One morning, a California couple took their dog for a walk around their property – something they’d done many times before.
But on this morning walk, one of them noticed something strange.
The woman spotted a rusted tin can sticking out of the ground.
As they dug the can out of the dirt, the couple made a life-changing discovery.
They found old tin cans containing 1,411 gold coins.
The coins were minted between 1847 and 1894.
The couple learned the coins were worth over 10 million dollars.
It was the largest discovery of lost treasure in U.S. history.
Yet, no one could figure out how it got there.
The coins were probably buried in the late 1800s.
Most of the coins were $20 gold pieces minted in San Francisco during the California Gold Rush.
The coins were in pristine condition, a reason they are so valuable.
Experts believe the coins were never in common circulation.
At face value, the coins were worth about $28,000.
But with their rarity and condition, it was a much larger find.
There are many theories on how the coins ended up on the property.
There was the belief they may have been from a 1901 bank heist in San Francisco.
But the U.S. Treasury said the coins don’t match those you’d expect from that period.
The common theory is that the coins were the life savings of someone who lived on the property and didn’t trust banks.
So, they buried their money on the property and died without telling anyone where it was.
But there may never be answers.
For now, the secret of the largest buried treasure find in America remains a mystery.
I’m guessing the owner of the coins passed away before they were able to recover their cache.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, burying a cache is one of the cheapest and most secure ways of preserving your valuables.
But the real key to any cache is the items need to remain well-preserved and secure.
And the best caches are easily recovered by the owner, but impossible for anyone else to find.
So, if you are considering burying a cache of guns or supplies, here are a few containers that can be purchased, if you don’t want to make your own.
HQ Issue Burial Tube.
The HQ Issue tube is made from polymer. It’s waterproof and corrosion-resistant.
It’s made with an 0-ring seal, gamma lid, and a second lid for a secure seal.
This tube is tough as nails, making it great for stashing valuables long term.
The tube measures 12″ wide and 45.38″ tall (interior dimensions).
This container will hold a lot of stuff.
The downside is that you will have to spend some more time digging a deep enough hole.
If you are looking to stash long guns this is the container to use.
The HQ Issue tube sells for about $130 new.
SierraBase FoxLok Capsule.
The FoxLok has more of a time capsule design.
The capsule measures 21″ X 7″.
It is all useable space from the bottom to the top of the cap.
It has a 5/8″ wall thickness and each capsule is watertight tested before shipping.
The container is made from polyurethane, and is 100% Made in America.
The lid has a double o-ring seal, and is re-sealable, unlike some containers.
The FoxLok comes in either silver or red and is undetectable once buried.
The capsule sells for $199 new.
MTM SAC Survivor Can.
The MTM can is made for underground ammo storage.
But, you can use it to store anything you’d like.
The can is 10.25 x 10.25 x 11.5 inches and weighs 4.5 pounds.
This can is on the smaller side, so you may want to use more than one.
The ammo cans have a bucket-style body and a double O-Ring sealed lid for a protective cap design.
Every can comes with a vapor corrosion inhibitor plastic bag to line the ammo can.
It also includes a desiccant pack to help with humidity.
The MTM Survivor Can is made from polymer and sells for $20 new.
Obviously, hiding your stuff under a mattress won’t protect them from tornadoes, fires, hurricanes, or burglars.
But, burying a cache is a great way to store supplies for an emergency.
And these three cache choices can keep your valuables safe from the elements until you need them.
