6/19/20 Report - Metal Detecting Hobby Makes Contributions to Archaeology. Digging Gold Mining Camp. Old Postcard Treasure.

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

Viking Era Coin Found by Detectorist.

Source: See news.err.ee link below.

Another archaeological find has been made on the island of Saaremaa, just weeks after a major haul including a 1,700-year-old gold bracelet came to light.

The recent find dates from a later era, the viking period, ERR's online news in Estonian reports, and includes a large number of silver coins, according to both the Heritage Protection Board (Muinsuskaitseamet) and Saaremaa Museum.

As with the earlier treasure trove, the latest find was the work of a metal detector hobbyist, who, in line with Estonian law, informed the authorities.

"We are grateful for the licensed hobby detector, who reported the findings to the Heritage Protection Board, which can now preserve some of the crucial history of Saaremaa," Saaremaa Museum stated on its social media page...

Here is the link for more about that.

https://news.err.ee/988737/another-saaremaa-archaeological-haul-includes-viking-era-silver-coins

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Postcard Postmarked June 10, 1875.

This post card is postmarked June 10, 1875. It was written to Thomas Gillespie of Stephenstown, Ohio, by Charles Louis Loos, who was a noted professor of ancient languages at Bethany College. I've been to Bethany, which was not far from West Liberty University (formed in 1837) where I once taught. The town of West Liberty was named in the late 18th Century as the westernmost point of the new liberty provided through the Declaration of Independence.

Source: Wikipedia.

Back of Same Postcard.

Notice the signature from the Wikipedia site and the postcard- very good match.

The one cent that it cost to send this postcard in 1875 would be roughly equivalent to 20 cents today.  Not bad.

To me this is an interesting piece of history that found its way to me.  I enjoy ephemera as much as any type of treasure.  Unfortunately you can't find it on the beach, but I've found a lot of it.  

You can learn a lot of history from old books and postcards.  I especially enjoyed this postcard because I was able to research the person and already knew about the places.  It bears the handwriting of a famous and historic person.  

Reading old script isn't easy, but with some difficulty I was able to make it out.  Whether you are trying to decipher documents from the Spanish archives or something else, reading old script in any language can be a challenge.

I have a lot of old books and postcards.  A good number of the books I puchased at thrift stores years ago for one dollar a piece, but a lot of the old books and postcards just found their way to me.  I guess it was just because I appreciated them.

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Here is a link to an article about digging through the remains of a old Chinese gold mining town.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/gold-rush-garbage-mined-to-unearth-history-of-chinese-miners-in-b-c-1.5595906

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Trivia question -  What language is aare the word for treasure?  Hint: the Finnish word aarre is very similar.   You'll find the answer in a June 2019 post.

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It looks like the Treasure Coast will have a week or more of one or two foot surf.  The tides aren't big either, and there are no tropical storms to pay attention to now.

Happy hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

10/14/19 Report - Interesting Ring For Opinions. Explanation For Holed Coins. Big Viking Tab. Decreasing Surf.

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

Latest Big Oak Island Find

By Alberto S.

I got a lot of emails about the Oak Island big find that I posted the other day.  People thought that was funny.

One person thought the item was probably Templar rather than Viking though due to the size :) , but then I received this picture from Alberto S. with evidence supporting a Viking origin.

Thanks Alberto!

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On a more serious note - one reader sent in the following possible explanation for the Eisenhower Dollar with several holes.  Here is what he said.

1 possible reason is most Alcoholics Anonymous groups do holes in special coins to mark years of sobriety. 

My dad has a coin with 10+ holes in it. 

That is the most plausible explanation I've heard.  Thanks!

And congrats to your dad for his years of healing.

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Here is a opal ring that Gaylen C. would like to learn more about if anyone has any thoughts.

Four Views of Same Ring

Photos by Gaylen C.

And here is what Gaylen said about the ring.

Factually it is a very heavy silver metal, weighing 22g. Crude and handmade in appearance. I had it examined at West Bay Traders last week. The result was rather surprising. It was suggested, but not confirmed, that by weight and a digital analyzer, that it was likely pure gold under a plating. I believe the digital reading was 97+%. I have made arrangements with them to go back when they will have an XFR analyzer available. It was determined that the plating was too thick to produce good results by rubbing off a spot. Acid tests did not prove anything either. Without my relating any history it was suggested that the opal could be Mexican. After giving some history I was told that it was not that uncommon for the Spanish to disguise gold with plating to smuggle back home. No suggestion on what the material was that was used to secure the stone in the ring. Looks like some kind of resinous material that can be seen as translucent in some photos. 

Any thoughts on the ring would be appreciated.

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Thanks for the notes concerning the passing of my friend Larry.  Your kind sentiments are appreciated.

Larry said he was going to write up the copper artifacts for me but was never able to.

One of the things I don't like about getting farther along on the path of life is that you lose a lot of friends and family along the way.

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Just a couple observations on the Minelab Equinox -  The very small 21.5K gold band showed an ID number of 16.

Also, it seems that the depth meter does give some estimate of depth, but probably not highly accurate.

That is something I wouldn't pay a lot of attention to anyhow because you can get a good idea of depth from the audio signal.

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The National Hurricane Center map is lighting up again.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

The surf will be calming down.  I've been waiting for quite a few weeks for the water to back off some.  I'd like to see a big low tide along with some calm water.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com

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Happy Hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/8/19 Report - Another Old Button for ID. Prisoner of War Camps in Florida During WWII. Megalodon Tooth Find. Viking Boat Burials.

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

Unidentified Button Find.

As you can see, this button has a crown on the front and the back is too corroded to show much of anything.

I haven't done the research on it yet, and would appreciate any help.

I had a cup with old button finds that had accumulated over the years.  Unfortunately I didn't label them, so I don't know when or where they were found.

The button I posted yesterday has the words "EXTRA FEIN" on the back.  In German that means extra fine. I thought it might have been produced in Germany for another country because I didn't think it was very likely that I would have found a German button, but I guess it is possible.  Susan E. thought it might be a WW II German button but hadn't found the exact one yet.

I started wondering where I might have found a German WW II button.  The first thing I thought of was the German spies that came ashore during WW II, but it seems extremely unlikely that would be the source.  It seems more likely to me that someone just lost a souvenir or something.

Then I remembered that I used to do a lot of metal detecting down south in an area where there was a WW II prisoner of war camp.  I found some lists of Florida WW II prisoner of war camps, and there were a few, but they didn't list any in the area that I was thinking of, so I started wondering if I remembered that correctly.  Finally I found that I was right about that.

Since the 1920's, the Detroit-based Miami Beach Heights Corporation (headed by industrialists Robert C. Graham, Walter O. Briggs, and C.T. Fisher) owned 245 acres of undeveloped, partially swampy land that stretched from the bay to the Atlantic. Mr. Graham assumed the duties as the developer for Bal Harbour. In the 1930's, city planners Harland Bartholomew & Associates were called in to design the Village. The company made several plans and they were submitted for review to Miami Beach Heights. In 1940, World War II began and the plans were put on hold. As a goodwill gesture to the government, Robert C. Graham rented the land to the United States Air Corps for $1 per year. The Air Corps used this land to train their soldiers and established a Prisoner of War camp. The ocean front area was used as a rifle range and the barracks were set up on the west side of Collins Avenue. The camp for prisoners was located where the Bal Harbour Shops are presently... 

(Source: https://activerain.com/blogsview/484718/the-history-of-bal-harbour--florida----paradise-found----miami--fl-33154)

I used to spend a lot of time hunting in that area.  If the button I posted yesterday is a German WWII button, there is a very good chance that is where I found it.

While doing the research I learned a lot.  Did you know, there were over 425,000 prisoners of war in the United States during WW II?

I found a few Florida POW camps listed on Wikipedia.  The Bal Harbour camp was not in that list or other lists that I saw.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_prisoner-of-war_camps_in_the_United_States

Once again I'll remind you to keep good records of your finds.

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A middle school girl stumbled upon a buried treasure while spending her spring break on a beach in North Carolina.

Avery Fauth and her family love to scour the sand for shark teeth whenever they’re on a beach. But Fauth attributes her recent prehistoric find — a megalodon shark tooth — on North Topsail Beach to luck...

Here is the link.

https://nypost.com/2019/04/19/girl-finds-megalodon-shark-tooth-buried-in-sand-at-beach/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_4028701

---

Source: click2houston.com.

See link below.

Two Viking burial boats are being uncovered in Sweden.


In this sort of burial, the person was placed along with his or her riches in a boat that was then put into the ground.

The archaeologists also found a sword, an ornate comb, a spear and part of a shield in the intact boat.

The identity of the man remains unknown.

The other of the two boats did not hold up as well.  It was probably damaged during work on the land in the 16th century....

It's been 50 years since the last burial ship was found in Sweden...


Here is the link.


https://www.click2houston.com/lifestyle/2-rare-viking-burial-boats-uncovered-in-sweden


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Expect continued small surf on the Treasure Coast for at least another week or so.

Let me know if you find any information on the buttons I posed yesterday and today.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

12/9/17 Report - Hoard Uncovered by Roadwork. Finds: Tools of Sailing Ships and Sail Making. Jacksonville Area Conditions.

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

Hoard Uncovered by Road Project.
Source: See RT.com link below.

A Swedish farmer has been awarded thousands of dollars after roadworks on his land uncovered a Viking treasure trove that included hundreds of silver coins.

Here is the link for more about that.

https://www.rt.com/news/412305-viking-treasure-coins-sweden/

Thanks to Norbert B. for submitting this link.

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Chris N. said, Here is the rather large needle either Upholstery or a Sail Needle, it was rolling in the surf whence I found it. 

Broken eyelet curved needle point, some corrosion, especially on needle point end. I cleaned up best I could with out destroying item.  

Below are three pictures Chris sent of that needle.

 Found Needle

Pointed End of Same Needle.

Other End of the Needle.

I don't know much about sail making tools, neither new or centuries old, but because of recent posts I've been doing some research and learning a little.  

I found the following on a site having to do with sail making.  The author used the name Savage24.

A sail needle has a 3 sided point, like a leather needle, except the edges are rounded off.
They slip between the fibers of canvas or heavy sail cloth without tearing the fibers...
A properly tempered sail needle will last for years I have some that I have been using for 10-12 years. 
They will cost you a couple of dollars each for the larger sizes, but you get what you pay for.
I would recommend from size 12 - 14 for general use. That's about a 3 to 3 1/2 inch needle that will take the inner strands of 550 cord.
As a sailmaker I use them for sewing sails and sailor stuff, they also make a dandy vent pick for your flintlock. 

Savage24 is talking about needles that you can get today, so they might be a bit different than those used centuries ago.

Another source said,

Sail needles are used for canvas repair work by hand sewing, it is generally much thicker as compared to normal machine needles to provide a comfortable finger grip. The body of the needle is triangular in shape with a sharp triangular point for sewing onto the fabric using minimal force. The eye of the sail needle is also ...
While sails were made on land, I would expect tools for maintenance and repairs to be carried on a ship or brought in after a wreck for various uses.

Here is a good list of sail making tools from the boat-building.org web site (See link below.).

The additional hand tools used by a sailmaker are:

• Sail needle: a strong needle with a sharp triangular point.
• Sailmaker’s thread: strong thread for sewing up the sails, leech ropes and grommets.
• Sailmaker’s palm: a strip of leather with a metal pad with an indentation that is used to force the needle through the sailcloth. The strip is strapped around the palm of the hand.
• Awl, to create a hole in heavy sailcloth or multiple layers of sailcloth before inserting the needle.
• Pliers, for pulling through a needle inserted into heavy sailcloth or multiple layers of sailcloth.
• Seam-rubber: a wooden handle with a strong 'scraper', made from strong lignum vitae (tropical type of wood) for creasing down seams in the edges of the sailcloth.
• Fid: a cone-shaped piece of lignum vitae for splicing rope or opening up holes in the sailcloth. The fid is inserted between the strands of a rope in order to create space through which another piece of rope can be inserted. The fid can also be inserted into a hole in the sailcloth and will open it up wider, so that the hole becomes larger.
• Marlinspike (also known as a marlingspike): a wooden handle with a piece of metal that tapers to a point in the form of an awl and which has a hollow in it and which is intended for splicing stranded rope. The marlinspike is inserted between the strands of rope, a strand is inserted through the hollow section of the marlinspike and is thus fed through the gap in the rope.
• Hollow punch: a metal pin with a round hole at one end with a sharp edge and a flat face on the opposite end so that it can be hit with a hammer. Hollow punches are available in various sizes and diameters to make small and larger holes.

It appears that one of the diagnostic features of a sail making needle would be a triangular point.  I can not usually see that in pictures of either new or found needles.

Although I've learned a little, I'm not yet able to say if the needle in question today is a sail making needle or an upholstery needle or how old it might be.  Perhaps somebody more familiar with those types of items can say.  If so, please let me know.  Perhaps the above information will help some one identify the item.

Here is the link I mentioned above.

http://www.boat-building.org/learn-skills/index.php/en/wood/sail-making/

---

Chris N. also sent a beach report from up around the Jacksonville area.  Here it is.

Went out a little bit today,, not very much.. Very sanded in.. this storm is bringing the sand up and covering were all the good material is, except down by the very low water tide line.  I did not stick around to wait.. really early out in the surf in and around Jacksonville. I bet although Anastasia Island and further south conditions may be better...

Bad weather still on the move unfortunate for folks who live in homes by the ocean... Major construction all over Northern Coast from Irma.. there finally establishing Sea Walls for folks who pay for it..

Note* When I find a lot of fossilized bones, larger sharks teeth etc Items I usually get good hits on my detector... "Just a thought".. 

On the Treasure Coast there is lot of thunder, wind and rain this morning.  It looks like we'll just have a two foot surf for a couple weeks on the Treasure Coast.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

11/9/16 Report - Some Basics On Detecting Strategies. Ancient Iron Tools Found by Metal Detector.

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

Iron Viking Tools Found by Metal Detector.
Source: see link below.

I started to talk about strategies one day not long ago.  The first thing I pointed out is that the selection of a strategy should depend upon how you value different things.  If you ask people if they'd rather find a valuable piece of modern jewelry or an old coin, different people will give you different answers.  Some people like to find things that do not necessarily have a high economic value, while others are primarily interested in the economic value of their finds.  Some people are analytical and have a good idea of what they want to accomplish and know how they value things.  In order to select the most effective strategy, you first have to be clear about how you value things and what you want to find.

Different people utilize different decision strategies.  The eternal optimist, for example, tends to use what those who study decision theory refer to as the Maximax strategy.  They consider the best possible thing that could happen and make decisions based upon the best possible outcome.  They think of big finds, and don't think so much about the possible cost.

Treasure hunters are generally optimists to some degree.  They have to expect finding something and probably dream of finding something in particular.  The prime example of the eternal optimist is Mel Fisher, who was able to search for the Atocha year after year without being discouraged and giving up.  He expected to find it and looked at every day as if that day would be the day.  Most people are not that optimistic.

If you are a pessimist, you probably won't be a treasure hunter very long, if you start at all.

The pessimistic person thinks of what can go wrong and thinks in terms of minimizing negative outcomes.  They will tend to go after safe and easy targets.

The best decision strategies are informed by data and a clear estimate of the value of different finds and the probabilities of different finds.  At sites that you have hunted many times and studied the signs, you'll have a good idea of the probability of different kinds of targets under different conditions.

The probability of a find can only be estimated.  The estimate should be heavily based upon past experience and analysis of the situation.

I once did post on math for metal detecting.  That was my 7/10/14 post if you want to take a look at it.  You can find that post by entering "math" into the blog search box.

One day not long ago, I was working a coin hole and decided to leave the coin hole to check another area.  The other area was an area that in the past had produced some older items.  Why did I decide to leave a coin hole when it was still producing?  The answer is that the hole would most likely produce modern coins and cheap modern jewelry.  How did I know that?  From past finds and what I had dug to that point.  I also knew the type of people that normally visit that site.

While you hunt, collect data.  I always recommend keeping detailed records of finds, most especially the first few years you detect.   After a few years you'll know a lot about different beaches and what they produce.  Always observe and be ready to modify your thinking.

One of my main strategies is sampling.  Even if I think I can tell by looking at a beach, I'll often make a quick check with my detector to make sure my assessment is correct.  Sample to learn, and sample to verify.

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The exciting find first came to the attention of Holm and her colleagues when a couple of amateur archaeologists with metal detectors found a signal near to the fortress’ east gate.

“We could see that there was something in the layers [of soil] around the east gate. If it had been a big signal from the upper layers then it could’ve been a regular plough, but it came from the more ‘exciting’ layers. So we dug it up and asked the local hospital for permission to borrow their CT-scanner,” says Holm.

There suspicions proved to be correct and they discovered a large collection of iron that immediately looked like tools. Even though the toolbox itself was long gone--wood rots away over time--but the placement of the objects suggested that they were not simply random finds...

Here is the link for the rest of the story and see the finds cleaned.

http://sciencenordic.com/archaeologists-discover-viking-toolbox

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Darrel S. reports that a number of detectorists were at Turtle Trail early Tuesday.  The blue bags were still showing, but it didn't seem anyone did any good.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/15/15 Report - The Big Three Factors Of Hunting In Dry Sand. How Waves Move Very Big and Small Objects. The Langeid Viking Sword Finally On Display.

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

Ornate Viking Sword.
Photo from http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/37504

A deadly weapon and symbol of power -- jewellery for a man, with magical properties. The sword gave power to the warrior, but the warrior's strength could also be transferred to the sword. That is how they were bound together: man and weapon, warrior and sword.

This sword was found in Langeid in Bygland in Setesdal in 2011. It is a truly unique sword from the late Viking Age, embellished with gold, inscriptions and other ornamentation. The discovery of the sword has not been published until now, when it is being displayed for the first time in the exhibition 'Take It Personally' at the Historical Museum in Oslo...

Here is the link for the rest of that article.

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150714093658.htm


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When talking about where to hunt for gold jewelry on a dry beach, I could sum up ninety percent of what needs to be said in a couple of paragraphs.  It isn't that complex.  It doesn't change as much as the wet sand or water does.

It comes down to looking where the most people of the right type do the right things.  The primary factors are (1) number of people, (2) type of people and (3) their behavior.  Number is obvious.  Go where many wealthy people who wear a lot of gold either participate in very active behaviors or are involved in taking off or adjusting jewelry.  Example: busy volleyball court at a resort that attracts a lot of active wealthy people.

Of course there is a lot more that could be said, but that tells you the vast majority of what needs to be said.  You can't sum up where to hunt wet sand and shallow water so easily. There are a lot more factors and things change a lot.

Number of people, type of people and type of activities would be a start for those areas too, but it would only be a start.  After those factors you would want to include how the water moves sand and objects, and that is quite complex.

I've been at this a long time. I'd say something over thirty years, sometimes not as actively as others due to different careers and things, but one of the most surprising things to me is how much I continue to learn.

I knew a lot about where to look before, but a lot of the time I didn't know why.  I didn't know how it all worked.  In the last few years, I've filled in some of the blanks. I now understand some things that puzzled or confused me.  Having a more complete understanding helps in a variety of ways.

A few days ago I talked about coins being flipped up and over the face of a cut.  I first told what I saw happen on one occasion maybe twenty years ago.  I then received and posted reports by others verifying what I'm now calling flip-ups.  In a case reported by Clint L., the object flipped was a gold ring.  In a case reported by Bill P., the object flipped was a reale.

You might have been skeptical.  You might have wondered how objects could flip up and over a two foot cut.

I think the illustration that I provided in my 7/13 post might have satisfied many of you.  However if you still are not sure, you might be satisfied after reading today's post.

I came across a book entitled, Wave Action In Relation To Engineering Structures, by D. D. Gaillard, Captain, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., 1904.  It is a free Google ebook.  It is a very technical and mathematical engineering book, and isn't easy to quickly browse.  You'll find the link below.

The book provides a lot of good information - much that has been widely published and easily available in recent years, but also details of a lot of experiments and additional specifics that you might not have read before.

Below are just a few examples many similar examples found in the book.  Whether you find these anecdotes convincing or not, I'm sure you'll find them interesting.

Just to give you the idea here are a few.

And a Florida example.

Like I said, that is to give you the idea.  You can find more examples like this as well as experimental data and mathematical calculations in the book.

Click here to go to that book.

After these remarkable examples, you might not find it hard to believe that something like a coin or ring could be flung up and over a cliff.

The power of the sea is amazing.  These events are almost beyond belief, yet this is a very credible source, and others have attested to similar things.

The book provides evidence of other things that I've talked about in the past.  The effect of density on how items are moved is one important one.  You can find the required force calculated for different examples. The density and surface area of the objects are factors, just as is the case for coins and jewelry. Precise mathematical formulae are provided.

While many of the principles I have presented are supported in this book, you will have to downscale many of them to apply to smaller objects.

You might wonder why you would want to know this.  If you do know this type of material, you can look at the waves and know a good bit about the bottom.  You can easily estimate the depth of the water where the waves are breaking, for example.  You will know where sand is building and where it is getting washed away.  That might tell you where to hunt when the water calms down.

If you know that the depth of the water is about one half the wave length ( distance between peak to peak) where the waves are breaking, you can look out and immediately have some idea about how deep or shallow the water is there.  If you keep a mental note of that, you will know when the near shore sand is coming or going and something about the shape of the bottom in the shallow water at that location.

On the deep side of the breaking waves, the bottom is not being affected much.

Most importantly, you'll be able to get an idea of where and when objects will be moving.  As a result you'll better know where to look to find things.

There is a great deal to it.  I have learned a lot from experience, and I have learned a lot in recent years, putting together my own observations and experiences with what I read.  I am enjoying the learning process and it is continuing at a rate that surprises me.

I got a lot more from that book that applies to metal detecting in very practical ways, but I can't put all of that into one post.

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The next two days the Treasure Coast surf is supposed to be very calm.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/1/15 Report - Happy New Year! First Beach Day of the New Year. Viking Finds.

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



Silver Viking Cross
Source" Archaeology.org linked article.

More and more of the big archaeological stories that I read include a note stating, often very inconspicuously, that the discovery was made by a detectorist.  Those discoveries attributed to detectorists are most often made somewhere other than the US.  I would not be surprised if the laws and attitudes towards detectorists in the US are a factor. 

The story about this Viking silver cross is just one example.  The article began as follows: Metal detector enthusiast Derek McLennan found a hoard of more than 100 Viking artifacts on land owned by the Church of Scotland.

Here is the link for the rest of the story.

http://www.archaeology.org/news/2620-141014-scotland-viking-silver-cross

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In 2008, workers digging trenches for electrical cables in the tiny island town of Salme uncovered human bones and a variety of odd objects that they unceremoniously piled next to their trench. Local authorities at first assumed the remains belonged to a luckless WWII soldier, until Konsa arrived and recognized a spearhead and carved-bone gaming pieces among the artifacts, clear signs the remains belonged to someone from a much earlier conflict. Together with a small team, Konsa dug a little deeper and soon found traces of a boat’s hull. Nearly all of the craft’s timber had rotted away, leaving behind only discolorations in the soil. But 275 of the iron rivets holding the boat together remained in place, allowing the researchers to reconstruct the outlines of the 38-foot-long craft.

http://www.archaeology.org/issues/95-1307/features/941-vikings-saaremaa-estonia-salme-vendel-oseberg


If you are wondering about the relevance of these discoveries, there are often very useful clues in articles like that.  For example the discovery described in the paragraph immediately above was made while electrical cables were being buried.  How often have you seen something like that while driving around town?  Did you think about what might be uncovered?  Did you think about returning later with you detector?

-----------

I took a look at the beach this morning before low tide. It was a little different than yesterday but not a lot.

There were scallops, as you can see.  The biggest cliff was about three feet at one beach and about one and a half feet at the other beach.

There were few targets but I found my first coin of the year, a zinc penny and first jewelry, a pendant.

Here is a video showing the surf and beach.

A Couple Treasure Coast Beaches This Morning Before Low Tide

The above photos show beach conditions this morning.   The sand in front of the cuts was mushy.  Very few targets there.

It was still rainy.  Not many people were on the beach this morning, just a few people fishing.

Happy New Year,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

12/20/14 Report - West Palm Beach. Detectorists Find Hoard of 200 Viking Coins. Another Treasure Trove Found.

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




West Palm Beach 12/18/14
Photo by Joe D.

Joe said this was formed when the water was high, but he didn't find any older items there.

--------

It is always nice to find a hoard.  There is one older yard in Florida that has produced hundreds of silver coins.  I don't have permission to talk about it yet, but hopefully someday soon.

A trove of 200 Viking coins that was uncovered in a field in North Jutland is considered to be one of the most significant archaeological discovery in decades.

 

A team of three amateur archaeologists, the youngest just 16 years old, found the silver coins using metal detectors last September in a field near the northern Jutland town of Strandby.

The coins date back to around the year 990...

Here is the link for more of that story.

http://cphpost.dk/news/rare-trove-of-viking-coins-discovered-by-amateurs.5322.html

Amateurs with metal detectors make a lot of important discoveries.

While restoration work is being undertaken at the star fortress Kastellet in the centre of Copenhagen, archaeologists from the Museum of Copenhagen, have had the rare opportunity to thoroughly examine areas of the historic military site. During the search a trove of coins, dated between 1649 and 1787, was found.

 

The trove comprises nine copper coins and 23 silver pieces. In total, 620 metal objects were found in the area, including musket balls and other pieces of used or discarded ammunition.

Here is the link for more of that article.

http://cphpost.dk/news/coins-at-kastellet-archaeologist-strikes-silver.12084.html


On the Treasure Coast a very calm surf is predicted for at least a week, so don't expect any significant changes now.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net

12/19/14 Report - Buying A New Detector. Cheap Batteries. Viking Find In Canada. Deadly Shipwreck.

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

Two Nice Railroad Tags Dug by Michael E.
Great photo Michael! Thanks.

I've been thinking of buying a new detector, but haven't made the decision yet.  I have one in mind and pretty much decided on that, it is just a matter of pulling the string and spending the money - something I am always slow to do. 

In this case I seriously doubt if it would be cost justified.  What detector would be best is always a complex matter that depends upon a lot of things.  One thing to consider is your reason for detecting.  That is what my blog poll is about. 

One way to make the decision is a cost/benefit analysis.  It is really difficult to figure out how much you would find if you had one particular detector over another.  I suspect that in most cases the actual benefit of a new detector is over rated, yet a few additional quality finds is all it takes.

A cost/benefit analysis is most relevant if you are one of those people who detect primarily to improve your financial situation.  If you detect mostly for fun or some other reason, a cost/benefit analysis would be less relevant.

There are many factors in choosing a detector, and where you live and detect is one of the more important factors.  Having detected in different areas of the country, I've been very impressed by the importance of location.  It makes a big difference where you are.  One area might offer ten times the amount of quality finds as another area. As one example, South Florida is hugely different from the Treasure Coast in both the number and type of finds

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You can get an eight pack of AA batteries at Dollar Tree for one dollar.  I'll be testing those cheap batteries to see how they perform.

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Can you believe we are less than a week from Christmas 2014?  It seem like it wasn't but a few weeks ago that I was sitting here doing the first post of the year, and now the year is almost gone.

Christmas can be stressful.  With all the shopping and trying to find the perfect gift for everyone and trying to get family together, it is easy to get stressed or disappointed.  Instead of getting stressed, remember what is important.  It is more important to celebrate the day and enjoy the time and people.  Don't let all the expectations turn into disappointments.  Forgive, forget when it is generous to do so, remember the blessings, and keep joy in your heart so you can give it to others.  Joy, love and peace are among the best gifts.

I've been blessed in life.  I can look back on those who cared for me knowing they did the best they could.  I'm grateful for that.  Maybe they made some mistakes along the way.  How can I say?  I'm sure I did.  They were just people too.   I couldn't want any more.

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A small stone artifact recovered from a Paleo-Eskimo site on Baffin Island is important evidence of a Viking presence in Arctic Canada around 1000 CE, says a team of scientists led by Dr Patricia Sutherland of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Here is the link for more.

http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/science-viking-presence-arctic-canada-02349.html

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A man was stranded on a small island for five days before being rescued.  Here is that link.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/video/castaway-found-on-remote-island-after-5-days/373720643698/Comcast/fanNews_newest?cid=hero_sf_castaway

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Here is the story of the Golden Gate's deadliest shipwreck.

http://news.yahoo.com/golden-gates-deadliest-shipwreck-located-175612345.html

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On the Treasure Coast we'll have a very calm surf through Christmas if the predictions are correct.  That means poor beach detecting conditions but easy water hunting.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net