Every year the Abplanalp family, husband and wife and their kids and sons-in-law, and now granddaughter Zoe, have looked for the Cannon Coin together. This year they found it, and on their first day searching.
Leslie, Matt and Luke Ledoux were looking at the clues while driving on Belding Road. Traffic was bad and they were backed up near the Welcome sign just east of Courtland Drive. They noticed one word from each of the first three clues was included on the sign. “We just thought we’d pull over and look,” said Leslie. Sure enough, the coin was buried, top side showing, in the base of one sign post.
Adding up all the hours the family has looked together, and then dividing by the number of people sharing the prize, the family guesses they are at just under minimum wage with the $1,000 prize. Two years ago they believe they actually stepped on the hidden coin, but didn’t see it.
“I’ve never seen anyone so into the hunt,” said Carl Stites, one of the organizers. The family has kept a scrapbook of every article and clue since day one. Like many families, they have enjoyed hunting as a group. The Abplanalp advice to next year’s hunters: “Don’t bother looking, we’re going to find it.”
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