Do you hear that…
Could it be Cryptid Coins?

Floorboards are creaking, the telltale is heart beating, and bats are flying overhead. That’s right, Halloween is just around the corner. A season for tricks, treats and just a little bit of magic, this time of year is a favorite for young and old alike.

From the scary stories that we tell, to the haunted houses we brave, and the costumes we wear, October is meant to send shivers up your spine. But perhaps nothing makes the hair stand up on the back of our necks more than things that go bump in the night. Was it a ghost? An alien? Or maybe – just maybe – something a bit more… terrestrial?

However, it isn’t just in the middle of the night that you’ll find these creatures. Did you know that here at LCC we have cryptid coins? So, sit back and try to relax as we descend into the shadowy realm of all things cryptid before the spookiest night of the year arrives.

Lurking in the Pacific Northwest

Rumor has it that hidden far from human eyes in the forests of Oregon and Washington state, there lives a mysterious creature. Thought to tower over 8 feet tall and be covered in hair, these elusive humanoids are hard to find and even harder to capture on film. Believed by some to be a guardian of the forest, oral stories predate the settlers that first moved to the region.

In fact, if you look through Oregon’s official records, you can actually find Bigfoot sightings starting at the beginning of the 20th century!

Probably one of the best-known tales of this hairy creature took place a little over 100 years in Ape Canyon. In the summer of 1924, five miners encountered what they described as “gorilla men.” Startled, shots were fired and one of the so-called gorilla men was injured. According to the miners, this set off a chain of nocturnal events that would leave them bruised and terrified.

The U.S. Forest Service soon heard the story and rangers were dispatched to check out the truth behind the miner’s claims. But with no body to be found, and evidence of the scuffle tenuous at best, the rangers were left unimpressed. The case was closed and considered a hoax. But the public’s belief quickly took root.

Today, there are numerous sightings of these hairy giants to the BFRO (that’s the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) reported each year. Or, if you’re really feeling adventurous, check out the North American Bigfoot Center in Boring, Oregon. After all, you never know who…or what…you may see lurking in the Pacific Northwest.

In the skies above

Do you hear that rumbling overhead? Look up if you dare and you just might see a truly frightening creature. With a wingspan as big as two canoes and a penchant for carrying whales (and even children) away in their talons, these cryptids are both revered and feared. But perhaps their most alarming feature of all? Their ability to shoot lightning bolts from their eyes.

Found throughout the lore of North America’s Indigenous Peoples is the mighty yet terrifying Thunderbird. This avian mythos has taken flight in the tales of the Iroquois people of the Northeast to the Chinook of the Pacific Coast and everywhere in between. And with petroglyphs of this creature dating back thousands of years, cryptozoologists argue that these cryptids aren’t just a flight of fancy.

Believed to be the bringer of storms, legend says that the thunderbird was responsible for defeating the Uktena, a great horned serpent. According to Algonquin tales, the avian creature is a protector of the human race. Using the lightning bolts from its eyes, the thunderbird was able to vanquish the underworld’s scaly beast and protect mankind.

Although not all tales of this cryptid end in heroic triumph. Look at the story of young Marlon Lowe. In 1977, ten-year-old Marlon was outside playing when two massive bird-like creatures descended. Hearing her son’s cries for help, Marlon’s mother ran outside and saw that one of the animals had picked up the 50+ pound boy and was attempting to fly away. Thanks to her quick thinking, she was able pry the boy from the creature’s talons before it flew off.

So, if you’re looking to see the thunderbird for yourself, might I suggest these cryptid coins? Captured in copper as well as silver, this mythic bird really is a sight to behold. Just be careful this cryptid doesn’t carry you away!

In the lochs of Scotland

There is thought to be a creature swimming in the deep cold waters of the Scottish Highlands. Whispered to measure anywhere from just a few feet to over 40 feet long, this aquatic beast has mystified people for centuries.

Take a look at some of the earliest images found around the loch. Talented artists, the Picts carved intricate pictures of the animals from their daily lives into the stones surrounding them – including an unrecognizable beast. Today, members of the cryptozoology community believe that this unidentifiable creature is the earliest rendering of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.

And that’s not all! The first recorded sighting of this marine monster dates back to the 6th century. While traveling by Loch Ness, St. Columba came across a local man who offered to fetch a boat for him. But as the man swam across the loch, the monster appeared and began to attack. Summoning the Holy power, Columba banished the beast back to the depths.

In the last 1,459 years since St. Columba’s encounter with Nessie – or maybe Nessie’s great-great-great-great-great-great grandparent? – there have been more than 1,160 sightings. At least according to the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register.

If you’re brave enough to venture out and try to see this beast for yourself, make sure to keep your camera at the ready. Who knows, maybe you could be the one to finally capture undeniable proof of Nessie’s existence!

Do you believe?

With all these eerie stories, it’s hard not to believe…if even just for a moment. After all, with so many different tales of creatures from around the world – some of which go back hundreds or thousands of years! – it makes you want to think something is out there waiting to be discovered.

So, what do you think? Are these cryptid coins enough to convince you that there might be something unknown out there waiting in the shadows? Tell me in the comments… if you dare!

In the meantime, happy Halloween to all you goblins and ghouls!