Once in awhile I come across an interesting coin or story but in this case it may be both (i.e., coins and a story). Here is the background: Johnny Thorpe was a legendary trapper and treasure hunter. He is best known for his book, "50 Years A Trapper & Treasure Hunter", where he recounts his adventures. One of his notable finds was the Lost Pond Silver Cache in Essex County, New York (not New Jersey). This cache included 27 lbs. of silver ingots, 43 lbs. of lead bars, 24 Spanish eight reales, 4 Spanish reales, and 17 Spanish milled dollars.
Thorpe's life was full of exciting stories and remarkable discoveries. He was also an accomplished writer and woodcarver. His contributions to the trapping and treasure hunting communities have left a lasting legacy. This book you can verify is being sold on
ebay. I live in Northern NJ and I assist a person who works at a local antique/coin store selling stuff for him on
ebay and evaluating certain numismatic finds that pop into his store. This one was interesting. The son of the father that knew Johnny Thorpe (Johnny Thorpe - son of the well known Indian Jim Thorpe the famous Olympian. The movie portrayed by Burt Lancaster)) knew Johnny personally in upstate NY and sold him these items. See pictures below:
Process. There are five cobs. Bring to the New International Coin Show this week for Cob evaluation. Verify if Cobs are real period pieces. If real try to bring this whole package to an auction house. Some auction houses where one has already said this could be a legal issue. But unsure? They would have no problem selling the coins however. But we have the coins assuming they turn out real with a letter from Thorpe with his signature (i.e., true - is it a real Thorpe signature?). What more can be done. Johnny Thorpe died in 2015. He has been discussed in the Treasurenet website as a well known legend treasure hunter. An archaeological find like this should be cataloged with this frame, letter and pedigree possibly with some disclaimer. What do you suggest? Be as negative as you wish. What else can I do? If the coins are real a find like this should be recorded at auction IMO. What do you suggest moving forward?
His obituary: Stony Creek:
Johnny Thorpe, a celebrated figure among trappers and die-hard outdoorsman, passed away at his home in Stony Creek, New York on October 27, 2015. His death coincided with the sixth super moon of the year with the fifth being the ultra-rare "blood moon".
Legendary trapper, seasoned treasure hunter, and master woodcarver are just some some of the titles Johnny Thorpe earned in his long and colorful life. He was also an accomplished writer, with hundreds of outdoor articles to his credit, written over the course of half a century. He published his memoir, "50 Years A Trapper & Treasure Hunter" in 1995 and it has remained in print to the present, a testament to Thorpe's storytelling talent.
Thorpe's status as an elder statesman of trapping was established long ago. He was inducted into the National Trapper's Hall of Fame in 1995, and was known as an articulate advocate of the outdoor lifestyle. He wielded a keen pen, and was sought after as a writer right up to his last published articles for Trapper's World, just a few months before his death. He was also an accomplished and prolific woodcarver, and produced thousands of totem poles, wooden figures, and artwork.
An avid outdoorsman, Johnny was living in a logging camp making more money trapping muskrats than grown men were making in defense plants - at the age of 15. Thorpe was lured to the Adirondacks by tales that spoke to his wilderness soul. After working as a wrangler at the popular dude ranches, Johnny became a farrier when he found he could make more money shoeing horses than riding rodeos. He was recently honored as an Adirondack Cowboy at an awards ceremony in Lake Luzerne in 2014
Johnny met his first wife, Patricia Winch, at the Rocky Ridge Ranch while she was a guest and he was working as a cowboy. After a courtship they settled in Lake Luzerne, eventually having six children.
Johnny is survived by his sons Jim and Bill Thorpe, his daughters Maryellen, Holly and Carolynn, and 7 grandchildren, Keturah Thorpe, Miranda, Mallory, and Marcus Fariello, Madeleine Thorpe and Maxine Reeve, and Jonah Thorpe; and his second wife, Patti Woods.
At Johnny's request there will be no calling hours scheduled. A memorial celebration of his life will take place at a later date next year. A future date will be posted at
https://www.JohnnyThorpe.comJohn Lorenzo
Numismatist
United States
Posted 01/15/2025 7:17 pm
