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

11/4/19 Report - Some Moving Sand. Gold Nuggets and Silver Bars. Ais Indians Along Treasure Coast.

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

Frederick Douglass Beach Sunday Evening.

I took a look at the beaches Sunday evening and found some cuts at John Brooks and Frederick Douglass beaches.  Those cuts weren't there Friday.  The cuts were not as strong as those I found on Oct. 26.

It was a little after high tide on Sunday evening when I took these photos.

Frederick Douglass Beach Sunday Evening.

In front of the cuts the beach was typically still mushy.

John Brooks Beach Sunday Eventing.

At least some sand was being removed at these beaches, although I don't expect it to continue much.

John Brooks Beach Sunday Evening.

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Yesterday I showed a couple especially nice lots that recently sold in the current Sedwick auction.  They were cobs from the 1715 Fleet.  Today I'll mention a couple more lots that I found particularly interesting.

Gold Nuggests From Rio Mar that Recently Sold at Auction.

Source: Secwick Coins Treasure Auction No. 26 Online Catalog.

One is the small group of gold nuggets shown above that were found at Rio Mar.  That lot sold for $1300 plus buyers premium.   Below is the lot description.

Lot of seven small gold nuggets, 1.12 grams total, ex-1715 Fleet. Each up to 1/4". Very few natural gold nuggets were found on the 1715 Fleet, so it seems odd that the Fisher marketers did not separate this lot into seven individual artifacts, but fortunately these pieces have retained their original plastic artifact tag and certificate. A few of the nuggets (mostly flat) are tiny, but some are substantial, and most likely they were being carried as "tax free" wealth by a passenger. From the 1715 Fleet ("Rio Mar" site), with original Cobb Coin Co. (Mel Fisher) plastic tag and photo-certificate #CC86-025.

It wasn't too many years ago that I found three nuggets at John Brooks beach.  

At one point salvagers attempted to dredge fine gold flakes at Rio Mar, but weren't very successful and gave up on it.

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Lot 208 was sold for $48,500 plus the buyers premium.  Lot 208 is the Atocha silver bar of over 92 pounds shown below.

Here is the lot description.

Large silver Atocha bar #779 from Potosi, 92 lb 3.84 oz troy, Class Factor 1.0, with markings of mine / date Po1621, manifest IIIIULI (4051), and fineness IIUCCCLXXX (2380/2400) followed by cartouche of assayer Mexia, shipper / owner's marks (Arriola) and tax stamps, from the Atocha (1622), with original stock certificates. 13-1/2" x 5" x 3-1/2". A rather large example with choice full markings, especially the manifest number and the silvermaster's "V" in one corner, plus full date 1621 and nearly full tax stamp in addition to the fineness and assayer, with typical double-scoop assayer's "bite" in center, but perhaps best of all is the elegant diamond-topped AR monogram with what looks like a magic wand (all of which apparently refers to shipper / owner Arriola) near the left side, quite a showpiece for the advanced Atocha-bar collector. From the Atocha (1622), with original Fisher photo-certificate #85A-S779 and investor folder containing three Treasure Salvors, Inc. stock certificates from 1986 (525, 1500 and 1517 shares).

Heavy silver bars from wrecks like the Atocha typically bring high prices at auction.

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Here is some good reading: The Location of the Paramount Town of the Ais Indians, as presented in the The Florida Anthropoligist, Sept. - Dec. 2010 issue.

If you like Florida history, I think you will enjoy this well-researched article of over thirty pages packed with maps and references.

Here is the link.  https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00027829/00210/7x

Thanks to DJ for that link.

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It is still breezy today, but the tides are smaller and the surf is getting smaller too.  I don't know what might have happened to the beaches overnight, but yesterday there was some positive movement.

It looks like next week we have a chance for some higher surf again.

Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

2/1/14 - Big Storms Lead to Big Finds in the UK, Treasure Coast Site Produces More Relics and Pirate Fest Continues

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




Another Part of the Pirate Camp at Pirate Fest in Fort Pierce This Weekend

We've been having poor beach detecting conditions on the Treasure Coast for the past couple of months now. 

November was good, as I've documented.  There were a good number of Spanish treasure coins found that month.  At least we had one good month.  Of course winter isn't over yet and there is still a good chance of some good nor'easters.  Lately the wind has been from the West a lot of the time as the cold air has been coming in with the various fronts.

The high tides are higher than normal now, around Fort Pierce over plus 3 ft., and the low tides lower than normal, the last being minus one foot.   Those aren't huge tides, but for this area they are higher and lower than average.


I frequently say that there is always some place to hunt and something to be found.  That is true in more ways than one.

People continue to make finds off-beach.  Also finds are being made in other parts of the state, country and world.

You might have noticed that they have been having a lot of rough weather across the big pond.

I got word from one of this blog's friends, Peter H. from Wales.

Another Scene From Pirate Fest.

Here is what Peter had to say.

While its quiet on the Treasure coast its been very stormy in the UK with record rain wind  and storm surges which have stripped millions of tones of sand off the beaches exposing  ancient forests, artifacts and shipwrecks. Here are a couple of links from my part of the coast which I hope you will find interesting.

Thanks for the report Peter.   Here are the links Peter sent showing a real variety of great finds.  

Take a look.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25943369

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-25709977

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wales-weather-10000-year-old-forest-napoleonic-6502541

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25917404

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/wales-skeleton-coast-reveals-another-2512908

Peter said, Its exciting times on the beaches over here !

We can see that.   Thanks!

Say Hi from the TBR blog to all of our detecting brethren in Wales.



There are some things being found in the Treasure Coast area.  I've been mentioning some of the off-beach finds.

A day or two ago I mentioned that SW found a Seminole War button.  He revisited the same site and found some other nice things.

Here is what he said.

I found another button, smaller than the first. Most definitely an Artillery, probably a cuff. Also found a period nail and some sort of a strap buckle. I did take photos tonight, I will send them when I find the camera cord.

 ... There is a new owner, the previous owner owned the property for a long time (decades). He hunted it extensively. One of the tenants said a young man hunted it several seasons. Very tough to hunt, either lots of heavy roots or extremely soft dirt, things sink! Everything over 4 inches deep. Modern quarters 10 inches. Lots of junk, I hunted four times, first target of the first day the jacket button, 2nd trip one silver dime. Third trip nothing, I was starting to get discouraged, but today, the smaller cuff button, strap buckle and the nail. Happy day.  

Thanks for the report SW. 

There is a lesson there.  Don't give up on a site too early.

You can often rehunt an old site and find more after a good rain.


Yesterday I reported on a missing church relic.  It was found.

Here is that link.

http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2014/01/31/italian-police-recover-blood-stained-cloth-from-relic-of-pope-john-paul-ii/


The predictions show something like a four foot surf along the Treasure Coast for the next several days.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net