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[April 1st] Dracula's
Treasure, buried in Oana Ban countryside garden
 Part
of Dracula's famous Treasure was found last autumn in Oana
Ban Grandmother's countryside garden, 20 miles (30 km) from
Cluj.
 During
some maintenance work in their apple trees garden, when trying
to remove a very old walnut tree, supposed to have like 450
years old, but being in danger to crash and destroy a large
part of the garden, Oana's Grandpa have found some strange
coins coming out from the trees roots (in the hole made by
the removed three roots, was enough space to fit twelve biggest
jeep cars).
Photo right: Oana Ban in the garden, last
September
Specialists from Cluj History Museum were asked for help,
and after few days of digging, the surprise came: twelve large
coffins (500 lbs. each one) filled with pure Gold coins, Gold
pots and many fine antic art objects. The estimated value
is high not only because of the Gold and precious stones inserted,
but the highest quality and uniques of the objects. Specialists
and historians from the World largest museums have worked
past months to make their evaluations on the Dracula's treasure.
The final value: between 84 and 140 millions dollars (if they
are to be sold at an auction, the price will be higher; the
local prices are below from what foreign museums have had
offered on spot).
According to Romanian laws, the treasure became the State
property and must be given to the closest History Museum (and
the National museum may choose what they need to display in
their Bucharest exposition). But the owner of the land (Oana
grandparents) will receive from the State like 75% from the
estimated value, a big fortune for Romania.
 Apart
from the first 12 coffins, which were clearly marked as Dracula's
(Vlad Tepes Prince, actually) property (having his logo on
them), two more coffins were of different origin, being marked
as "Voda Ban, the Prince Treasurer".
It looks like one of Oana Ban ancestors was the owner of the
last two coffins, one of the Dracula's Prince trusted people.They
have decided to put on a safe place the treasure, hoping for
a safely return from one of the wars; something went wrong
and nobody was able to return for the treasure. The secret
remained hidden for centuries.
 Her
family own that land for centuries and they have heard rumors
about the origin of their name ( "Ban" means coin
in the Romanian language).
Photo: Oana Ban and her Grandma
Her family also silently spoke for years about a rich and
famous grand-grand-grand father of Oana -they spoke quietly
under former communist regime, when having a rich and capitalist-alike
ancestor could bring you troubles, big troubles.
If these historians will decide (and seems they do) that those
two coffins belongs to the Oana's family, this mean the whole
content from them (a 14 millions dollars value) belongs to
them.
Oana will come next week to New York for few days and she
will appear at Jay Leno show and also being the special guest
of the Getty Foundation-which have sponsored the diggings
for the treasure and will almost likely receive (as a compensation)
some objects to be displayed in a dedicated event during September.
"I will keep my studies going on, but
now I may have some other plans, too"said Oana during
a recorded TV interview last evening for a US channel, to
be aired this weekend. "I was ready to buy a car for
me, now I can buy for all the family members-my sister, my
father and my Grandpa, of course" (the Treasure-land
was her personal property).
More interesting, Oana may get confirmed her
beloved "Banutz" title/surname. Since one of her ancestors
was from a high officials around the Dracula Prince, this bring
a nobiliary title, which now are- again-recognized and used
in Romania and give to the owner the right to claim some of
the former properties confiscated by the communist regime (land,
buildings).
"It's a nice things to inherit such a small fortune, to
have a Princess-alike Title it's a honor for me, but the Athens
Gold medal with the team is my best achievement and the most
beloved for me."says Banutz.
...Well, you have to check more often your
PO box from now on, I'm sure even more guys will write to
you, apart from those regular 40 a week with dating-alike
questions.
Romanian Gymnastics News Archive.
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