

"You know, he picked these up thinking they were modern trash.
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"His behavior was a model of how to respect the history," Harmon said. With that realization, he decided to turn them over to the park service.
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He told the park service that he believes the larger one matches coins from the 1660s and the smaller one matches coins from the 1290s, two full centuries before Columbus. The Colorado man’s research brought him to a startling conclusion. When he started looking at them, he’s like, 'Hey, these might actually be something, very old and very important.' He did a bit of research on his own on the internet and figured out that they were old Spanish coins." "He thought they (the coins) were maybe medallions from a wine bottle or something. “There was a lot of trash around," Harmon said. He was not using a metal detector their use is illegal in national recreation areas and other lands administered by the National Park Service. The Colorado hiker, whose identity is being kept confidential, told the park service that he spotted the coins just lying on the ground. "We're guessing one is probably silver and one is maybe copper."Īccording to Harmon, the coins were found in a popular tourist area that has at times been underwater in the decades after the Glen Canyon Dam was built in the 1960s. They don’t appear to be gold they are slightly greenish in color, suggesting the presence of copper. The two small coins - one about the size of a quarter and the other smaller than a dime - definitely give the appearance of being ancient. The National Park Service is trying to authenticate the coins and determine how they made it to that location.

These coins, which appear to be old Spanish coins dating back to the time of the conquistadors and perhaps even earlier, were allegedly found by a hiker near the Halls Crossing Marina on Lake Powell in September 2018. “For being in the elements, they look really well-preserved.”

“Well, we’re just trying to not touch them and (not) get oil from hands or whatever else, dirt on them," Riedel explained. Museum technician Lisa Riedel carefully unwrapped them while wearing white gloves. They’re being kept in Page, Arizona, in the archives of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. When KSL learned about the coins, though, Harmon confirmed the find and showed off the coins. They’ve been keeping the two coins under wraps, too - deliberately not publicizing the find - because they aren’t sure yet what to make of it. Park officials are keeping the exact location secret because of the possibility there are other undiscovered artifacts in the area. The mystery began last September when a hiker from Colorado made the discovery near the Halls Crossing Marina on Lake Powell. "I’ve never seen anything like this in my career." "This is very exciting," said park service archaeologist Brian Harmon. The big question the National Park Service is trying to answer is: If they’re real, what are they doing in southern Utah? Is it a remarkable discovery or a clever hoax?Ī hiker in southern Utah has found what appear to be old Spanish coins possibly dating back to the time of the conquistadors and perhaps even earlier, long before the voyages of Columbus. Reading or replaying the story in itsĪrchived form does not constitute a republication of the story. Only for your personal, non-commercial use.
