A few weeks ago, I escaped the winter tundra of the Midwest and traveled to Arizona. A family get-together was the impetus, but I'll admit there were also two other draws: the weather and treasure.

I wrote last week about the lucky couple who stumbled on $10 million worth of rare gold coins on their "Saddle Ridge" California property. Movies and books suggest the Old West is filled with such possibilities, but what are the odds of finding them?

Numerically speaking, I can't say what the actual chances are, but miners and prospectors aplenty once gave up their lives and farms to strike it rich. Many abandoned mining towns dot the landscape.

A few miles outside Phoenix are the Superstition Mountains. Somewhere in that heinous cacti- and rock-covered landscape supposedly is the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. The riches there are said to be endless. The story is fascinating, and for a good read, just Google "Lost Dutchman Mine." The tales are all but guaranteed to make you want to venture there to try your luck. I was tempted.

I've also received plenty of reader letters and emails since my last column. There's just something about the lore of treasure that piques everyone's interest. It did recently when I spoke before a group of women investors. They were a savvy group, and their investment portfolios had been doing quite well.

After the talk, one woman who reads my column approached me. She said she had a wonderful story for me dating back to a relative in World War II. In the Pacific, he was stationed near several villages of a remote region. The inhabitants were against the Japanese and assisted the Allied forces however they were able.

One day, this woman's relative was in the main village when the Japanese attacked. The villagers hid him under an overturned boat. As the battle waged, the villagers fled. The American peered out from under the boat and saw a young village girl who was all alone. He quickly jumped out, grabbed her and pulled her under the boat with him to save her from being killed by the Japanese. They hid beneath the boat for quite a while. Eventually, the Japanese left, and the villagers returned.

The young girl turned out to be either the daughter or niece of the chief. He was so grateful for the child being saved that he took the American soldier to a hut, where he opened a container, inside of which was a large cache of jewels, from rubies and emeralds to other exotic gems. In gratitude, the soldier was told to take two handfuls.

The soldier kept the gems, wondering how to safely get them to the U.S. He wasn't scheduled to ship out, but a good friend was. While overseas, this same soldier had also acquired a large elephant tusk. To get the gems home, he poured them into it, sealing the end with wax and dirt. He then sent the tusk home with his friend.

But the tusk never arrived. Chances are that someone in military clearance decided he wanted it. After all, back then, a tusk was worth around $100. Fortunately for elephants, and us, since 1989, tusks became illegal to buy, sell or harvest, unless they were from the pre-ban era. Those pre-ban tusks can now sell for many thousands of dollars.

So, it's entirely possible, if not probable, that somewhere in the U.S., someone owns an elephant tusk that decorates a wall or mantle. But have they looked inside? Did anyone ever bother to dig out the dirt through a layer of wax and find a fortune in gems inside?

In Atlanta last week, the National Money Show took place. The auction at the event sold over $15 million in coins and currency. On display were many of the "Saddle Ridge" coins found by the California couple. And a new collector attendance record was set. Coincidence? I don't think so. The lust for lost, hidden and buried treasure is huge. Just to see some is exciting. And there's more out there. Lots more. I'll be sure to include additional info in future columns!

Editor's Note: A JPEG visual of elephant tusks has been sent with this column.

To find out more about Peter Rexford and features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.