Gold Prospecting, Treasure Hunting, Mining, Relic Hunting, and Metal Detecting in Tennessee

Volunteer State

GOLD

Gold was first discovered in 1831 after the Cherokees relinquished the Ocoee Land District (to include land around Coker Creek - Tennessee's only gold belt). Since then, gold has been found within a narrow strip, 50 miles long, from southern Blount County in the NE (just south of Knoxville) and then SW into Polk County. The greatest potential lies in the Appalachians along Coker Creek, Monroe County.

Placer Deposits

A placer deposit is a concentration of a natural material that has accumulated in unconsolidated sediments of a stream bed, beach, or residual deposit. Gold derived by weathering or other process from lode deposits is likely to accumulate in placer deposits because of its weight and resistance to corrosion. In addition, its characteristically sun-yellow color makes it easily and quickly recognizable even in very small quantities.

The gold pan or miner's pan is a shallow sheet-iron vessel with sloping sides and flat bottom used to wash gold-bearing gravel or other material containing heavy minerals. The process of washing material in a pan, referred to as "panning," is the simplest, most commonly used, and least expensive method for a prospector to separate gold from the silt, sand, and gravel of the stream deposits. It is a tedious, back-breaking job and only with practice does one become proficient in the operation. Thankfully, technology finally caught up with our gold fever and brought us metal detectors!

Contact the local Local Forest Ranger for more information including maps, regulations, and mineral rights on public lands. The following areas offering some great potential may be controlled by various private or government entities.

Blount County - Stream Gravels around Maryville and the eastern side of the Chilhowee Mountains.
Monroe County - Coker Creek to include all of the following branches: Alvin, Big, Hot Water, Johnson, Long, McCallister, Mill, Peels, Roberts, and Whipoorwill. Also: Liberty, Sixmile, and Wildcat Creeks; and small branches above Cooper and Tilly Flats. Additionally, the Little Tennessee and Tellico Rivers and their tributaries.
Polk County - Ocoee and Hiwassee Rivers and their tributaries

GEMS

Agates can be collected from many different locations and geological formations across the State. The material includes golden tone agate from Hawkins Co., agatized oolites from Greene Co., carnelian, blue, ivory, pink, finely banded, dendritic, moss, iris and Fairburn style agate from Bedford Co., and Lake Superior type agate and agatized corals and sponges from Shelby Co. All of the material is suitable for cutting and takes a good polish.

Tennessee is also well known for yellow calcite from around the city of Elmwood.

RELICS, COINS, & JEWELRY

Tennessee has a rich history of early settlements and Civil War battlefields - the perfect combination for an energetic relic hunter! Here's a few more ideas to get you started:

Schools and College Campuses
Parks / Playgrounds / Picnic Areas
Foundations, Wells, and Cellar Holes of Old Churches or Houses
Downtown Construction Sites
Swimming Holes, Beaches, and Natural Springs
Camp Grounds, Boy Scout Camps, WPA Camps, and Mining Camps
Sports Facilities
Ghost Towns
Rodeo Arenas, Riding Stables, and Race Tracks
Old Fair and Carnival Locations
Old Town Dumpsites

LOST TREASURE

As in other areas of the US, there are several tales of lost treasure in Tennessee concerning caches buried for safety. In many of these stories, people either died or forgot where they buried the stash. Contributing factors include:

1. Federal laws making possession of gold illegal in the early 1900s

2. Distrust of banks during the Great Depression.

John Murrel, a bandit in early times, is said to have cached up to $1,000,000 worth of treasure near Denmark, Madison County.
During the Civil War much treasure was buried near Dover, Stewart County.
Wartburg in Morgan County is where much gold brought back from California in the 1850s remains buried.

These excerpts are a sampling from American Coin Treasures and Hoards