Cut From May Fourth.I recently mentioned that southeast winds can also cause cuts. I also mentioned some differences in cuts caused by southeast winds as opposed to northeast winds.
Showing that I was right about southeast winds causing cuts, Tom Gidus sent in this photo of a cut created by a southeast wind where he found some modern coins, primariy in the area circled. (Photo cropped by TreasureGuide.) It is a rather typical type of southeast wind cut. You might notice some similarity between that cut and the dip I showed from Walton Rocks the other day.
Cuts created by southeast winds tend to be relatively low on the front beach and much less often produce shipwreck coins. I have some theories on that, which are based entirely upon my personal observations. Maybe I'll talk more about that some day.
Cuts created by southeast winds often depend upon the existance of some rather obvious obstacle to the flow of sand such as rocks or inlets along the beach. When the groins were still along Miami beach you could see how the sand would leave one side when the wind was from one direction and then leave the other side when the wind changed. The same thing happens near inlets, rocks and other obstacles.
A few days ago I talked about silver coins and the different patinas that they can acquire. I just found out that toning can add considerably to the value of certain coins. In fact, some people intentionally and artificially tone coins. Everything is faked these days! Artificially toned coins are generally avoided by those that collect toned coins.
I didn't know that people actually try to tone coins. I always assumed that a coin was best in its original mint state. Live and learn. I guess the fact that I like toned coins, even though I didn't know that is what it is called, would suggest that at least some other people would like it too. Very interesting.
The following article tells how to identify artificially toned coins and talks about coin toning, how the different numismatic metals tone differently, and mentions some interesting detais such as the fact that Morgan dollars and Peace dollars tone differently due to differences in manufacture.
Here is the link.
http://rg.ancients.info/guide/toning.html
You can always learn something new.
A Picasso brought $106 million in a Christie's auction Tuesday night. Other paintings and bronzes brought similarly high prices. Could the art market be headed for a boom and bust like the housing market? Or are investors betting that high-priced art is a safe haven that beats gold?
Here is the story.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/arts/06iht-melik6.html
I've answered most of the common questions at one time or another. Remember that this blog is searchable and you can browse through previous posts.
Forecast and Conditions. Conditions haven't changed. Cob hunting on the Treasure Coast is still poor. You can find some spots that are a bit better than others, where you might find an accumulation of modern coins and some spots where you might find a spike or other artifact. Low tide hunting would not be a bad choice and water hunting might not be a bad choice if you are somewhere where there is not a shipwreck lease.
Low tide is around 9:00. Right now the surf web sites are predicting that the seas will start to increase on sunday. The increase probably won't be very significant though. It looks like seas will only be aruond three or four feet.
As I always say, there is always some place to hunt and soomething to find. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder. Remember that I also recommend research and creativity. You might try some of the inland waterway banks. Remember the guy that not long ago found what appeared to be two musket barrels.
