A missing Sussex County Courthouse treasure?

The movie “National Treasure” may be on a grander scale, but the Sussex County Courthouse treasure mystery is just as intriguing. The whereabouts of a bottle of coins placed in one of the courthouse columns in 1914 is unknown.

In the movie, actor Nicolas Cage and friends used Masonic symbols to track down hidden Templar gold.

The local mystery also has a Masonic connection. Included in the missing treasure is a 101-year-old Masonic penny. All right, the coin is far from priceless, but other coins placed in the bottle could be worth some money.

When work was done on the columns in 1968, a bottle of more than 25 coins was found. Another renovation project is underway this winter and the courthouse treasure has yet to be located.

The coins were supposed to be put back in place. No one knows – or no one is saying – what happened to the bottle since work was done nearly 50 years ago. “Nobody knows for sure on the coins,” said local historian Jim Bowden. “We are assuming the best – that they got placed back in the columns.”

In a 1968 newspaper article, State Supreme Court Judge James B. Carey said the coins were to be entrusted to Superior Court Judge John J. McNeilly. “I don't know what the value of the coins are, but they have real historical value to the residents of Sussex County,” Carey said.

Sussex courthouse built without columns

The courthouse has undergone extensive renovations and additions over its 175-year history.

It was more than 100 years ago during a major renovation project that the eight columns were added to the front of the courthouse, a cornerstone of The Circle in Georgetown since 1840. A work crew also extended the height of the tower during the project, which lasted from 1914 to 1916.

This time around, workers are not sure what is hidden away in the columns. Bowden said a time capsule may be under one of the columns, but it's unclear if it's one of the six pillars being replaced. The same story could be true for the bottle of coins.

Brandywine Contractors is replacing six of the eight wooden columns with structured fiberglass. The company was awarded the $165,000 state contract on Dec.1; work must be completed by April 30. Bowden said the state approached the Georgetown Historical last year about the project to replace six of the rotting columns.

The courthouse contains several state offices as well as Sussex County Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas and the prothonotary's office. The original cypress-shingled courthouse, dating back to 1792, was moved in 1837 from The Circle to South Bedford Street.

Coins discovered in 1968

During a column replacement project in February 1968, workers discovered a variety of coins placed under a pillar in 1914 by a "Who's Who" of Georgetown residents and officials, including the register of wills, several attorneys, prothonotary, comptroller, county road engineer and clerk of the peace.

A handwritten paper in the bottle placed in a box noted that among the donors was David S. Purnell, who had been crier of the court for 53 years. Attorney Albert F. Polk donated a Masonic penny.

Each person contributed 5 cents to be placed in a sealed bottle with the following message: “Should this box be found, it is to be turned over to the resident judge of Sussex County, to be placed under the column that replaces this one.”

The bottle was put in place on April 4, 1914, with work taking place over the next two years to add the columns.

According to the 1968 newspaper article, the bottle contained 21 Buffalo nickels; 1903 and 1911 Liberty Head nickels; six Indian Head pennies; two 1911 Lincoln pennies; a 1910 Lincoln penny and a 1912 Lincoln penny. All of the Lincoln pennies were the older wheat-back version; none of the coins is minted today.

The bottle also contained a Masonic penny placed by members of Georgetown's Hope Charter Royal Arch Masons No. 7. There is no reference to the existence of a Hope Charter in Georgetown, however Franklin Lodge No. 12 AF&AM is still active in Georgetown.

There could be some hidden gems, although none of the dated coins are that valuable. However, the dates of the Indian Head pennies and Buffalo nickels are unknown. Most Buffalo nickels dated around 1914 are worth from $20 to $220.

Indian Head pennies are worth a little more. And if one of those pennies happened to a 1909-S, it would get the attention of coin collectors. As one of the most rare Indian Head pennies – depending on condition – it's worth $525 to more than than $5,000.