Backpacking across Canada has a unique charm – going off of the beaten track to find incredible sights and take in the wildlife. But something that can add to the thrill and excitement of trekking across Canada can be hunting for treasure whilst you do.
Whilst one way Canadians can get their kicks is when they play at online casinos in Ontario – with adrenaline-filled games and great bonuses – for those of you who want to go treasure hunting, here are 3 hidden treasures thought to still be in Canada. Each of these is said to be worth millions – maybe even billions in current times!
Ontario – A Barrel of Silver Coins
Supposedly hidden underwater somewhere in Opinicon Lake is a lost cache filled with silver coins. There are a number of different stories of exactly how this barrel got down there, but many people still believe that the barrel is still sitting pretty on the floor of the lake. The most common story about how the treasure got lost is as follows:
Back in 1835, a big canoe was crossing the lake. This canoe was carrying the barrel of silver coins as payment for some employees at local attractions. Unfortunately, the barrel itself was thrown overboard when the canoe was capsized by waves. The crew survived by clinging onto the upturned raft, but the barrel was lost. The crew searched tirelessly for days, scouring every nook and cranny they could for the barrel of coins, to no avail.
Many people believe this story, but others also think it’s some sort of elaborate excuse to not pay the employees. Whether the story is true or not, The barrel has still never been found. Each of the silver pieces inside is thought to be worth C$200 to C$600, so if someone does find it they’ve hit jackpot.
British Columbia – Levi Boone Helm’s Lost Gold
Levi Boone Helm is infamous as a plunderer of gold in the late 1800s, using nefarious means to get his hands on gold.
Helm and a friend set a course to Quesnel Forks, British Columbia, way back in 1862, on the trail of a man and his associates who were thought to have around C$32,000 worth of gold. The story goes on that Helm and his friend shot and killed the group of men who were carrying the gold. They then buried the gold in a hurry for fear of being found out and left the bodies, hoping to return for the buried gold.
When the local townspeople found the bodies, they instantly had a feeling it was Helm, so he went on the run. After many close scrapes with the law, he was apprehended and hung in 1863, whilst on the way to retrieve the gold.
To this day the gold has never been unearthed, leaving a possible fortune somewhere in the dirt.
Alberta – The Lost Lemon Mine
There’s a rumour that near Coleman in southwest Alberta is a lost mine that has a few million dollars worth of gold in it.
The rumour started when a gang of gold prospectors headed to Canada looking for a mine that would make them rich. Two of the members formed a splinter group and managed to find a mine full of gold, but one of them became so angry at the other over a minor matter that he eventually killed him with his pickaxe.
Local Indians found out about the murder and their chief apparently put a curse on the mine so that no person would ever be able to find it again. The prospector who killed his friend eventually went to where he thought the mine was and it wasn’t there anymore – if this was down to the curse or his deteriorating mental state, no one knows.
The mine remains hidden to this day – who knows, maybe you’ll be the one to discover this huge gold mine.
