrying 500 coins, weighing about 1.1 oz each or about 35 lbs total. Eventually, half the coins were recovered and 4 of the 6 ended up dead. Two got away-one supposedly ended up in New Orleans and the other was rumored to have made it to Canada. At the time, that was the largest train robbery in U.S. history. That was surpassed in October 1881 by a train robbery just north of Colorado Springs, where three robbers got away with close to 100k in cash and about 40k in jewels. That was the largest train robbery in Colorado history. They did head north, probably in the vicinity of Devil's Head, with a posse on them and ended up in Corinne, Utah. Supposedly they buried that loot along the banks of the Bear River, north of Corinne. Two of the three robbers were eventually charged with the train robbery and sentenced to prison. The third died after being shot. Maybe the people that were helping the old man look for the gold were making up these stories of the Joel Collins gang or maybe the old man was lying about what gang he was in and was looking for the loot from another robbery he was involved in with another gang. Possibly, the newspaper reporter was making up the story about the 60,000 in coins. Possibly, the old man was crazy. It's a good story, but the truth is, if there is anything buired there it's not the 60,000 in coins from the Union Pacific robbery.

There are some major differences in the story above from the story I found referenced below.

A Google search for the term "The Truth about the Devil's Head Gold Stash" provides a link to a page which is taken from a book,
Lost Mines and Buried Treasure by Edward Rochette. The story from that book is pretty much the same as the one copied above. Again, no real details.

Now there is also a book titled "Colorado's Lost Gold Mines and Buried Treasure" By Caroline Bancroft, Agnes Nafziger that does have the same lost gold story as above, but it also has some information on the "Lost Topaz Mine" which is supposedly in the same area. A Google search for the term "LOST DEVIL'S HEAD GOLD/SILVER" will bring up a link to the book and you can read the paragraphs for both topics. The only specific location in that section is on the west side of the mountain, and on the southwest side of a creek.

From what I've read in your posts, I think that your "endless pocket" location is probably as close to the Lost Topaz Mine as you could be. I'm also not sure that the term "Lost Topaz Mine" is accurate. My research makes me think that it isn't a "mine" in the traditional sense of the word, but was just a dig site. After all these years I would be surprised if anyone would be able to locate the site with the erosion that would've taken place.

As far as finding that lost Gold, who knows where that stuff is, if it's even there. I would imagine the only way that it will be found is by someone stumbling across it while hiking in the area.

So, I wish that I could be of more help, but it really seems like there isn't a lot of specific location information available on where to start looking. Of course people could have more specifics, but they aren't sharing since they may be looking for treasure themselves.


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NewRockHounder
post Jun 10 2015, 10:49 AM
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Thanks Rockyrat - I found similar info (tho not as gargled) I knew I had originally read it somewhere... thought it was a post here, turns out, it was the gem trails book. Following that and some other research I've done and some info I got from the FS rangers, I have a general idea where to look... at least for the "lost topaz mine." And I agree that it's not tech a mine, but rather one massive pocket. In my research (read the initial report from the first guy that stumbled on it) he stated that the pocket was 50ft long and 2-15ft wide, and averaging 4ft deep. No real mention of a mine. Other than the mine(s) that were created later on, on the best ground.... (so they think happy112.gif )

Colin


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mikeybrew
post Jun 10 2015, 11:01 PM
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Fascinating history, I too have always been fascinated by the story of the Lost Topaz Mine at DH, especially considering the locale is so close. Best I've done for topaz at DH is a couple really beat up specimens and chips found on the surface, but you know there's still gotta be some great pieces buried out there.


QUOTE (NewRockHounder @ Jun 10 2015, 11:49 AM) *
Thanks Rockyrat - I found similar info (tho not as gargled) I knew I had originally read it somewhere... thought it was a post here, turns out, it was the gem trails book. Following that and some other research I've done and some info I got from the FS rangers, I have a general idea where to look... at least for the "lost topaz mine." And I agree that it's not tech a mine, but rather one massive pocket. In my research (read the initial report from the first guy that stumbled on it) he stated that the pocket was 50ft long and 2-15ft wide, and averaging 4ft deep. No real mention of a mine. Other than the mine(s) that were created later on, on the best ground.... (so they think happy112.gif )

Colin

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