Old Spanish Coins Found by Hiker

A hiker in southern Utah has found what appear to be old Spanish coins possibly dating back to the time of the conquistadors and perhaps even earlier, long before the voyages of Columbus.

The coins were found in a popular tourist area that has at times been underwater in the decades after the Glen Canyon Dam was built in the 1960s. 

The big question the National Park Service is trying to answer is: If they’re real, what are they doing in southern Utah.

The Colorado man’s research brought him to a startling conclusion.

He told the park service that he believes the larger one matches coins from the 1660s and the smaller one matches coins from the 1290s, two full centuries before Columbus.