Colorado Ranked One of America’s Top Treasure States

When I was a kid, I remember digging in the dirt, determined to find dinosaur fossils. The likelihood of actually finding anything was never a reality. You're simply not going to find a Triceratops skull in a developed subdivision in Arvada.

When going to the river in the foothills and mountains near Central City, you can find people panning for gold. Some get lucky and find a couple of specks, while others may have a bust on their panning adventures.

Colorado Ranked as One of America’s Top Treasure States

Colorado is full of treasures; you have to know where to look. Or at the very least, have a massive lucky streak. According to ACE.com, Colorado is one of the top states for treasures.

READ MORE: These Are the 5 Most Common Dinosaur Fossils Found in Colorado

Hidden treasures like gold deposits, meteorite strikes, prehistoric fossils, and rare-earth mineral occurrences are all found in Colorado. One of the other categories is shipwrecks. Needless to say, Colorado has no reported shipwrecks, at least that we know of.

Hidden Treasures of Colorado

• Gold deposits - 1,543
• Meteorite strikes - 90
• Prehistoric fossils - 580
• Rare-earth mineral occurrences - 6
• Shipwrecks - 0

Golden State of California has 841 shipwrecks, 10,373 gold deposits, 374 meteorite strikes, 1,988 prehistoric fossils, and 2 rare-earth mineral occurrences, making it the number one state for treasures in the United States.

READ MORE: The History of Colorado's Gold Rush

Other top states for treasure include New Mexico, Texas, Florida, and Alaska. Check out the top states for each treasure category below.

• Shipwrecks - Florida: 1,850
• Gold deposits - California: 10,373
• Meteorite strikes - Nevada: 836
• Prehistoric fossils - California: 1,988
• Rare-earth mineral occurrences - Alaska: 37