Lost Gold Coins of the Genoa Hills

During the 1860s, Genoa was a town where silver and gold fever ran high.
To outsmart potential robbers, a paymaster hit upon an unconventional method of transporting a payroll shipment: conceal the gold coins within a regular nail keg and arrange for it to be sent with delivery, hoping to avoid arousing suspicion.

Unfortunately, news of this unique strategy reached the ears of the wrong individuals.

One day, robbers held up the stagecoach carrying the nail keg filled with gold coins. The thieves quickly escape, leaving behind a stunned group of stagecoach passengers and a mystery that would remain unsolved for years.

It wasn’t until years later, when a dying miner’s conscience got the better of him, that the truth behind the robbery began to emerge. In a confession from his deathbed, the miner revealed that the stolen loot, totaling a considerable $20,000 in twenty-dollar gold coins, had been buried near a pine tree close to the spot where the scene of the robbery.

Word of the hidden treasure spread like wildfire, capturing the imaginations of countless treasure hunters eager to claim the elusive fortune. Residents and fortune-seekers alike flocked to the hills surrounding Genoa, digging up trees for the lost gold coins. However, their efforts proved fruitless, as the treasure remained stubbornly hidden.

Years passed, and the tale of the buried treasure became a legend, discussed around campfires and whispered in saloons. Yet, the elusive gold coins continued to evade discovery.

It wasn’t until an avalanche struck the area in 1882 that the first signs of the lost treasure emerged.

In the wake of the avalanche, a few lucky individuals stumbled upon gold coins in various locations around Genoa. These chance discoveries sparked renewed hope among treasure hunters, who redoubled their efforts to unravel the secrets hidden within the Genoa Hills.

To this day, despite the occasional discovery of lone gold coin, much of the stolen $20,000 in twenty-dollar gold pieces remains concealed, awaiting the touch of an intrepid explorer. While the exact location of the buried treasure remains a mystery, enthusiasts and adventurers alike are encouraged to approach such tales with a measured sense of skepticism.