Mar 6, 2010 11:20 AM |
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While researching in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle morgue, I came across this curious image of a young Brooklyn resident digging in rubble.
Brooklyn Treasure Hunter Jay Erlichman hard at work hunting treasure.
On January 16, 1950, a small article ran in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, with this image titled "Youthful Treasure Hunter". By the time it went to print, nine-year old Jay Erlichman had been digging for treasure with his broken shovel for "about four years". Up until this date, his efforts had dug up a total of $1.27 and "an enormous collection of rusty bottle caps, tin cans, broken glass and old shoes".
While his parents supported his explorations, his thirteen year-old brother thought he was "slightly crazy". However, Jay's perseverance paid off when he dug up a cigar box containing $200 in savings bonds, and about $100 of costume jewelry on one of his digs. He was off to buy a new shovel with his treasure, and hoped to be a professional treasure hunter when he grew up.
