How I first got into treasure hunting...I became the managing editor of Rock & Gem magazine (www.rockngem.com) in 2000
My treasure hunting obsession(s):
My most exciting find:Gold flakes and bits from Jamestown, California
My favorite places to look for treasure:Lake Superior, Michigan (I don't find much, but it's a fabulous place to be!)
My favorite treasure hunting techniques:
My treasure hunt toolkit contains...
I'm presently hunting for...
Recommended treasure hunting resources: Rock & Gem magazine (www.rockngem.com)
MY FINDS
Description of treasure:Turritella fossils, marine snail fossil (rounded object at lower left)
Where I found it:Old Topanga Canyon Rd., So. Calif., 2008
How I found it:on a field trip with the Ventura, Oxnard and Conejo gem and mineral clubs
Appraisal information:
Description of treasure:Garnet crystals
Where I found it:In a mail-order bag of gravel (see my article "Mail-Order Mining," in the June 2004 issue of Rock & Gem)
How I found it:Place a thin layer of gravel in a glass dish with some water and sort through with tweezers. The bright colors are easy to see among the gravel.
Appraisal information:
Description of treasure:gold bits and flakes
Where I found it:Jamestown, California (Mother Lode territory), 2007
How I found it:panning and sluicing on a private claim. I found a fee digging site on the Internet and contacted the claim owner.
Appraisal information:
Description of treasure:Lake Superior beach rocks
Where I found it:Michigan's Upper Peninsula, 2007
How I found it:How can you not find them? The hard part is holding out for the agates, which are few and far between.
