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blueiskewl · 10 months

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700+ Civil War-Era Gold Coins Found Buried in Kentucky

A man unearthed a huge hoard of Civil War-era gold and silver coins on his Kentucky farm.

A Kentucky man got the surprise of his life while digging in his field earlier this year: a cache of over 700 coins from the American Civil War era.

The "Great Kentucky Hoard" includes hundreds of U.S. gold pieces dating to between 1840 and 1863, in addition to a handful of silver coins. In a short video, the man who discovered the hoard — whose identity and specific location have not been revealed to the public — says, "This is the most insane thing ever: Those are all $1 gold coins, $20 gold coins, $10 gold coins," as he aims his camera at the artifacts tumbling out of the dirt.

According to the Numismatic Guaranty Co. (NGC), which certified the coins' authenticity, and GovMint, where the coins were sold, 95% of the hoard is composed of gold dollars, along with 20 $10 Liberty coins and eight $20 Liberty coins. The rarest is the 1863-P $20 1-ounce gold Liberty coin. Just one of these coins can go for six figures at auction, and the Great Kentucky Hoard boasts 18 of them. NGC's website notes that the $20 Liberty coin, which circulated from 1850 to 1907, was minted by the Treasury Department after gold was discovered in California. The $20 Liberty coins in the hoard are even rarer because they do not include "In God We Trust," which was added in 1866 after the end of the Civil War.

Potentially more important, though, is what the hoard can tell us about America's history during an extremely tumultuous period.

Ryan McNutt, a conflict archaeologist at Georgia Southern University who has heard about but not seen the hoard, said in an email that "given the time period and the location in Kentucky, which was neutral at the time, it is entirely possible this was buried in advance of Confederate John Hunt Morgan's June to July 1863 raid."

Many wealthy Kentuckians are rumored to have buried huge sums of money to prevent it from being stolen by the Confederacy. James Langstaff left a letter saying he had buried $20,000 in coins on his property in Paducah, William Pettit buried $80,000 worth of gold coins near Lexington, and Confederate soldiers quarantined for measles reportedly stole payroll and hid it in a cave in Cumberland Gap. None of these caches has ever been recovered.

Considering the hoard coins are federal currency, McNutt said, it may be the result of a Kentuckian's dealings with the federal government — "dealings that it would be wise to conceal from a Confederate raiding party." Many Americans affected by the Civil War "became experienced with hiding goods and valuables," he said.

Most concentrations of historical artifacts found on private land end up going to market or being collected without archaeological consultation, according to McNutt. "As a conflict archaeologist, I find this loss of information particularly frustrating," he said. Hoards have an incredible amount of information about the person who collected the objects, offering archaeologists insight into a brief window in time.

Historical finds like these on private land in the U.S. do not need to be reported to an archaeologist. But McNutt, who has developed close relationships with landowners, believes that education and outreach are key to learning more about these rare coin caches.

"It is entirely up to the landowner," McNutt said, but not engaging with an archaeologist means "it's a snapshot of the past, lost forever."

By Kristina Killgrove.

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qandnoablog · 2 years

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Dance (Marvel Imagine)

Title: Secrets

Pairing: Loki x TVA!Reader

Warnings: This is a spin-off based on my previous work Discovered (Marvel Imagine) and the TV series - Loki Please be sure to read my previous work (link below) as well as watch the show before continuing to both understand the story and not be spoiled!

Discovered (Marvel Imagine) - Part: [18], [17], [16], [15], [14], [13], [12], [11], [10], [9], [8], [7], [6], [5], [4], [3], [2], [1] Short story: [3], [2], [1]

Part: 11, [10], [9], [8], [7], [6], [5], [4], [3], [2], [1]

Key: Y/N - Your Name Y/A - Your (TVA) Alias

Word Count: - 2,963

Summary: [Y/N], who has centered her whole life around the TVA, now encounters a man who proclaims himself to be a god. Her whole life as she knows it crumbles after meeting Loki. How is he so different from all the others the TVA had succeeded in erasing? And why? Why did [Y/N]’s heart stir every time he looked at her, as if peering into her very soul?

Note From Author: Hope you all like this part! I loved making it <3

Part 11 - Dance

Perhaps he was thinking about this too much.

Loki glanced at the growing pile of empty glasses that were slowly being cleared by the servers. It barely affected him at first, but now there was a faint buzz he felt in his system. Not enough to be drunk, but enough to feel the weight ease off his shoulders just a slight bit. He needed something to soothe the dull ache that wouldn’t go away in the deepest reaches of his heart.

He had left the table when he noticed that Sylvie had drifted off to sleep. No matter how much she fought it, she couldn’t win against her exhaustion. And maybe he shouldn’t have fought against it either. But… No matter how much he tried to escape his own thoughts, they still resurfaced like a pestering bug. Constantly feeding him things from his “future,” that he never seemed able to escape from since the moment he watched it.

“My name,” a voice almost dripping in honey said in the back of his mind the second he let his guard down. “What? You don’t remember it?”

Reaching for another proffered glass, he gulped down all its contents in one fell swoop. Still, it did little to silence the voice.

“[Y/N],” it resolutely reminded him. “My name is [Y/N] [Y/L/N].”

Then, the same voice said something contradictory. It was the exact same voice, but the tone and presence was different.

“Not [Y/N],” she countered, an image of her now emerging in his mind, no longer just her voice. “I already told you. My name is [Y/A].”

He frowned and motioned for another drink.

“I told you,” her voice was still very sweet, but it was now dripping in venom. “I’m. Not. [Y/N]!”

“Then who are you?!” He demanded as his fist hit the bar counter top, startling the bartender.

Realizing his mistake, Loki apologized sheepishly to her before quickly taking the new drink and downing it again in one go. He held his head as the alcohol was taking painfully long to kick in. It wasn’t giving him a pleasant buzz, but instead helping his suppressed memories of [Y/N] resurface.

Loki couldn’t quite wrap his head around what to do when it came to her. He once wanted nothing more than to meet her again. Especially after all that he witnessed, he wanted to sit down with her. Have a proper conversation with her. Forget about his worries or life and just ask about her.

How long had she been stuck on Saakar before the two had met? What made her cry that day she was looking out the window on that planet? How did she meet the Avengers? Was she an Avenger? How did she meet Thor? Did she really not have any feelings towards his brother? And what happened to her hands? Did it hurt? And, most of all… Was she happy? Even… Even without him by her side?

But all these questions were meaningless to the [Y/N] he was with now.

This [Y/N] had no memories of the [Y/N] he had witnessed in the lobby of Stark Tower. She even viewed herself as an entirely different person, being offended at being compared to the other. She insisted on being called a different name, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. If he did, it was like admitting that this truly wasn’t the [Y/N] he desperately wanted to get to know. If he did, what of his feelings then? Was what he was feeling a lie?

But he knew he felt something towards this [Y/N], even if she insisted he was mistaken. He knew, because deep down he wanted to know everything there was to know about her. Regardless of her time with the TVA, or her training, he wanted to know about her as a person.

Did she know Mobius? Were they friends? Which office did she work in? Has she ever met any incarnations of himself, like now? How did she feel after meeting them? Did she try to protect them like she tried to protect him?

Now that question made his eyebrow twitch and he quickly had to move on before lingering on that thought.

Has she ever been to Asgard? Had she seen how beautiful it was when the sun hit the castle just right? Has she ever experienced the parties they would throw after a grand victory? The music that would play? The never-ending dance that everyone would join into? And had she met his mo… The queen? If not, would she like to one day?

His mind wandered so far, that his grip over his illusionary uniform faded. But no one really noticed. They were all paying attention to themselves, not to anyone else. And neither did he. He was so lost in thought, pondering all these questions, that he didn’t have time to notice. But someone did. Someone realized it the moment it wore off, and suffice to say they were not pleased.

[Y/N] couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing.

When the illusion cast around her was dispelled, she quickly turned back the way she came. Thank goodness she wasn’t around other people, because she would not be able to explain what was going on. She was expecting all sorts of things that might’ve resulted in the illusion failing. Perhaps Loki and Sylvie couldn’t take it anymore and were fighting again. Or maybe they blew their cover and were going against the guards. Or perhaps they were discovered by the TVA and were already captured.

So many possibilities… But nothing could’ve prepared her for this.

There, at the same booth she left the two, Sylvie lay fast asleep. And Loki? He was nowhere to be found. She knew he was still on the train, given that they needed the Ark to charge the TemPad, but she felt a migraine forming as she thought of how she would look for him while not drawing attention to herself.

That’s when something else gave her a surprise.

“Back already?” A smooth voice whispered into her ear.

She whirled around, her instincts kicking in, and grabbed the collar of the person who stood right behind her, nearly tackling him to the ground. That’s when she saw who it was. Who had the nerve to sneak up on her during this situation.

“Loki,” she grumbled, still holding him by the collar, “what do you think you’re doing?”

He held his hands up in a teasing display of defeat, but hidden behind that suave smile of his was shock.

Loki hadn’t expected [Y/N] to be back so soon, but when he saw her rush through those doors, adorned in her TVA uniform, he realized what had happened. Looking down at himself, he confirmed that his magic was no longer at work. It wouldn’t have really mattered to him too much, if he didn’t see the panic that was evident on [Y/N]’s face.

A guilty pang stabbed lightly at his already aching heart. But then another thought surfaced, burying that feeling with another. Curiosity.

He recalled the thing his “future” self loved to do. And he, too, wanted to revel in it first-hand. He wanted to see how [Y/N] would react if he, just like his “future” counterpart, whispered in her ear. Would she be startled and jump up? Would her face take on a slight hint of pink from embarrassment? Would he love it just as much as “future” him did?

But reality was truly different.

How was he to know just how long [Y/N] was trained to do field work for the TVA? How was he to know that the “future” [Y/N] he had seen in the “Sacred Timeline,” never had any formal training? And how was he to know that if he snuck up on [Y/N] who had military-esche practices ingrained into her for who-knows-how-long, she would choose fight over flight?

What really made him stunned, though, was how he took that difference. A part of him worried that this might happen. That she would be different from the [Y/N] he had only the briefest encounters with. That he would inevitably be disappointed. But… There was no disappointment to be found. Only… Relief?

While Loki pondered this unforeseen emotion, [Y/N] was impatiently waiting for an answer. And seeing how he had gotten lost in thought, as well as a nearly emptied glass in his hand, she put two-and-two together.

“Are you drunk?” [Y/N] questioned, finally letting him go, with a look of utter disbelief spread across her face.

Now that got his attention.

“You’re drinking on the job?”

She couldn’t believe her eyes. [Y/N] knew the consequences of alcohol, as it was a rule that they were not even supposed to touch such drinks while on a mission, but to think that this man would-

Wait… [Y/N] took a moment to readjust her thoughts. Can Frost Giants get drunk? Asgardians have a high alcohol tolerance, but… What was it about Frost Giants again?

“How many did you two have?” [Y/N] asked as she glanced at the booth that Sylvie slept on.

Not a trace of alcohol could be seen.

Loki could see the disappointment evident on her face. Truth be told, he did have a lot. It was indeed much more than any of the passengers could handle. But it wasn’t enough to cloud his thoughts. Only give him a nice buzz. However, that didn’t change the fact that [Y/N]’s already low opinion of him was drastically getting lower.

But what could he do? What could he say? The glass in his hand, the smell of his breath. Everything screamed that he had indeed been drinking. How was he supposed to know that [Y/N] would disapprove? Did his “future” self know this? Was he not paying enough attention during their “future” moments on Saakar? Did she drink during the Grand Master’s parties?

The more he thought, the more jumbled his mind became. And the more distracted he was, the more [Y/N] contributed this to the alcohol. She couldn’t even look at him anymore. Not with the situation being so serious.

Noticing her turning away from him, and with alcohol still very much in his system, Loki panicked.

“Dance with me.”

[Y/N]’s head whirled to face him so fast that he was worried she’d get whiplash.

“What?”

She couldn’t believe her ears. And deep down, she really did hope she heard him wrong. Maybe he said something else, and she failed to register it with the bustling of the other passengers. So she gave him the benefit of the doubt, with more confusion written on her face than the anger bubbling underneath.

Loki, on the other hand, couldn’t believe his own words. Where had that come from? Was it because just earlier he was thinking about if she had ever been to Asgard? Experienced their celebrations? Danced with the other warriors? What was he doing?

“What did you just say?” She repeated, hoping that she really did hear incorrectly.

But Loki was already too lost in his own thoughts now. They were no longer thinking at the same wavelength. He, now, registered her question with a memory from his first experience at the TVA. Recalling a different agent he had only had the pleasure of meeting twice during his whole time there. The one who had lived his whole life behind a desk. Casey.

“Dance,” Loki repeated, motioning his hand towards the band to get them to play a tune. “You do know what dancing is, right?”

He really hoped she did, but also hoped that it wasn’t because she had danced with someone else. Maybe he didn’t want her to know what it was after all. Just the thought of her in the arms of another, regardless of man or woman, annoyed him to no end. But if she hadn’t… Would she allow him to teach her?

“You’re confused,” [Y/N] sighed, snapping him from his delusions. “You’re confused about the situation you’re in. We are not here to have fun. We are not here for games. We are here to escape, remember? To survive. This isn’t the time-”

“One song,” Loki interrupted as he grabbed her hand and pulled her in closer. “One dance.”

Before she could resist, he called for everyone to join.

The other passengers were already intrigued with this strange pair, and with the lively music that swung into play, the room quickly came alive. [Y/N] had missed her chance to escape his clutches, as she realized that the more people watched them, the more attention they would draw if she fought back.

And so, [Y/N] was stuck in one of the worst traps possible. The trap of societal convention. She had to begrudgingly accept her fate as Loki swung her to-and-fro. Her body twisted and turned alongside him, his expertise in navigating the crowd slightly getting her attention. Her eyes trailed down to her feet, unable to focus on anything else as she tried to not trip over anything and make a complete embarrassment of herself.

“I guess that’s one question answered,” he quietly murmured as he brought her ever closer.

“What?” She asked, not looking up from the ground.

“You’ve definitely never danced before,” he chuckled, the sound rumbling to her own body.

She should’ve felt offended, but when she looked up at him to counter, she noticed his expression. The way he looked at her… It seemed like he needed this. As if one worry had lessened on his mind. Her irritation vanished almost instantly, so she decided to let the matter drop. And besides, it was the truth. Where in the world would she have even taken the time to dance? Definitely not back at the TVA.

“It’d be my pleasure to teach you, if you’d allow me.”

“Hmmm,” she mused, pretending to think about the offer.

Strangely, it was tempting. She didn’t know why she would even want to learn to dance. It wasn’t practical. There would never be a need to use it while on a mission. But when he offered, a part of her begged to accept. Still, she was more rational and silenced the voice.

“I’ll take a rain check on that.”

With that, it should’ve been a smooth transition to leave the dance floor. To edge away from all the attention. The music had certainly slowed down enough for her to leave. But, her dance partner had other thoughts in mind.

The room spun as she was pulled back into his arms. Suddenly, at a speed she couldn’t quite comprehend, he held her gently as she was dipped with her back facing the floor. During the movement, her arms instinctively wrapped around his shoulders and his arms held her around her waist. It wasn’t to the point where her back was strained, as he supported most of her weight, but she could barely process what just happened in this brief second.

“One dance,” Loki reminded her, with a soft smile and a look that pulled at her heart. “One song.”

Unable to refuse, as if in a daze, she danced with him once more. This time, she didn’t resist. She followed his lead, and soon she began to pick up the rhythm. Although this was her first time dancing, her body was well-trained to adapt. Soon, she swayed to the beat and was expertly moving along with his steps, no longer looking only at the ground. She began to predict where his feet would go, and she in turn moved along.

Her mind no longer focused on how to move, but instead on her partner. On how he was so poised and balanced, even while intoxicated. On how his breathing was smooth, even when they were moving so much. So her frustrations quickly turned to curiosity. And curiosity eventually lead the way to mischief.

“My turn,” she warned, an evil glint in her eye, as she caught Loki by surprise.

Her foot moved just a bit faster than the music, so subtle that only a trained eye would be able to capture the change, and she took that moment to forcefully step right where she predicted his foot would go. Unfortunately, she smiled in triumph too soon. What she didn’t take into account was that Loki was also well trained. Perhaps for longer than she was trained in the TVA.

Loki expertly dodged her attempts, but she wasn’t deterred by the failure. The two went back and forth, [Y/N] always on the offensive and Loki always defensive. Whenever a chance arose, she would extend her foot and he would move out of the way. They were almost waltzing together, in a chaotic yet synchronized way.

She couldn’t deny it. [Y/N] was beginning to genuinely enjoy this. Although she couldn’t say the same thing for any dance, this one in particular was… It was the most fun she had in a long, long time. Perhaps the first, if she could remember that far.

It was almost like they were the only ones in the room. Like everyone else was gone and only the music could be heard. Like they were the only ones that existed in this space.

A laugh escaped [Y/N] when Loki twirled her once more. She had forgotten the mission and even her small acts of revenge. Now, she was just enjoying this moment of peace. And Loki… He was enraptured by her smile. For once, he was not overlapping her with “[Y/N].” No, right now, all he could see was her. And only her.

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Author’s Side Note: Honestly, the inspiration for this part came from this YouTube clip of Tom Hiddleston’s waltz scene from another movie: [link]. It’s not a perfect description of the scene, but I hope you liked it!

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