TREASURE HUNTER FINDS WASHINGTON INAUGURAL BUTTON

It could be gold that was lost in a wreck. It could be the dog tags of a war hero. It could even be the button worn by an enthusiastic patriot as the first President of the United States paraded through the streets. For Rick Guhse of Keene, it was a dime.

"It's a great thing for a grandpa and grandson to do together," Guhse said, standing next to his 6-year-old grandson Andrew Sawyer, at the Best O' North East four-day treasure hunters convention Saturday. Andrew came prepared, armed with his trusty magnifying glass.

Guhse took Andre out for his first hunt. Right out of the shoot, the six-year-old found a dime in his yard. Grandpa still has that one.

"It teaches (kids) history," Guhse said. "It gives them a sense of what came before and broadens the horizons of a young person's mind."

This year, it was a button that stole the show.

"It's from 1789," said Jim Doray, of Barre, Mass., speaking of the very rare George Washington inaugural button sitting on his table.

"Some buttons were given directly from George Washington to his troops, the elite troops that fought alongside him," he said.

Doray loves this button. One can hear it in his voice.

It's in the excited way he recounts its history and the place of prominence it has on his table.

Doray recently found it in his hometown of Lester, Mass. And he worked hard for that find, he doesn't mind telling listeners. His sister-in-law told him that the house in which he found it had once belonged to a colonel who fought with George Washington.

"He was in direct command with Washington. He fought alongside him in the Revolutionary War," Doray said. "Once I heard that, I knew I had to get permission to get on that property."

The house was sold to a college and he thought himself sunk - until it turned out his brother knew a member of the grounds crew at the house.

After a week of red tape and "hanging by my thumbs," Doray got permission to carefully search the land surrounding the house.

"I knew there was going to be a lot of history in the ground," he said. "I knew I was going to find something."

And he did.

The button, though worn and dirty, still bears the year 1789 clear as day.

To read the complete article, see: It's all about the hunt for these treasure hounds in Keene (www.unionleader.com/article/20130427/NEWHAMPSHIRE09/
130429252/-1/newhampshire09)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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