Lost California Treasure

Peter Lassen Buried Treasure

Peter Lassen, the famous Danish pioneer who gave his name to Lassen Volcanic National Park, owned a large rancho along Deer Creek. Before his mysterious murder in 1859, Lassen supposedly buried a cache of over $50,000 in gold coins in tin cans along the creek bed to protect it from bandits. Despite multiple excavations by subsequent property owners, the cans of coins have never been found.

Record typeburied cache
LocationDeer Creek near Vina, Tehama County
Probability indexMedium
Land statusPrivate Property (Permission Required)
Research coordinates39.9388, -122.0673
SourceJefferson Backroads - Peter Lassen buried treasure account

Field Research Notes

This area is largely private ranch land today. You MUST obtain written landowner permission before accessing Deer Creek or using metal detectors.

Recommended Gear

Waterproof Metal Detector, Shovel, Written Landowner Permission Form

Related buried caches

  • Joaquín Murieta's Bodie Hills Stash buried cache · Bodie Hills, Mono County · Medium probability

    Joaquín Murieta, the famous 'Robin Hood of El Dorado,' was rumored to have multiple caches of stolen gold hidden throughout California. One of his largest stashes, valued at $200,000 in gold coins and dust, is said to.

  • Dr. John Marsh Pioneer Cache buried cache · Mt. Diablo Foothills, Contra Costa County · Low probability

    Dr. John Marsh, one of the first American doctors in California, accumulated a massive fortune in gold coins and bullion during the Gold Rush. Distrustful of banks, he buried his wealth in various spots around his.

  • Rattlesnake Dick's Trinity Mountain Loot buried cache · Trinity Mountain, Shasta-Trinity National Forest · Medium probability

    In 1856, the outlaw 'Rattlesnake Dick' Barter and his gang hijacked a mule train carrying gold bullion from the Yreka mines down to Sacramento. During their escape over the rugged slopes of Trinity Mountain, the gang.

  • The Deloma Cave Indian Cache buried cache · New River Wilderness, Trinity County · Low probability

    During the California Indian Wars of the 1850s, local tribes reportedly raided several rich mining camps along the Trinity and Klamath Rivers. To protect their loot from soldiers and miners, they stockpiled gold dust.

  • Butler's Buried Cache buried cache · Amador County, Mokelumne River channel roughly two miles northeast of Lancha Plana (submerged under Camanche Reservoir). · Low probability

    During the Gold Rush, a prospector named Butler operated an incredibly rich placer claim on a bend of the Mokelumne River that yielded up to fifty thousand dollars daily. Distrustful of banks and under pressure from.

  • Clear Creek Mormon Coin Cache buried cache · Shasta County, southwest of Redding near the historic Horsetown Clear Creek Diggings along Clear Creek Road. · Medium probability

    In the 1850s, a Mormon wagon train was journeying through the Redding valley toward the settlement of Horsetown when they attempted to cross a swollen, flash-flooded Clear Creek. One of the wagons, driven by an.