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    Monkey King

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    1. HSBC launches search for '?98m gold hoard' belonging to Gen Pinochet HSBC has launched an investigation into allegations that the former Chilean strongman Augusto Pinochet held a secret stash of gold worth ?98m at a branch in Hong Kong. The inquiry follows explosive claims in the Chilean press that investigators had uncovered an HSBC account holding 315,000 ounces of gold that could be tracked to the general. HSBC acted to protect its large operations in Chile, now a flourishing democracy under a Left-leaning government. A spokesman said: "The initial finding is that we do not hold this gold on behalf of Mr Pinochet but there may be evidence that we are unaware of. "It is highly unlikely that any funds would be lodged under his name: it could be done under a name that has no obvious association with Chile, so we're going to have to go through all the similar-sized deposits," he said. HSBC has not yet been contacted by the Chilean government. Alejandro Foxley, the Chilean foreign minister, said that the alleged discovery had been passed on to prosecutors already investigating a ?3.5m account linked by a US Senate inquiry to Gen Pinochet at Riggs Bank in Washington. "We received the information a few days ago from our diplomatic missions abroad. As soon as we had photocopies of the documents, we handed them over to the tribunal," he said. The Chilean press said the government is to ask the Hong Kong authorities to freeze the HSBC account ? alleged to hold 9,000 gold ingots. Hong Kong's Monetary Authority said it had yet to receive any such request but is starting its own inquiry. Gen Pinochet's lawyer, Pablo Rodriguez, said the reports were part of smear campaign by political enemies. "The only gold he owns is his wedding ring. If there exists a single gram of gold that turns up anywhere in the world in the name of General Pinochet, I'll be the first to resign as his lawyer," he said. The general, now 91 and crippled by strokes, has been a lightning rod for human rights activists around the world since toppling President Salvador Allende in 1973. Allende, the elected leader and idol of the Latin American Left, was found shot in the ruins of his palace, while some 4,000 supporters were later killed by death squads. Unlike most dictators, Gen Pinochet eased the repression gradually and pioneered free market reforms that have transformed Chile into Latin America's tiger economy. At one stage the finance ministry was a monetarist outpost of Chicago University. He stepped down in 1990 after losing a referendum, but remained army chief until 1998 as the country moved gingerly towards democracy. He has since been stripped of immunity and is facing charges for his role in alleged mass disappearances. Beggars the question, was this NAZI gold?
    2. Gold bars stored in the HSBC vaults in London are seen November 16, 2007. Twice a day, representatives of five banks pick up the phone to trade physical gold and arrive at the London "fixing" price, which then becomes a benchmark for gold around the world.
    3. Could a wartime photo help locate looted Nazi gold worth ?20m? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-47...-worth-20m.html
    4. Further reading on this subject..... In search of gold by Tomas Cyran & Asian loot by Charles McDougald.
    5. Theres reputed to be treasure hordes all over South East Asia, hidden by the Japanese during the war. They certainly cleared out everything of value from all the countrys they invaded.
    6. Crazy to think, that these coins got as far a field as China. I`ve seen pictures of them with Chinese cut marks on them. Think they were used as a form of silver bullion by the East India Company when trading in China & the Far East. Found this on the net............ The Anglo-Ethiopian Society Lecture - Thursday 10th November 2005 The Maria Theresa Thaler in Ethiopia and Beyond Given by - Clara Semple Reviewed by - Anne Parsons Most, if not all, visitors to Ethiopia will have come across examples of the Maria Theresa thaler (or dollar) ? either as a coin or incorporated into jewellery (notably in Ethiopia being cut to form neck crosses). Few people, however, will know a great deal about its history. In November 2005 Clara Semple gave a wonderful illustrated talk to members of the Society which enlightened many of us. Clara Semple lived and worked as an archaeological artist for many years in the near East and north Africa and became fascinated with the large silver coins she saw bearing the portrait of the Austro-Hungarian empress Maria Theresa. Maria Theresa was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dynasty and the first thaler showing her (as a rather youthful lady) was struck in 1741. Other versions were issued throughout her lifetime and continued to be minted after her death in 1780 (although all such coins always carried this 1780 date and show her as a much older woman). Indeed, they are still being minted in small numbers today as collectors? items. The Maria Theresa thaler became a trade coin used not only in Ethiopia but more widely throughout much of Arabia and the Horn of Africa. It also circulated in the Americas and as far east as China. It is a fairly large coin (39.5mm diameter) and was prized for its consistent silver content (833.3 parts per thousand, the coin having a weight of 28.0668 grams). Forgery was said to be very difficult (if not impossible) because the design was so intricate and finely engraved. Additionally, an elaborate edge inscription posed problems to a would-be forger. It is said that the number of pearls in the Empress?s brooch were often counted to make sure that the thaler was genuine. Clara Semple concluded her lecture with a photo of a cigarette lighter made apparently from recycled military hardware and inset with a thaler. It bears the inscription ?GP Ransome, Asmara 1948? and if anyone knows more about this unique item, or its owner, Clara would be delighted to hear from you. Clara has published her research as A Silver Legend: the story of the Maria Theresa Thaler (ISBN: 0954970101) ? a beautifully illustrated book and highly recommended ? it expands most magnificently on the lecture.
    7. "At the end of April, 115 tons of silver coins were dumped into San Jose Bay, where they were dispersed by tides."
    8. The US minted coins for the Philippines from 1903-1945. These coins came in 1/2 centavo (minted only 1903-1908 with 17.7 million coins; yet unpopular with public and so were discontinued), 1 centavo, 5 centavo, 10 centavo, 20 centavo, 50 centavo, and 1 peso varieties. The 1/2 and 1 centavo coins were bronze, the 5 centavo nickel, the 10, 20, 50 centavo and peso coins were silver. From 1903-1906, the silver coins had a high content (90% silver, also known as coin silver). The composition was reduced in 1907, due to a jump in silver prices. There was a fear that many of the coins would be melted down for their silver value (which came to pass at various times, especially the 1980's when silver topped $40/troy ounce). The obverse of these coins remained unchanged over their entire run. They were designed by Melecio Figueroa. It has the denomination of the coin written on it, along with "Filipinas". The 1/2 centavo, 1 centavo, and 5 centavo coins all show a Filipino man kneeling against a anvil, with a hammer resting at his side. He is on the left side (foreground), while in the right side (background) there is a simmering volcano, Mt. Mayon, topped with smoke rings. This figure is an allegory for the hard work being done by the native peoples of the Philippines in building their own future. The obverse of the 10, 20, 50 centavo, and peso coins are similar, but they show the figure of Liberty, a standing female figure (considered by many to be the daughter of the designer 'Blanca') in the act of striking the anvil with a hammer. This was done to show the work being done by Americans in building a better Philippines. Something can probably be read into racial attitudes at the time, since the coins show the Filipino man sitting down, and Liberty working. Also, Liberty (and by extension, America) appears on the silver coins, instead of the base metal coins. The reverse of the coins comes in two varieties. The earliest coins were minted when the islands were a US Territory, and they bear the arms of the US Territories. This is a braodwinged eagle, sitting atop a shield divided into two registers. The upper register has 13 stars, and the lower register has 13 vertical stripes. The date appears at the bottom, and "United States of America" appears at the top. When the islands became a US Commonwealth, the arms of the Commonwealth were adopted. This seal is composed of a much smaller eagle with its wings pointed up, perched over a shield with peaked corners, above a scroll reading "Commonwealth of the Philippines". It is a much busier pattern, and widely considered less attractive. These coins were minted at the Philadelphia, San Francisco, Denver, and (after it was opened in 1920) Manila mints. Most of the Manila mintages occured after 1925. They have S, D, and M mint marks. Several proof sets were made for collectors, from 1903 to 1908. These were unpopular at the time, and many were later broken up and released into circulation. Some coins were minted in extremely small numbers (as few as 500 pieces occurred in 1905, 1906, & 1908). Also, many were lost when the defenders of Corregidor threw them into the ocean, rather than surrender the Philippine national treasury to the Japanese. Only about 80% were ever recovered, and many of those were badly corroded. However the rarest coins are the 1906-s Peso with as few as 250 coins in existance; but the rarest is the 1910-s Ten Centavaos with the only known coin which was on display at the Manila mint, being lost due to the bombing of Manila in 1945 as that the mint building was completely destroyed. The Place Corregidor is an island in the entrance of the Philippines Manila Bay. ... Three commemorative coins were minted to celebrate the Commonwealth in 1936. These coins are remarkable because they are the only existing US coins to show people who were alive when they were minted. They show President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon and U.S. High Commissioner Frank Murphy, who also has served as the last Governor General of the Islands. The 50 centavo commemorative had only 20,000 minted, in 75% silver, and weighs 10 grams (the same specs as other 50 centavos). The two varieties of peso commemorative each had 10,000 minted. They weigh 20 grams, and are 90% silver.
    9. Found this webpage, which makes really interesting reading..... http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Fort-Mills Fort Mills (Corregidor, the Philippines) was the location of US Major General George F. Moore's headquarters for the Philippine Department's Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. This was one of the locations at which, under the National Defense Act of 1935, coastal artillery training was conducted. Also known as "the Rock," it was a key bastion of the Allies during the war. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in December 1941, the military force under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur carried out a delaying action at Bataan. Corregidor became the headquarters of the Allied forces and also the seat of the Philippine Commonwealth government. It was from Corregidor that Philippine President Manuel Quezon and General MacArthur left for Australia in February 1942, leaving behind Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright in command. With the certain fall of Corregidor, the Commonwealth government did their best to dispose of any war materiale that might fall into Japanese hands. Along with ammo, oil, and canned food supplies, the defenders also had the Philippine National Treasury and Phlippine National Bank with them. This included Gold & Silver specie and bullion, bearer bonds, Treasury certificates, precious stones, and privately held gold items and mementos. This treasure trove included 140 tons of silver pesos (Philippine peso coins). Not all of this treasure was lost with the fall of Corregidor - two tons of gold ingots and sixteen tons of silver pesos in canvas bags were loaded onto the submarine USS Trout as ballast to replace the supplies it ran to the island's defenders. Can you imagine sitting in a sub with 16 TONS of these, many in uncirculated condition? The submariners were rather nonchallant - they broke open the bags and even used them as poker chips in their downtime. Everything else went into the deep waters of the San Jose Bay to deny it to the Japanese. Although Bataan fell on April 9, 1942, the Philippine and American forces held out at Corregidor for 27 days against great odds. On May 6, 1942, their rations depleted, the Allied forces were forced to surrender Corregidor to Lt. Gen. Homma Masaharu of the Japanese Imperial Army after having successfully halted the Japanese advance on Australia. Within a month, the Japanese were forcing US Navy Diver prisoners of war to dive for the coins at bayonet-point. But the divers did not want these coins to fall into the hands of the Emperor?s troops that easily, and instead of sending to the surface whole bags or cases of silver, they purposely broke open the cases on the bottom, ripped the bags, and sent up only partial containers. The sabotage attempts proved somewhat successful and the Japanese command only recovered about two million pesos, only a fraction of what was on the bottom. The big guns of Corregidor are now silent and the ruins of buildings, structures, and tunnels in the island tell a very moving story of a war that has claimed so many lives. A visit to this former battleground is a memorable experience especially for those who cherish and value peace and freedom. In his speech delivered at the signing of the surrender of Japan aboard the USS Missouri at Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur said, "It is my earnest hope and indeed the hope of all mankind that a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past - a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice."
    10. I read somewhere that the HSBC bank still has gold in its reserves, which was looted by the Japanesse during WW2. I suppose its possible, in the same way as the Swiss may do?
    11. OP TEN NOORT (August 30, 1945) A 6,076 ton Dutch passenger liner based in Java and on regular service between Surabaya and Singapore. Converted to a hospital ship for the Dutch Navy at the outbreak of the war. In harbour at Surabaya during the Battle of the Java Sea, she was dispatched to look for survivors but was intercepted by two Japanese destroyers and ordered to turn back to Bandjarmasin in Borneo where she was boarded and apprehended. Ordered to take on board 970 Allied prisoners-of-war, including around 800 survivors from the British cruiser Exeter sunk in the Java Sea battle, she sailed for Makassar and there, for the next eight months served as a hospital facility for the POW camps in the area. Later, June 5, 1942, she sailed for Yokohama under the Japanese flag and a new name 'Tenno Maru' and extra funnel to hide the fact that she was a former Allied hospital ship. The remainder of the war she sailed between Singapore and Manila carrying looted gold and other treasures from the Japanese occupied countries. Just weeks before the war ended she arrived again in Yokohama loaded with 2,000 metric tons of gold but instead of off-loading her cargo she then sailed on to the Maisaru Naval Base where more gold and platinum bars, diamonds and other gems were put on board. (A metric ton of gold equals 26,400 ounces) Realizing the war was over it was decided to sink the ship and recover the treasure at a later date. Just days before the Japanese surrender the Op ten Noort was taken out into Maisaru Bay late at night by a group of high-ranking Japanese naval officers. The Japanese captain and twenty-four crewmen of the Op ten Noort were then shot dead to preserve the secret and the ship scuttled by placing explosive charges in the hull. When the wreck was found in 1990 the Japanese valued the treasure at thirty billion US dollars (Three trillion Japanese yen) www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Noort.htm
    12. A gold $50 coin will be included in a new set of ten pieces released by the US Mint to honour the work of Nasa and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in celebration of the space administration's 50th anniversary. In the collection, the gold coin will represent the sun, while nine other coins will coins will represent the eight planets in the solar system plus Pluto, which was decommissioned from planet status last year. "Minting coins is a distinctive way to honour 50 years of dedicated service by the men and women of JPL and Nasa," said representative Adam Schiff. Some 1,000 complete sets of a new coin collection ? called the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Discovery Collection ? have been minted, with plans for future sets to include pieces of metal from Nasa spacecrafts and segments of meteorite. According to the space agency, 30 designs have been approved for future coin sets, which will focus on discoveries made by the HST. Under the Nasa and JPL 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, the Secretary of the Treasury has been permitted to mint and issue $50 gold coins to symbolise "50 years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of Nasa", according to the Congressional Research Service. A gold $50 coin will be included in a new set of ten pieces released by the US Mint to honour the work of Nasa and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in celebration of the space administration's 50th anniversary. In the collection, the gold coin will represent the sun, while nine other coins will coins will represent the eight planets in the solar system plus Pluto, which was decommissioned from planet status last year. "Minting coins is a distinctive way to honour 50 years of dedicated service by the men and women of JPL and Nasa," said representative Adam Schiff. Some 1,000 complete sets of a new coin collection ? called the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Discovery Collection ? have been minted, with plans for future sets to include pieces of metal from Nasa spacecrafts and segments of meteorite. According to the space agency, 30 designs have been approved for future coin sets, which will focus on discoveries made by the HST. Under the Nasa and JPL 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, the Secretary of the Treasury has been permitted to mint and issue $50 gold coins to symbolise "50 years of exemplary and unparalleled achievements of Nasa", according to the Congressional Research Service.
    13. Without gold, man wouldn?t have visited the moon. Gold, in the form of sheets 0.15mm thick, are used in space programmes as a radiation shield. Because gold is such an effective reflector, it deflects the burning heat of the sun. Gold is central to safe space travel, so it?s demand has obviously grown as the space industry has. For example, more than 40.8 kilograms of gold was used in the construction of the famous US Columbia space shuttle, mainly in brazing alloys, fuel cell fabrication, coated plastic films and electrical contacts.
    14. Knew I hadn`t dreamt it about the Nazi guy. His name was Kurt Waldheim http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Waldheim It also transpires that there were in fact 2 Voyagers, Identical golden disks were fastened to each of the Voyagers, engraved with ambient sounds of our planet -- a kiss, a mother's lullaby, wind and water -- as well as images, written greetings from former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former U.N. Secretary General Kurt Waldheim. http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.php?o...cle&sid=255 so that coupled with the Pioneer craft in fact 4 gold disks have been blasted out into space, for the little green men to find....
    15. Pioneer 10 & 11, were also sent into space with gold plaques on them..... More expense!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_plaque
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