Giant Prospector Twins

Jean, Nevada

Giant prospectors toil in a number of crags and crannies of the West. Bearded, crusty, usually grinning -- these fiberglass statues are more likely to advertise a casino or roadside panning attraction rather than mark the site of an actual gold discovery.

In the case of Jean, NV, a non-town along I-15 between Vegas and the CA border, it's the Gold Strike Casino. Two identical (not mirror) pioneer gold panners flank the entrance to the parking lot. The prospector twins, kneeling, are perhaps 11 feet in height. They resemble some of the other prospectors in the region, such as the Old West prospector on Fremont Street in Las Vegas (with his lucky pan of glowing light bulb nuggets), but larger earthly treasure-seekers can be found in Washoe Valley and Rapid City, SD.