Buried Treasure on Coney Island Beach

Hello everyone

Here is a story reported in the New York Sun Newspaper in January 30 1839.

Coney Island known by countless generations of New Yorkers as a holiday resort has a more romantic past as the site of buried treasure.

Coins in 1839 found on a beach at Coney island had caused a stampede of treasure hunters digging along the beach. One man recovered nearly one thousand Mexican coins. The coins were believed to be buried by the pirates Gibbs and Wansley who in 1830 committed an act piracy on the vessel called the Vineyard on the way to Philadelphia.

Gibbs and Wansley were part of a murderous crew who gained control over the Vineyard and plundered her of her cargo. The specie was divided by the crew amounted to 5000 dollars each. They changed the course of Vineyard and sailed for Long Island.

When 15 miles from the Southampton light they scuttled the vessel and came ashore in two boats. One boat was swamped and some of the pirates drowned and gold was lost. The other boat containing Gibbs,Wansley and remaining pirates made it ashore on a beach near Coney Island.

Gibbs and his comrades buried the treasure on the beach before being caught and tried for piracy. They offered to show where they buried the treasure for mercy but were unable to recover the treasure. The pirates were hung in New York around 1830.

It was not until 9 years later some of the gold Mexican coins revealed themselves by an exceptionally low tide. Thus causing a mini gold rush on the beach at Coney Island. It was implied at time much was still to be found.

Perhaps there is still treasure to be found with a metal detector, depending if you can find the exact location of where the coins were originally buried. And of course be there at the time of year when there is an exceptionally low tide.

Hardluck 



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Hello Luc

In answer to your question.

Arrrgh! I be a pirate to some 

And a gentleman of the code to others   

Of course once a treasure hunter, always a treasure hunter!  :

But these days we have to be politically correct and we are now called Historical researchers 

And if I can from the stories I have collected make one person briefly dream of fortune and glory, then I can die a happy pirate! 

Looking forward to your postings.

Hardluck 

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