Friday, October 31, 2014

10/31/14 Report - Detectorists Correct History Books, Calm Surf On Treasure Coast. Fronts Coming. Gold and Silver Prices.


Written by the TreasureGuide for he exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.


Calm Surf On Treasure Coast This Morning.






















We've been having a calm surf lately.  This is what it looked like this morning.  Easy water detecting.  Too much sand though. 

Expect one more day of calm surf and then it will start to build a little.  A couple of fronts will come through, which should mean north winds, and then next week the surf will be a bit rougher, but probably only something like four feet.

The Treasure Coast beaches are poor right now, as they have been nearly all summer.  Most have been heavily hunted too, so you'll need to search for one of the better spots.  If you just visit the most hunted beaches, don't expect much. 

Even though it is Halloween, it is not worth beating a dead horse.  No sense wasting time where there isn't much to be found anyhow.

If you are patient enough you might find something, but there are times to move on and find a better spot.

Don't expect much from the main treasure beaches.  Conditions are poor and most have been hunted to death.

I'm reminded of the 80/20 principle which says that 80 percent of all results in business comes from a mere 20 percent of our efforts.  Much of our efforts are wasted or, at best, are not very productive.

When you go out, you don't have to stick with your first choice.  Be willing to move on to the next spot, and maybe two or three after that.

Feel free to fight the odds and hunt for that rare remaining find on a beach that isn't producing anything if you want to, but it is often a better strategy to move on.   If nothing else, you'll know the condition of two or three beaches instead of just one.   And there is a chance you'll run into one that offers a little more.

After visiting a beach, remember what it was like.  Keep a log (maybe mental) of various beaches and what they are like and watch for any events that might cause a significant change.

And don't forget the option of going off-beach. 

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Gold ended at about $1224 per oz. yesterday.

To the left is a five-year chart.  You can see the peak in the fall of 2012 when the price was nearly $1900 an oz.  That is quite a drop in the last two or three years.

Silver was down 3.7 percent at $16.41 an ounce on Thursday, having earlier hit its lowest level since March 2010 at $16.30 an ounce.



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Detectorists proved the experts wrong and helped rewrite the history books.  The actual battle site was found by detectorists who found the special "armor piercing" bullets used by cavalry during a battle that was fought in 1594. 

Here is the link for more on that story.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-29825787


Find and photo submitted by Jeff C.


Here is a picture of a find sent in by Jeff C.

Looks like a cap badge similar to the one I showed a few days ago.

From the picture I'd guess this one might be silver.


UPDATE: I'll have more comments on this one in my next post.







NOAA isn't showing any tropical activity in our part of the world now.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net

Thursday, October 30, 2014

10/29/14 Report - Sedwick Coins Video. Coin Values: Ancient and U. S. Find The Best Home For Metal Detector Finds.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

Here is a quick but powerful video showing some of the lots in the upcoming Nov. 6 Sedwick Coins auction in Orlando.

Above is one of the many images from the auction teaser video.  Click on the following link to go to the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pau9XNFLroo

Fun video!

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Many people think that an older coin will naturally be more valuable than a modern coin.  It seems natural that an ancient coin that is hundreds or thousands of years old would be very valuable.  You might be surprised to learn that U. S. coins are often more valuable than ancient coins though.  There is simply more interest in and a better market for many U. S. coins.

The U. S. Coin Values Advisor did a study involving the selling price of thousands of U. S and ancient coins on eBay to see how U. S. coins compared in value to ancient coins.

The average selling price for ancient coins was higher than the average selling price for Indian Head cents and Morgan dollars, but the highest selling price for both Indian Head cents and Morgan dollars was much higher than the highest selling price for an ancient coin.

There are many common and lower-condition Indian Head cents and Morgan dollars sold at relatively low prices, but rarer examples in fine condition sell for very high prices - much higher prices than ancient coins.

To be specific, an 1877 MS-66 Indian Head sold for $53,000 while a 320 BC Stater sold for nearly $15,000.  The Stater was over 1500 years older than the Indian Head.

Here is the table summarizing the results of that study.


And here is the link to the article about how U. S. coins are often a better investment ancient coins.

http://www.us-coin-values-advisor.com/Ancient-coins-vs-US-coins.html

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A variety of factors determine the value of an item, but you won't get the full value of an item unless you get the item in front of the people that really want it.  They say that an item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, so you have to get the item in front of the person that is willing to pay a lot for it.  That person will often be the person that appreciates it the most.

Some people don't sell finds.  I say it is good to sell an item when by selling the item it goes to someone who cherishes it and will take good care of it. 

I'm not talking about things like class rings or engagement rings here.

I've sold some items that went to museums where they were displayed and viewed by many people.  That is the kind of thing that pleases me.

One bottle from Fort Pierce was bought by a well known bottle collector, who published a picture of the bottle in a book on pharmacy bottles.   In cases like that I'm glad I sold the item, and I feel that I did the right thing by offering the item for sale.

Selling an item sometimes isn't just about the money.  It can be a way to find the best home for the item.

-------------------

The one remaining tropical disturbance in still down by the West Indies, but moving generally towards the Treasure Coast at this point.

We have a small surf on the Treasure Coast.  It might increase in a few days.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net.


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

10/28/14 Report - James Fort Excavation. Peach State Archaeological Society Web Site. Gold And Silver Artifacts From Florida. Most Read And Most "Plused" Posts Of September.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

Source: WYdaily.com link.

More than a million artifacts have been excavated from the site of James Fort including the spur shown here.

Here is the link.

http://wydaily.com/2014/10/24/jamestown-dig-update-archaeologists-look-for-clues-about-pit-outside-fort-walls?cat=localnews/



The Peach State Archaeological Society web site has a lot of good information and pictures.  I was doing some research on metallic artifacts when I found that site.

Check out the New Finds and Artifact Identification sections, as well as others.

Of course Peach State refers to Georgia, but the site has a lot of Florida stuff on it too.

I really like the section on discoidals.  I know I've shown at least one of those that was found on a Treasure Coast beach.   There is also a section on trade goods, including a variety of artifacts from the early contact period.

Here are a couple of links to use.

http://peachstatearchaeologicalsociety.org/index.php?option=com_content&id=345%3AMetallic-Decorative-Artifacts&catid=


http://peachstatearchaeologicalsociety.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=1&Itemid=59






Here is a gold pendant dated to 800 to 1500 AD.  It came from the St. Marks Wakulla area of Florida.

And here is a Calusa silver tablet from Charlotte Harbor area.

You can find both of these pictures by using the link immediately above in the Metallic Ceremonial and Decorative Artifacts section.





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At the end of every month I go back to look at the blog statistics from the previous month to see which posts were the most read and which received the most Google Pluses.  Those measures give me some idea of what my readers want to see.  Some posts get read a lot because they get publicized somehow, maybe shared or posted elsewhere, but the most read aren't always the posts that regular readers indicate that they most like.

For September the most read post was the 9/7/14 Report - Million Dollar Coin Found by Detectorist.   How Objects Sink Very Quickly Into Beach Sand.

The most Google "plused" post was the 9/4/14 Report -  How Coins and Rings Sink In Beach Sand.  Targets Only Sink As Far As The Disturbed Layer.

Those two posts both talk about how objects sink in beach sand. 


Tomorrow (Wed.) and the next day we'll have a very calm surf on the Treasure Coast.

There is one new low pressure zone just north of the West Indies.  It already has a 30% chance of becoming a cyclone in the next couple of days.  I'll be watching that.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

10/28/14 Report - Tropical Storm Hanna. LaSalle's Ship La Belle Being Reassembled. 1870 CC Double Eagle Sells For $188,000.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.


Yesterday (Mon.) afternoon I saw this fellow going along what remains of a cut with a Garrette Ace detector

This beach had a better cut a couple of days ago.  In fact all of the cuts that I showed you the other day are now gone again.

Below are a couple of pictures of one of the beaches that I showed two days ago.  You can see that the cut that was there a couple of days ago is now completely gone.


There is now a Tropical Storm named Hanna down by Nicaragua.  Doesn't look to me like she'll come this way.

There is another low pressure area just east of the West Indies.
Two Views of Treasure Coast Beach This Afternoon.


This beach was but two to three feet two days ago.   As you can see, now there is nothing left of the cut.

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The wreck of LaSalle's ship, the La Belle, was found in 12 feet of water off the Texas coast.  The hull has now be conserved and the ship is being reassembled.

The ship is gradually being reassembled and installed at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. La Belle was discovered in 1995 by Texas Historical Commission archaeologists, who built a dam around the wreck site and pumped it dry so they could excavate the nearly intact hull from six feet of mud.

http://archive.archaeology.org/9601/newsbriefs/lasalle.html

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As you probably know the SedwickCoins auction online bidding has begun and many lots already have bids.   You can view or bid at iCollector.com.

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1870 CC VF 30 Double Eagle
Source: CoinNews.net.
CoinNews.net reports that the Heritage New York US Coins Auction. held Oct. 8 - 13 brought in over $11.1 million.  Six coins sold for more than $100,000 each.

Taking top honors was an 1870 Carson City Double Eagle [shown here].  Graded VF30 by PCGS, the $20 gold piece sold for $188,000 and attracted "spirited bidding," according to Greg Rohan, President of Heritage.
"The 1870-CC double eagle is considered one of the keys to the entire Liberty double eagle series, and is by far the rarest double eagle struck in Carson City,"
Below is the link to that article.


http://www.coinnews.net/2014/10/24/heritage-new-york-us-coins-auction-tops-11-1-million/


Expect calm seas along the Treasure Coast for at least a few days.

Happy Hunting,
Treasureguide@Comcast.net

Sunday, October 26, 2014

10/26/14 Report - Officers Great Seal Hat Badge Dug. 300 Silver Dollar Cache. $50,000 Robert E. Lee Map. Nazi U-Boat Wreckage.


Written by the Treasureguide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.


Example WW II Officers Cap With Badge
Sent by Christopher P.



Yesterday I showed a metal Great Seal of the United States.  I didn't know what it was at first.  After the item was cleaned I could see where two pins would have been.  That was totally covered by a encrustation before. 

I am now sure it is a officer's cap pin of the WW II era.

Thanks for the picture Christopher!




Other WW II items have come from that same area of the beach in the past.  Most of that, though, was when the beach was eroded way back - maybe a hundred yards from where it is now. 

I suspect this one was dredged up and dumped with the renourishment sand.  That happens occasionally.  It can be very helpful when you can figure out where things are coming from.

This one was found where WW II training took place, but I still suspect that it actually came from where the dredged sand was picked up.


Where Pin Was Attached To Badge.


Here is the back of the badge that was found yesterday after the encrustation was cleaned off. 

There were two pins attached - one behind each wing.

This photo shows where one pin was attached (red circle).






A cache of 300 1887 mint-condition silver dollars were found when plummers were digging a ditch.  That happened back a few years but still the story is worth looking at.   Good read.

http://www.reporternews.com/news/coin-cache-found-in-amarillo-backyard

You never know what you might find if you keep digging.



A map actually used by Robert E. Lee has a value of between 50 to 100 thousand dollars.

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/10/21/antiques-roadshow-robert-e-lee-map-photo-worth-upwards-of/20981684/


More on WW II.   The wreckage of a Nazi U-boat was found off of North Carolina.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/video/WWII-Nazi-U-Boat-Wreckage-Found/346833475829/Comcast/TopVideos/?cid=sf_vidtray


On the Treasure Coast it looks like we're going to have nothing much more than a two foot surf for about a week.  Nonetheless, as I've been showing, we have been getting some decent sand movement - more than I would expect from such a small surf.  The wind was from the North, which at least partially accounts for it.

As I left the beach yesterday, the tide was coming in and the face of the cut was being hit, and that was knocking a little more sand off the cut.  At that time the waves were hitting straight on and the sand was not being swept away.

We have one tropical disturbance below Cuba now.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net

Saturday, October 25, 2014

10/25/14 Report [Updated] - Some Treasure Coast Beaches Are Cut Two or Three Feet. Big Surf Predicted In Near Future. Unidentified Find.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.



This item was found this morning.

It was found between a bunch of mangled aluminum junk. 

It appears to be copper.

The only words on it are E. Pluribus Unim.

I don't see any evidence of how it was attached to anything on the back. 

It is the Great Seal of the United States, but I don't have any idea if it would have been on a hat or what.





The beach photos below were taken yesterday afternoon not long before low tide.

The cuts varied from about one foot to a touch over two feet.


Cuts On Treasure Coast Beaches Yesterday Afternoon.



These cuts ran for hundreds of yards, while other beaches that I saw showed no erosion at all.

At one beach the beach front was convex in front of the cut and the beach front was relatively mushy.

At the other cut beach, the beach front was flatter and less mushy.

The second beach normally does not produce as much treasure as the first.

Notice the sea weed at both beaches.  That indicates that some filling had taken place since the erosion.

From what I saw I am not increasing my Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Conditions Rating yet.  It could be a start, or all of this could reverse again and then we'd have to start all over again.

According to the predictions we're supposed to get around a three foot surf again tomorrow, but the wind is supposed to be primarily from the North.

It looks like the remnants of Tropical Depression Nine is reforming in the Gulf just east of the Yucatan.

------------------------------------  Morning Update Below --------------------------------

This morning I checked the same two beaches again.  The cuts were a little deeper on the first beach. The cuts were two to three feet this moring.   As the tide was coming in, there was a little additional erosion.

 On the second beach, things were a little worse.  The area in front of the cut was more mushy than yesterday.

Both of these beaches had very few targets of any kind.

I took a look at another beach that was cut about the same amount, but the erosion there was all in very junky renourishment sand.  There was a lot of mangled aluminum coming out of the renourishment sand plus a few coins and the item show above.

I've not seen enough to increase my Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Conditions Rating yet.

Same Beach Shown In The First Photo Above As Seen This Morning.


Same Beach Shown In the Second Photo At The Top Of The Page As Seen This Morning.

The surfing web site says that the surf is only about two feet.  They predict the same for tomorrow.  Yet, as you can see, we are getting some erosion.

The interesting thing is that out about nine days from now, they are predicting a surf of six to nine feet.  If that actually happens, things could get interesting.

You have to be alert.  Conditions have been poor for so long that a lot of people have not been paying much attention.  Things can change quickly. 

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net.

Friday, October 24, 2014

10/24/14 Report [UPDATED] - Davis Zerkle Lumber Token Found. Huge Firearms Auction Listings. More Coin Grading Apps. New Beach Cuts.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

Trade Token Found By William M.
Photo by William M.
Afternoon Update:  There are a few cuts on some of the Treasure Coast beaches.  I saw cuts of up to two feet this afternoon, but I am not yet changing my Treasure Beach Conditions Rating yet.  Not enough erosion at this point.  Photos will be posted later.

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William M. recently found this very nice Davis Zerkle Lumber Company token.  Since the company closed in 1926, that would the be the likely upper limit on the date.  William hasn't found any other examples of the 10 cents denomination of this token.'

Great find William!  

---------------

Yesterday I showed a variety of Florida dug Walking Liberty Half Dollar coins.  I also gave links for a couple of web sites you can use to help determine the grade of your coins.  Chris S. wrote in and gave a couple more good resources.

Chris said, You can also get the photograde app by PCGS for your iphone. While you're at it, you can download the PCGS price guide. Both are good for reference in the field if you just can't wait to get back home to check it out.

Thanks for the tips Chris!

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The National Park Service noticed hundreds of artifacts when they dredged a pond in the Everglades back in 1968.  They logged the finds but an excavation was not conducted on the site, which was under about ten feet of water.

Now that the Park Service wants to install a boardwalk over the area so archaeologists will be taking a better look at the site.

Here is the link.

http://phys.org/news/2014-10-everglades-trail-surveyed-cultural-artifacts.html

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Want to buy an 18th Century cannon for you front lawn?  You just missed the James Julia firearms auction that was conducted on Oct. 7 -9.  Cannons brought high prices.  According to Kovels Komments,  A 1750 Spanish siege mortar captured in Florida in 1862 from Confederates defending Fernandina Island during the Civil War sold for $97,750. It was sold as scrap metal in 1956 but then was sold again and saved.

It took $80,500 to buy a 1681 Dutch Falconette on a carriage. It appears to have the original bronze patina--it was never polished. A bronze Ames Model 1841 six-pounder cannon used in the Civil War brought $63,250.

Other expensive firearms: Model 1906 Krupp 50mm mountain cannon, $70,800; Dahlgren heavy 12-pounder boat howitzer, $92,000; and a rare Winchester Model 1873 lever action rifle, $258,750.

At least five cannons did not sell. The logistics of organizing and selling tons of firearms included solving the problem of what to do with leftovers. If you plan to buy [or sell] a cannon, be sure to consult this auction for prices.
Canon From Auction.

Here is the auction link.

http://jamesdjulia.com/auction/369-october-2014-firearms-auction/

There are many lots in this auction to browse.





As I said yesterday, Tropical Depression Nine fell apart, however it looks like it is reforming.  I wouldn't be surprised to see it emerge in the Gulf again before long.   I'll keep an eye on that.

The wind is blowing and the weather is beautiful.  We have about a three foot surf today along the Treasure Coast.  That is about what we'll have for a week or so.   After that there is a possibility of something significantly bigger.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net


Thursday, October 23, 2014

10/23/14 Report - Things That Will Help You Grade Dug Coins. Florida Dug Walking Liberty Halves. Dutch Shipwreck Huis de Kreuningen Found.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Dug 1943 Half Dollar.

It can be difficult for a detectorist to determine the actual value of a dug coin.  A lot depends upon the grade or condition of the coin.  With the internet it is becoming easier for an amateur to get a good idea of a coins grade.

Today, just as an example, I decided to look at some dug Walking Liberty half dollars.  Fortunately there are some good sites that provide very helpful pictures of coins of different grades. 

Here is a good site for grading Walking Liberty halves.

http://coinauctionshelp.com/How_To_Grade_Walking_Liberty_Halves.html#.VEcIRel0zak

Photograde Online is an excellent aid too.

http://www.pcgs.com/Photograde/#/Walker/Grades

That site provide a image library of reference coins of each grade from the PCGS library.


1943 Half As Dug From A Beach.
You probably know that you should not clean coins because if they are valuable you can quickly destroy a lot of the value.  However, if you detect beaches, coins can be entirely unreadable without some cleaning.  They can also be in such poor condition that there is little danger of reducing the value by cleaning them.   My advice is to consult an expert when in doubt.  You can visit coin dealers or conventions and talk to experts there.



Similar But Different 1943 Beach Dug Half That Has Been Partly Cleaned




You might recognize the common reddish patina that is often found when a layer of green crust has been partially removed.

Of course a good magnifying glass is handy.

I made these pictures with a low power Celestron digital microscope, which is handy for inspecting coins as well as making photos.  I find it much easier than squinting through a magnifying glass or loop or something.


Here is a much cleaner dug coin.

You can see the roughness of the coins corroded surface.

You can also see the some of the details that help in grading the coin.

I am no expert at this, but I focus on details that might be removed or faded as the result of wear.  For example, the vertical lines in the draped material, or the shoes.





Dug 1945 Half Dollar



Here is dug 1945 half dollar for comparison.

While it looks more worn and flattened from circulation, it doesn't show the same effects of salt water corrosion.

A smooth worn surface on a silver coin is attractive to me but hurts the value.








Other Side Of A Dug  Half Dollar.


Notice the designers initials (A over W) just to the right of the R in dollar.  That is something you might not easily notice without magnification.

Of course good lighting is important.

Lighting can really affect your photos too.







Another View.



Here you might focus on the stars in the furled flag, or the creases, or the facial features.

This Walking Liberty Half is thought by many to be among the most attractive coin designs.

I think if you use one of the sites I pointed out above, you'll be able to come up with a good estimate of the grade of your dug coins.




If you use either or both of the web sites I referenced above you'll be able to get a good idea of the condition of your dug coins.

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The Dutch ship Huis de Kreuningen was sunk in Scarborough Harbour in Trinidad and Taboago on March 3, 1677 along with 15 other vessels.  The Huis de Kreuningen, has been found.

A project conducted by the University of Connecticut ... found a wealth of other material, including nine canons; Delft and Bellarmine pottery jars that date to the third quarter of the 17th century; lead shot that was never fired; dozens of Dutch smoking pipes; and bricks that perfectly match the specifications of bricks made in the Dutch city of Leiden in 1647.

Here is the link for more of that article.

http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2014/10/uconn-archaeologist-discovers-17th-century-shipwreck/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+uconn-today+%28UConn+Today%29


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The surfing web site says we should have about a two-foot surf on the Treasure Coast today.  That isn't much, and from the look of the wind, I'd guess it would be a bit higher.

I was surprised this morning to find that Tropical Depression Nine disappeared, as did another disturbance the developed real close to it near the Yucatan.

There will be a partial solar eclipse around 6 PM today.

Happy Hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

10/22/14 Report - Mystery Of The Quartz Crystal Cross Of Mission San Luis. Tropical Depression Nine Has Formed.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Quartz Crystal Cross Pendant
One of the most unique and interesting artifacts of the early Spanish Contact period is a quartz crystal cross.  The cross was found at the site of the Mission San Luis.

No longer existing except as an archaeological site, Mission San Luis once had the appearance of a European city and was second in size and importance to only St. Augustine.  The inhabitants were Native Americans and Spanish explorers and missionaries.

Thriving since the mid 1600s, Mission San Luis was burned to the ground in 1704.  The majority of Native American inhabitants then moved west while the Spanish moved to St. Augustine after the destruction of the mission.

The mission was formed in the Appalachee Province of Florida after native leaders visited St. Augustine and asked for the mission to be established.  Over 5000 natives were baptized by the Franciscans there.

When you see the cross, you might not think it is hundreds of years old.  In fact you could easily pass it off as something modern.  And if you are told it is old, you might think it is a hoax, or maybe something like the crystal skulls that have been widely discussed, studied and faked.

The cross was first thought to be made of European molded glass, but additional study showed that is made of quartz crystal and was formed using Native American techniques such as flaking and biconic drilling but finished using an iron file.

Quartz crystal had special significance and was used for charms and amulets by both Native Americans and Spanish prior to the establishment of Mission San Luis.

The Spanish often carved rock crystal for rosary beads and other items.  The Christian cross was a design motif widely adopted and used by Christianized Native Americans.

The rock crystal cross represents a unique blend of Native American and European influence and belief.

It is thought that the cross was made by an Apalachee artisan employing both indigenous and European tools. 

Questions remain.     Who owned the cross?  How was it used?  How did traditional Native American traditions and beliefs, especially those concerning quartz crystal, blend with Christian beliefs in the form of the cross?


Primary resources.

http://www.academia.edu/1248161/A_quartz_crystal_cross_from_Mission_San_Luis_Florida

http://www.missionsanluis.org/_docs/Journal_of_ArchScience_97-.pdf

http://www-tc.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/static/media/transcripts/2011-05-11/407_crystalcross.pdf

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On the Treasure Coast we have a fairly calm surf today that will increase only a little tomorrow.

The big news is that we now have Tropical Depression Nine, which is in the Southern Gulf of Mexico.  It looks like it will cross the Yucatan Peninsula and head towards Jamaica.  It could possibly head our way if it does not fall apart.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

10/21/14 Report - The Magic and Memories of Metal Detecting. Excellent Research Links. Thin Silver Coin(?)


Written by the Treasure Guide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

Thin Piece of Silver
About Dime Size If Complete
 

 
I was looking through some old coin finds and noticed how often I could remember the exact moment when they were found.  I'm not talking about the routine pennies, nickles and dimes, that I don't pay much attention to, but those finds that are just a little distinctive in some way.  I was really amazed by how many of those finds brought back a crystal clear memory of the exact time and place.

Isn't that the magic of detecting? You create memories.  It surprises me how I remember exactly where and how so many items were found.  So many of those memories seem as clear today as they were 20 years ago. 

They might be moments of elation, surprise, wonder, or maybe exhaustion or fear.  Those memorable moments are very different, but they stick in memory just the same.

I remember stupid things that I did.  I remember the first time I got caught in a rip tide.  And the time I got bumped by something in the ocean at night, and I still don't know what it was.  (I don't do that anymore.)  It got my heart pumping.

They say God watches over helpless fools.  He took care of this ignorant soul.

You might not know exactly what something is when you first dig it up, and that seems to add to the excitement. 

There often is excitement when you first dig up an item.  I clearly remember the diamond that I saw sparkling through a couple feet of crystal clear water as it came up in my scoop.  That was beautiful, and it was memorable.  The sky was so blue and the water was crystal clear that day.

I remember the time my wife thought she had a real hot spot when she had a hole in her goody bag and kept picking up the same coins.  That was funny.

I remember the time I found a very nice gold chain and religious medallion and it slipped through a hole in my pocket on the way back to the car.  After discovering that it was missing I walked back a mile or more to find it, and was lucky enough to see part of it sticking out of the sand at the edge of the water. 

Those are just a few.  There are tons of them, and they come marching back one by one as I look through old finds.

Some of those finds will last a long time.  Somebody else will own them some day, but whoever gets the item won't get all the magic.  They weren't there.  I was.

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Above are two views of a dug silver object.  It looks like it could have been a coin, but most of it is missing, as you can see.  The side shown in the second photo is almost completely covered with a thin coat of encrustation.  It looks like it was in the water a good long time.  It looks like it attracted some iron residue.

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This blog has become a very good resource.  I find myself often using the blog search box to find old postings to locate information or links.  There are quite a few links to good reference works. 

One reader commented on especially liking the gem stone link from the other day.

Below are some very good links relating to Florida archaeology.  Some deal with 16th Century Spanish exploration.  

The works are by Jeffrey M. Mitchem.  The articles are a few years old but excellent.

The first describes the archaeological evidence for the location of Narvaez's Aute.  Very good article about one of the very first Spanish explorations in Florida.  Well worth reading.

https://www.academia.edu/1419291/Archaeological_and_Ethnohistoric_Evidence_for_the_Location_of_Narvaezs_Aute

Here is an good list research resources by the same author.

http://uark.academia.edu/JeffreyMMitchem

Thanks to Mr. Mitchem for making his works easily available to the public.  That is how is should be.

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On the Treasure Coast today and tomorrow we are supposed to have a small surf -  only one to two feet.   That is as calm as it is going to be for a week or so if the predictions are correct.  Unfortunately the tides are pretty flat, so we won't be getting much of a low tide.

There is one disturbance hanging around in the south of the Gulf of Mexico.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net

Monday, October 20, 2014

10/20/14 Report - Treasure Coast Beach Conditions. Another Reason To Not Discriminate. How To Know Where To Detect. Know Your Gem Stones.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

I took a look at the beach yesterday near low tide.  Here is the first beach I looked at.  The waves were breaking there right near the foot of the beach.  Course sand was piled up on the front of the beach.

A mile or two away, I saw a beach that was different (Second photo.).  The waves were about the same size, naturally, but they were breaking about 40 yards farther out.

On that beach the sand bar was farther out and there was a dip between the sand bar and the foot of the beach.

On the front of the second beach, the sand was even more course and the slope was covered by very course sand with shells and even small rocks next too the water.  I wish I got a picture of how that course sand transitioned.  There was a sharp division between the course material on the slope and more fine sand in the dip.


Notice the shells in this second picture, and also notice just above the center of the picture and a little to the left, how the water is piled up near the foot of the beach.  Just below that you can see the flat water covering a dip.

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The other day when I talked about discrimination, I ended by mentioning that when I talked about what I called "working the washing machine" I dug only one trash item while digging a good number of good targets.

Some beaches are so busy that you can always find some recent drops, no matter how poor the conditions in that area might be.  You can have a spot that is very mushy where anything good will sink quickly, but if the item was just dropped, you can still find it before it disappears.  I don't generally spend my time in areas like that,   though in some situations, if there might be high value targets and I don't have a lot of good alternatives or the time to travel, I might do that.

Normally I am always assessing the situation and trying to find areas where the good to bad target ratio is good, and I don't stick around in areas where I determine from any evidence that I can gather, that the area is not where I want to spend my time.

How do you know which is which?  First you can tell a lot by how it looks..  That is the first level of analysis.  Learn to read the beach, and also the water.

You can also tell a lot by checking.  Do a little sampling.   What are you digging?  Aluminum junk or dense objects?  That will tell you a lot.  Where are the dense items?  Maybe lead or coins?  You won't get all the information if you are discriminating. 

Not only is the type of item important, but also how deep it was found.  What can you tell about layers?

This type of hunting works well in wet sand and shallow water, but is also applicable to other types of areas as well.  What I focus on is finding a well defined area where I can really focus my efforts.  That would be an area where I can quit prospecting and begin mining, as I sometimes put it.  That would be an area where there are few trash items relative to the number of good targets.

There is more than one way that the distribution of items (good and bad) can be changed.  In wet sand and shallow water, the water action and movement of sand and other materials has a lot to do with it.

In the dry sand or even on dry ground there are still many relevant factors that can affect how good an area might be.  Inland, for example, besides the fact that there are still layers and the layers are occasionally changed by water, for example by rain or creeks, or falling leaves, or human events and activities, those areas can also be changed by other detectorists and how they hunt.

What I'm trying to say is that my focus is on learning how items are distributed, and finding those areas with concentrations of high value targets, and that junk as well as good targets provide good information about the area and which direction to go next. 

Things are not distributed randomly, and I want to locate and spend my time working the most productive spots.

Not only does the type of item provide information, but how old it is and how deep it was, also provides good information.   For example, how deep a pull tab was found is important, as is the age of the pull tab.

I'm always considering the type of item, depth, density, age and its history, and any other factors that might shed some light on if I should stay where I am or which direction I should move next.

I'm generally not going to spend my time in an area where the junk to good target ratio is poor.  There are a few exceptions.  For example, if I have reason to believe that a dip filled with course sand and aluminum also might contain a Rolex or other high value target, I might hunt that area.  The point is that there is an analysis of all evidence and an intentional calculated decision about where to go next.   It is not just a process of wondering around and hoping to hit something good.

As I said, when working the washing machine the other day, I was finding almost all coins or better items, and only one junk item.  Under the circumstances I was going to stay in that general area.  I was going to try to find any center point and return towards it if I started wander away from it.   If I started to wander one way or another and started to get into an area where I was only finding aluminum, I would try to find the center of the good area again.  It is better to spend a lot of time in a small area once a good area has been identified.  If the good area was cleaned out, I would move on and try to find another good area.

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What is the most expensive gem stone?  Here is a link that will show you several of the most expensive.  I bet you haven't heard of some of them.

http://www.gemstonesadvisor.com/most-expensive-gemstones-in-the-world/

Red diamond will bring a million dollars per carat. 

Mistaking your gemstones can cost you a lot of money.   Don't assume or guess.

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Tomorrow the surf on the Treasure Coast will be down to one or two feet again.

There is an interesting disturbance down by Central America that might come our way.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net


Saturday, October 18, 2014

10/18/14 Report - 1853 One Dollar Gold Mounted Gold Coin Find. Discrimination For The Discriminating Detectorist. Importance Of Knowing The Range Of Trash At A Site.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesereport.BlogSpot.com.


Other Side Of The Gold Coin I Showed Yesterday.

This is the other side of the mounted cold coin find that I showed yesterday.

The photo is a little grainy for some reason, but if you look at the coin closely you can see a small mark on the coin made by one of the prongs.  I talked about that as being one reason you might not want to mount some coins.

The 1853 1 Dollar coin was minted in high numbers, and as a result is often found mounted in jewelry.  Another common and frequently mounted gold coin is the Mexican Dos Pesos.  I've mentioned that before.

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Occasionally I mention a gadget that I have found very useful.  One of those is an inexpensive battery tester.  I really get a lot of use out of mine.

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Yesterday I wrote about using the pulse delay setting to discriminate when using a pulse induction metal detector.  When I publish a post I almost always leave something out.   There are always some ifs, ands, and buts that I don't include.  My posts are too short to include everything.  It would be an endless post if I stated all of the relevant details.

Anyhow, concerning yesterday's post, one thing I might have mentioned is that the exact settings of the pulse delay will depend to some extent upon the specific item and the type of ground you are working. 

The thin gold ring that I talked about as an example was the same gold ring that you saw in my video a few days ago.  And  I was talking about your typical Treasure Coast beach without black sand.

Here is one other thing I'll add to that discussion.   At most sites there are only one or two types of trash that make up the vast majority of trash.

At many old sites the predominate type of trash will be iron and nails.

At other sites it might be aluminum and pull tabs, and at other sites it might be bottle caps.  Of course pull tabs and bottle tops are typical of picnic beaches.

At older sites that have been continuously used over the years you might have layers of all types of trash.

Discrimination can be more effective when one or two types of trash predominate a site.  When that is the case you only have to discriminate a small range of targets to dramatically improve detecting conditions.   If the predominant type of trash is bottle tops, increasing the pulse delay on a pulse induction detector can be fairly effective.

At sites where the predominate trash is iron and nails, a detector such as the Excalibur can discriminate fairly effectively.

In situations like those that I've been talking about, notch discrimination or target ID can be very helpful.  In those cases, you don't need to discriminate out more than a narrow range of trash targets, and that allows the use of discrimination while reducing (not entirely eliminating) the risk of missing good targets.

Before settling on the type of detector and discrimination, you first need to know what type of trash is there and what type is not there.  If you run around using a lot of discrimination right off the bat, you might not even find out what is at the site worth discriminating.

Despite everything I just said, I will still warn you about the dangers of using discrimination and suggest the alternative of simply removing the trash.  I can't get into all of the reasons for that right now.

If you have adequately analyzed a site and determined that the site is worth detecting, it should be worth detecting thoroughly, otherwise consider simply moving on to another site that is worth detecting well.

If  you are just out to pass some time or make a few easy finds, I understand using liberal discrimination, but if you suspect that a site might hold something good or if the site is good enough that you intend to hunt it on a continuing basis, I strongly suggest digging everything.


I just remembered something that I forgot to mention the other day when I talked about working the washing machine.  I used no discrimination and only dug one trash item while digging quite a few good targets.  I'll have to follow up on that another day.

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Gonzalo battered Bermuda.  Here is a link.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/video/After-Gonzalo-An-Island-Battered/344610883956/Comcast/Today_in_Video/?cid=hero_sf_TIV

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The weather is beautiful.  The tides are pretty flat.  There is not much of a low tide.

The surf is about the same on the Treasure Coast now, but they are still predicting a 5 - 7 foot surf Sunday the 26th.

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@Comcast.net

Friday, October 17, 2014

10/17/14 Report - U.S. One Dollar Gold Coin Find. Pulse Induction Metal Detector Discrimination. Bump In Surf Predicted.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

Nicely Mounted One Dollar US Gold Coin Metal Detector Find
I heard some guys discussing discrimination.  That is one of two big obsessions in the metal detecting community.  The other is depth.

Anyhow, the discussion centered on the hope for some type of effective discrimination for pulse induction detectors. 

Pulse induction detectors do have a type of discrimination.  You can discriminate with a pulse induction detector, but the results might not be exactly what you wanted.

What people really want is for the detector to tell them exactly what they are detecting before they dig it up.

One way you can get a type of discrimination with a pulse induction detector is to use "pulse delay." 

If you use the Whites Dual Field PI, for example, you'll find that you can discriminate out beer bottle caps and some other junk by using the pulse delay setting.

Just as an example, if you turn the Whites PI pulse delay setting up about half way, most beer bottle caps will be discriminated out.  As you increase the delay from 0 the signal from the bottle cap will decrease until you get no signal, which happens just before the straight up position.  A dime or other coin will still cause a good strong signal well after the setting which causes the bottle cap to be discriminated.

There you have it.  Discrimination with a PI - at least for some items.

But here is the bad news.  A thin gold ring will normally quit causing a signal at a much lower pulse delay setting.  You only have to turn the delay up about one eight of the way for a thin gold ring to be discriminated out.  And increasing the pulse delay will cause depth to be decreased for the same gold ring even before it is discriminated out.

(In a previous post I told you how important the threshold level is when using a pulse induction detector to detect gold and other items.)

It is easy to tell the difference between the signal from items such as a thin gold ring and a beer bottle cap  with a pulse induction metal detector such as the Whites Dual Field.  To produce a signal like a thin gold ring, the typical bottle cap would have to be buried deeply, and that is seldom the case.

The problem with discrimination with any metal detector, not just pulse induction detectors, is that there is risk involved.  You risk missing good stuff when you use discrimination.  Some detectors reduce that risk more than others, but there is risk.

If you must discriminate, there are things that will help you reduce that risk.  One of those things is knowledge of how your detector responds to different items.  Another is knowledge of how things are distributed in the type of area you are hunting.  For me that is by far the most important and effective.

If you want to find coins with a pulse induction detector and want to avoid the bottle caps, turning the pulse delay up is fine (to a point) but be aware that you will lose depth on the coins too.  For me, I'd rather find the gold rings.

Some other day I'll try to explain why I don't care as much about either discrimination or depth as  much as a lot of people.   That will take a number of posts, and I'd have to write a entire book to explain it well.

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Above is another example of a mounted gold coin.  The mounting on this one is very nice.  It has six little diamonds on the pendant. 

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Here is a video showing the town that is under Lake Meade.  It makes for some nice diving.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/video/Nevadas-Secret-Underwater-World/343605827604/Comcast/StrangeVideos/?cid=hero_sf_TIV

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Prehistoric camps have been found in the High Tetons.  I really like Jackson Hole and the Tetons and highly recommend visiting if you get a chance.  Saw my first grizzly bear live in the wilds there.  I was glad he paid me no attention and went on his way.   It is a beautiful place.

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/high-tetons-surrender-clues-about-prehistoric-residents/article_f2ba9672-b097-501e-a046-c74d8a099d24.html

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Back to the Treasure Coast, I looked at a number of different beaches today.  I didn't see any that looked promising at all.  All those that I visited really looked poor.  I didn't bother to take my detector out until the last one.

I could see some dips in front of the beaches in shallow water.  The waves were hitting hard right at the bottom of the beach on most of the beaches.

Gonzalo is headed towards Bermuda as a strong hurricane.   There is nothing much else out there to watch, however if you look at the surfing web sites you'll see that about a week out they are predicting up to a seven foot surf for the Treasure Coast.  In the past when the predicted a higher surf a week or more in advance, a good percentage of the time it never really happened.  There is a chance though.  It is worth watching.

At least the seasons have changed.  Now we just have to wait a little more.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net

Thursday, October 16, 2014

10/16/14 Report - Educational Presentations On Treasure & Treasure Coins. Working the Washing Machine - Rough Shallow Water Detecting.


Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

Treasure Coast Beach This Morning Near Low Tide.
The beach has been building. There were almost no targets in the wet sand this morning at this beach.  The dry beach didn't have much either.

I mostly worked in the washing machine.  By that I mean the area right in front of where the waves were crashing.  It isn't easy to work that area when you have decent waves.  The currents are strong there, and it is impossible to sweep a coil normally.  It can also difficult to recover targets there.  

To make things even more difficult, the bottom was very irregular today.  There were big dips and pot holes.  Many pot holes were more than a foot deep, and it was impossible to see the bottom, so occasionally I would get a jolt as I stepped into a hole.

There are several tricks for working in the washing machine.  While I normally don't bother to slip my arm into the band on the arm rest, in these conditions it helps a lot.  If your arm is strapped in tightly, it helps you to control the detector in the currents.

It also helps if you swing the coil so you are going with the current as much as possible.  Try to time your swing so the coil goes with the current one direction and then back the other direction when the current reverses.  It was so tough today that much of the time I was moving my coil more in a tight circle.  It took a good bit of effort.  If I didn't maintain good control both the detector and my scoop would get washed behind me.

Recovery was the hardest thing today.  In those conditions, try to time lifting the scoop so the current is rushing into your scoop rather than from behind your scoop as you lift a scoop from the bottom.   If you lift the scoop while the water is coming from behind, it will wash a lot of the sand, and quite possibly the item, out of the scoop as you lift it.

Before you lift the scoop, jiggle it to sift as much through the scoop as you can before lifting it.  That is if you think the item is in the scoop, of course. 

Don't over-fill the scoop or a lot of the sand, and quite possibly the item, will wash out of the scoop as you lift.


Detected Ear Ring.
Often foot-fanning will help you remove a lot of sand quickly, but fanning was not working well today because the currents were so strong, and the sand filled the hole as quickly as it could be fanned.  I had to give up on a few targets, which I always hate to do.

I was finding coins and objects mostly in the pot holes, and sometimes in the edge or side of a pot hole. 

Working the washing machine is not for beginners.

You also have to have sturdy equipment.  An extra brace can be used to help keep the coil in position.




The day before floor bidding begins for the current Sedwick Coins Treasure Auction, which will be  at the Doubletree Hotel at Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, there will be a number of educational presentations.  So if you are going to be in the Orlando area, you might want to make arrangements to see those.

Here is the schedule.



Wednesday, Nov. 5

 Lot viewing and educational presentations  

10 AM-6:30 PM EST

Lot viewing in Evergreen Room

 

 

2:00-2:45 PM EST

Ben Costello (director of the 1715 Fleet Society), guest Ernie Richards (PLUS ULTRA Newsletter)

"The 1715 Fleet 300th Anniversary"

Buena Vista Ballroom

(English)

3:00-3:30 PM EST

Jose Manuel Henriquez (president of Dominican Republic Numismatic Association)

"La Numismatica Dominicana"

Buena Vista Ballroom

(Spanish)

3:45-4:30 PM EST

Roberto Mastalir (researcher-writer)

"Potosi Cobs: Transitional period"

Buena Vista Ballroom

(English)

4:45-5:30 PM EST

Jorge Emilio Restrepo (researcher-writer)

"Coins Issued during Colombian Independence"

Buena Vista Ballroom

(English)

5:45-6:30 PM EST

Cori Sedwick Downing and Jorge Proctor (researchers-writers), guest speaker Angel Valtierra  (Nat. Mexican Numismatic Museum)

"Mexican Charles and Joanna Coinage"

Buena Vista Ballroom

(English-Spanish


Gonazalo is still out there but the other disturbance has disappeared, so it looks like we won't be getting any real storm action.

Friday and Saturday the Treasure Coast will get a little higher surf but only around four or five feet.

The low tide is not getting very low at all these days.

We had got a bit of a cool front and some very nice weather.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net