3/26/18 Report - First Investigation Ever To Really Answer Two Big Questions: How Much Is Actually In The Ground As Compared To How Much Will Be Found Using A Metal Detector.

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


Before I get started today, I have to bring attention to the fact that yesterday's Nazi sub story was fake news.  It is a hoax.  Thaanks to those readers who brought that to my attention.

I'm very happy to be able to present an exceptional study today.  You just don't get this kind of information.  It doesn't come easily.  One of the readers of this blog put in a LOT of work and really uncovered some good information - not to mention finds.  Not only was the site thoroughly covered with a metal detector multiple times, but then the entire lot was sifted to locate and record all of the finds that were still in the ground.  Below is what that reader, who chooses to remain anonymous, reported.

---

As long-promised, here is my full accounting of using a sifter to search an entire lot.

First, I should give a little background about why I embarked on this project.  I had been using a detector for about three years.   As my skill improved, I had success with repeatedly hunting the same ground, using many of the techniques mentioned previously in this blog.  However, two questions began to gnaw at me:  how many finds remained in the ground despite using all the tricks?  As many have said, no area is truly "hunted out".   Plus, old coins are my priority finds and I just wasn't finding very many.  I questioned whether they simply weren't there or whether they were there, but I couldn't find them with a detector.

I had been searching a small (60ft x 75ft) vacant lot over several weeks where two small houses had been recently demolished.  There had been homes on this lot since about 1910 in a town settled around 1880.  I would expect very little activity at this lot location prior to the first house being built.  I was the second detectorist to hunt this lot.  My fellow detectorist found four silver quarters, including an 1894 Barber, three silver dimes, and a Morgan dollar!  My first attempt with a detector was very brief and I only found a clad quarter and two memorial pennies, which was a very deceptive for actual finds on this lot.  After using the detector extensively, I found the following:   12 silver coins (no Barbers), a couple of Buffalo nickels, 52 wheats and 50 modern coins.   I used every detecting technique and trick I knew and it continued to produce intermittently due to the sheer amount of metal trash.  In fact, five of those silver finds came well into my sifting project as I would occasionally hunt unsifted, but repeatedly detected, territory to break up the monotony.  Most of the lot had a coil over it at least twelve times (just from me), gridding from different directions, using two different detectors (Minelab Safari and Deus) under various detecting conditions.   I would consider myself to be above-average with a detector, but by no means superb.

I decided to use a sifter to find out what I was missing and to pick up additional nonmetallic items like bottles and marbles.  This is my sifter, version 2.0.

​

​It was built to be sturdy.  The legs fold up and the top sifting screen can be flipped to dump materials that are too big to pass through the screen.

As a test, I initially picked what I thought would be the best spot for coin finds, based on concentration of previous finds.  I began making interesting finds almost immediately, especially marbles and some coins.  The sifting was very slow at first as my initial sifter could not handle much volume.  I was surprised to find that almost all manmade objects resided in the top 12 inches of soil, usually in the top eight inches.  There typically is a change in color of the soil at the undisturbed level that has not been impacted by human activity.  This level is usually just below a layer of nails and other pieces of iron that I suspect is from the first construction at the site.   If I sifted all the dirt to that layer, I would then use a detector in the hole (don't want to miss a cache), then flip the soil with a shovel for another 8-12 inches and detect again.  Occasionally I found a buried bottle and a few times deeper coins upon turning up the soil.

I worked the site over two years, usually when no other promising detecting sites were available.  I would estimate I spent 60-80 hours, but it might have been more.  I tried various techniques.  I would estimate about half of the lot was sifted and the other half was dug a few inches at a time, detecting both the dug dirt and the newly exposed layer.   I was mainly focused on improved speed (while maintaining confidence that I was missing very few finds) as I tried different techniques of digging, detecting and sifting combinations, but eventually was able to use the sifter as quickly as any other technique or combination.  Pure sifting catches 98% of good finds, in my opinion, although it is still possible to miss some things.

Now for my finds.  As I was gathering the finds for the pictures, I was stunned by the volume of finds when collected together.  I recall there being a lot, but I was surprised by the final totals.  Almost 500 coins were found on this lot by me.  This is a picture of the copper memorial pennies and clad.

​
​There was a total of 177 pennies, 20 quarters, 40 nickels and 46 dimes.  This pile includes the coins found from surface with the detector.   There were 173 wheats.

​This next picture is of the older copper and nickel finds.

​ I found three Indian head pennies, including my oldest 1880, one Shield nickel, three V-nickels, and 11 Buffalo.

Next is the picture of the silver coins.

​There were a total of 43 silver coins found.  This picture includes the twelve silver coins found from the surface with the detector.  Highlights include the Walking Liberty half, three Barber quarters and three Barber dimes.  If you count the eight silver coins found by the detectorist prior to me hunting, there were 51 silver coins on this small lot!

I've included a picture of other interesting metallic finds.

​ I found quite a few cufflinks and three silver rings.  No gold.  This picture does not represent, by any means, all the interesting metallic finds made.  I didn't keep the finds separate until I was two thirds through the lot, so they are now mixed in with all my finds.

I thought folks might like to see my nonmetallic finds.  I found 103 marbles, many of which are clay.


​ The majority of the marbles in this picture were found on this lot, but as I mentioned, I wasn't keeping finds separate initially, so I had to add some to give the correct total.  I did keep very detailed records of the number of finds from the site, so the number is accurate.  Also, you can see in this picture some other game piece finds, including lucky number seven billiard ball.  That was a good omen!

Some of my favorite finds are old bottles and I found a bunch.

​This picture probably represents only a third of the bottles found that I kept, but does include my three favorite, which are the old soda drink bottles.

I did not take a picture of the trash, but probably should have.  Imagine a heaped pickup truck bed full and that is likely an underestimate.  There was probably enough to cover the entire lot with a layer, leaving no exposed dirt.  

You might have noticed that my finds with the detector are the more recently lost coins, speaking generally.  This has held true at other sites.  My focus is finding old coins.  Old coins are deeper (no surprise).  Once you start sifting, you can reach those older coins that were masked by trash or out-of-range of the detector.  Sifting finds are definitely skewed older.

I've concluded that sifting can be very productive when choosing the right site.  In my opinion, the best sites are newly scraped, tons of trash (old rusted bottle caps are best indicator of good kind of human activity), old bottles or glass, and marbles.  If I find a few old coins with the detector, I then know there is much, much more in the ground.

Some might ask if I was just fortunate on selecting my first sifting spot.  I wondered also if that may be the case.  However, it has proven not to be.  I've extensively used the sifter at three other sites with many other finds.  A different lot is approaching fifty silver coins in total, only ten found with my detector from the surface!  Sifting is definitely not for everyone, as it is undeniably hard work.  However, it brings out the archaeologist in me and I like seeing all that human activity has brought to the area.  

When I started this project, I sought to answer two main questions:  how much was I missing and are there old coins in the ground where I search?  The answers:  a lot and yes!

Hope this helps.  

---

Thanks much!  That is a tremendous help.

There is so much information in that report, I'll take a few minutes and look at some of the numbers to help you sum things up.

The study was conducted on a small residential lot in a working class 20th century Florida neighborhood.  The lot size was approximately 4500 square feet and the lot was occupied for nearly one hundred years.

About 500 coins total (detecting and sifting) was found by the reader.  That would be about one for every nine square feet or one square yard.

43 silver coins were found by the same reader.  That would be one for little more than every 100 square feet.  Counting known silver coin finds by one other detectorist, it would be more like one for every 90 square feet.

About one in ten coins found on this lot inhabited during most of the 20th century were silver.

Despite detecting the lot at least 12 times, only about 20 percent of the coins found on the lot were found by detecting.  The remainder were found by sifting.  Just over 30% of the silver coins found, were found by detecting.

On a home site you have to take into account the massive amount of junk and masking that occurs on a homesite.

You can't do that kind of study on a beach because the beach will change daily.

As approximate as those numbers might be, they might also give you something to think about.

You might want to read the report over a few times, especially if you detect residential lots.

---

The front is coming through and the wind has changed.  The surf will build to up around seven feet tomorrow.  There will be two or three hours of north wind in the early morning hours.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

2/24/18 Report - Numismatic Tokens. Sight Finds. Detecting Dangers. Lost Time Capsule.

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

Two Identical Tokens Showing Alternate Sides.

The first side reads: TRADE DOLLAR DE COMMERCE - MONNAIES COINS - SERGE HUARD- C. P. 402 POINNTE AUX TREMBLES QUEBEC HIB 5K3 CANADA.

The other side reads: REGINA COIN CLUB - CNA ANA.

The diameter is 1.5 inches.

I mentioned these in the last post.  They are the "some kind of big coins" the kids yelled about.

---

After finding a clay pipe yesterday, I took a another little walk this morning to see if I might find something else.  Not much luck, but I did find the following antique porcelain dolls arm.  I've found others in the past and like to find them because they sell quickly.  I showed some of those before.

Antique Porcelain Doll's Arm Found During Walk.

Also found three marbles.  No good old clay ones though.

Three Found Marbles.

Objects from various time periods get mixed together.  That is what it is like where I walk.  The vast majority of items are from the20th century, but items are definitely from way before that, even going back to fossilized bones from thousands or even million of years ago.

The non-metallic items suggest that there might be coins from the same spread of time periods, but the modern trash makes it very difficult and time consuming to detect.

Its amazing how much stuff people leave behind.  There is stuff almost everywhere.  You don't even need a metal detector or shovel to find it if you just look around where either water or man has moved sand or earth.

---

My post from yesterday prompted Bill P. to send the following message.

After reading your blog today about being aware of what and who is around you, a memory of my early detecting days resurfaced. I usually detected the dry sand area at Clearwater Beach at night. It was much cooler and considerably fewer people to deal with. However, weekend nights always had drunks, showoffs and all manner of other crazies out and about. One particular night a young man approached me and said something really strange..."I think I've been shot, could you please check me for any blood." I was immediately suspicious and as I looked him over(from a distance) I saw a stun gun in his right hand. I believe his intent was either to rob me or just watch me twitch on the ground after he used his new toy. I told him if he stepped closer to me that I would use my shovel on him. Well he finally left but it was an eye opening experience for me. I overheard later that night that the police caught someone using a stun gun on people at the beach. We call "being aware", situational awareness, and it should become a constant routine throughout the day and night. There are too many criminals out there to not be constantly vigilant. Bill P.

That is a good reminder for everybody.  It is a good idea to hunt with a partner, especially if you are hunting at night or in bad areas.

Bill's story reminded me of one time when I was metal detecting in the ocean at night.  It was totally dark and there was no one to be seen anywhere when I got bumped by something big in the water.  That was exciting enough to start the heart of a dead man.  I wouldn't hunt in the water alone at night anymore.

---

Here is a Feb. 22, 2018 newspaper article about a time capsule that was buried in a park in Follansbee WV in 1969.  It can't be located.  They involved archaeologists and metal detectors but still can't locate the time capsule.

http://www.weirtondailytimes.com/news/local-news/2017/06/search-continues-for-time-capsule/

I mentioned the Lions Club eye-glasses program yesterday, and coincidentally it was the Lions Club that gathered items to be put in this time capsule.

---

More beautiful weather.  On the Treasure Coast beaches more two to four foot surf and moderate tides.  The MagicSeaWeed web site is predicting a big bump in the surf for a week or two  in the future.  The long range predictions aren't real good, but there is some reason for hope.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/11/18 Report - Finds: Sight and Otherwise. Dutch Warship Found. One Reader's Success Sifting For Silver.

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

14 Inch Spike Found On Treasure Coast Yesterday

---

Divers in the blue waters around the Yucatán Peninsula have discovered three historic treasures: a sunken lighthouse and the remains of an 18th-century Dutch warship and a 19th-century British steamer, according to Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

The battered wrecks were found near the coastal town of Sisal, Mexico, a modern beach destination that was once a bustling port in the 18th and 19th centuries...

Here is the link for the rest of the story.

https://www.livescience.com/61378-shipwrecks-yucatan.html

I've long suspected that old wrecks could be responsible for the shape of some of the Treasure Coast.  The wrecks were covered with coral and then in some cases, sand.

---

A couple days ago I was talking about a couple kinds of sloth.  One reader responded to that post as follows.

After spending a few hours on the sifter today, your entry resonated today!

I am on a new site or at least a new site using the sifter.  It was a small lot with the house removed two years ago.  I hand dug, then detected, repeat, most of the lot as it was extremely trashy, with good success:  tons of marbles and at least 13 silvers, including some barber dimes.

There was a fifteen foot wide stretch at the front next to the sidewalk that had a very overgrown Camphor tree that I did not work.  Finds had diminished as I approached anyway so I wasn't too worried about it.  A week ago they cleaned all of it up and it has perfect sifting soil (mainly, no grass) so I decided to give a sample of it a shot with the sifter (after hitting with the detector and finding nada, I might add).  I might have sampled the best spot that first day with 19 marbles and a Merc and some wheats, but the finds have continued.  I've spent about ten hours and have two Indian head pennies, two V-nickels, 10 or so wheats, war nickel, two mercs and, the highlight, an 1892O Barber quarter.  I should also include the 40 marbles.  If you want to build a marble collection, sifting is the way!  I probably find 200 a year, including a bunch of clay, using the sifter.

Now I regret not sifting the entire lot, just digging.  I'm sure I missed some dimes, nickels and probably IHP's.

Anyway, not many want to hit sifting hard.  It is a lot of work.  But if you want to find the older coins, do it!

Thanks for all your blogging efforts.

Russ

Sifting isn't easy.  Most people won't put in that kind of work, but if you do, you will definitely find things that you would miss with a detector - including coins.  Did you catch how much he found with the sifter after having used his detector first?

Thanks for sharing Russ!

---

I often visually scout areas before deciding to detect.  Good sites will often show evidence that something might be there and maybe even give you a good idea of the kind of things that might be there.

I decided to check out at a spot along the Indian River Lagoon, and found the two following items.  They were both sight finds.  I consider eye-balling to be a speciality of mine and enjoy finding things that way.  These two items aren't worth much but they do tell me that the area is probably worth checking out with a detector.

Cork Top McCormack's Bottle.

Even if this bottle was in great shape, and it isn't, it wouldn't be worth much, but it does tell me that some older things might be found in the area.

Vintage Earring.

This earring, like the bottle above, was a sight find.  Both were found in an eroded area.  The area was eroded much like the near ideal cut that I talked about a couple days ago.

The earring tells me that there might be some more jewelry in the area,

Such sight finds are common if you know how to read sites.

---

We're supposed to have a 4 - foot surf and a south wind today.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

5/28/17 Report - Understanding How Nature Creates Treasure Caches. The Importance of Visually Scanning Treasure Sites.

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

Finds and photo by Russ P.
Note the Barber Dime and Other Old Coins.

Russ sent me a great email in response to my 5/23 post in which I wrote on the subject, "You can't accomplish what you can't imagine."  Here is what Russ said.

Hope you are doing well.  Enjoyed your column yesterday *  I found it to be dead on.

I first detected between the years 1984-1989.  Though my area was moderately hunted, I never met any other detectorists.  However, I read a lot of the treasure magazines that were available.  I spent way too much mental time lamenting that I wasn't in one of the "good" areas that produced great finds featured in the articles or wishing that I would have gotten into detecting in the 1970's before everything was hunted out!  I'm embarrassed by my mindset, looking back.  I found 26 silver coins in those five years, the oldest 1936.

When I was reconsidering the hobby five years ago, the big question in my mind was if there were any finds left.  I almost did not purchase a detector because of that concern.  However, I'm glad I did.  I am primarily interested in old coins and my current finds far outstrip those finds from the 1980's, including finds that I make without even using a detector, despite hunting in the same general area that I felt was hunted out in the 1980's.

The fact is that some  detectorists find much more than others.  Even if someone does not find more than you, there may be something to learn.  If you had been showing up at my club (though I'm not in one!) with all those finds, I would have been picking your brain for something to apply to my detecting situations.

I don't watch many youtube find videos, but occasionally I'll watch the innovative aquachigger.  This video made me think of your blog, as it demonstrates many of the points you make.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY98TTElPK8

He goes to unfamiliar territory in Texas, I think, to fossil hunt on a river with a local buddy.  However, he happens upon a collection of iron junk that he quickly realizes has been "sorted" by the river.  He then goes on to eyeball some great coins.  The local guy, who hunts the river for fossils all the time, has never found a coin on the river!  Aquachigger finds a handful, by eyeballing, on his first trip.  There are so many lessons here, but perhaps the biggest is there is a reason why some folks find more than others and it is almost never due to luck.

I'm sending you a picture of my morning finds in an hour hunt.  It is a lot I've been to several times, finding only a couple of wheats and a few marbles, but clearly with more potential.  Conditions changed so I returned.  This is the most marbles I've found in an outing and some are in terrific condition.

Take care,

Thanks Russ.

If you watch that video, you'll see how the fellow found old silver coins without using a metal detector.  The video provides some very good tips.

In the past I've talked about eye-balling a lot.  Closely inspecting the area is always a good first step.  You can visually scan a lot of ground quickly.  That will help you get some good ideas on where to spend your with a metal detector.

Below is an area that I hunted briefly about a week ago.

Back maybe ten or more years ago, this structure was buried.  I could see something was there but I didn't know what.  I could just see a few very small pieces sticking out of the sand. I could detect big iron and more to the right of what you see in the photo, I could see a little of what were obviously large slabs of concrete sticking out of the sand  The structure that you see in the photo was not visible at all.

When I last detected the area I found some iron  along with a few badly corroded and encrusted coins.  Also some sinkers and bullets.

You should be able to imagine the path of coins as they would travel over the years. Some of those eroding out of the sand to the right of the picture, assuming they were there to begin with, would be caught by the structures, settling into the crevices and around the structures.  The water would rush around those things, and the objects would stop where ever they got caught or settle into dips or crevices.  When they get covered they won't move for a while until they get uncovered and the water rushes over them again.  Then they'll either be washed out or sink deeper as the sand washes away. The deepest they will sink will be lowest point that the sand was eroded.  The covering and uncovering can happen many times, but they'll only move when exposed and they'll only sink to the lowest surface area created by the erosion.

If there were any items lost before the structure was created, they might still be near the bottom of the structure.

In the above picture you can see a depression around the posts at the front of the picture.  That depression is caused by the water rushing around the posts.  Coins, or whatever, that are washed out of the bank and down the slope can be trapped in depressions like that and remain there until the sand erodes more or the force of water increases enough to wash them out, which of course, would also move more sand.

Unfortunately you won't be able to detect very close to the structures.  To complicate matters, there are plenty of iron bolts and nails.

The only way you can get to the accumulated items, is to remove the sand or wait until erosion moves the sand again.

Older items will tend to be deeper because they would have been can sink deeper every time the sand is eroded to a deeper level.

More recently lost items will be very near the surface, depending upon how far the sand eroded in the recent past.

There are two big points that I want you to get today.  One is the value of eye-balling, and the second is the importance of understanding how water moves sand and other items.  If you understand that, you can figure out where things will accumulate.

---

On the Treasure Coast, the surf is going to be smooth, the tides big and the weather hot.  We'll have some nice negative tides.

Have a safe weekend.

Remember.

By the TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/19/16 Report - Drake and Spanish Treasure, Sifting and Marble Finds, Miami Mansion Being Torn Down

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exlusive use of treaurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

This is one of many public domain images.  Copyright has a fixed duration. \When items are old enough they are public domain, which means they are no longer under the protection of copyright laws.

Without getting into the details, the term of a copyright is the lifetime of the author plus 70 years.  As with all such laws there are many exceptions.

Vast libraries of public domain pictures and other works can be found online.

---

Pablo Escobar's Home In Maimi Is Being Torn Down.

Here is the link for more about that.  Thanks to Alberto S. for the link.

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/odn/miamiherald/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TMH%2F2016%2F01%2F16&entity=Ar1E3&sk=14C56146

---

Russ P. has been sifting an old home site and has found a lot of marbles.  Most came from a single lot, and that included marbles from different eras.  Notice especially the clay marbles.

He said he didn't notice any hand blown examples, but is going to back and check for that.  There will rough pontil marks as shown in the links I previously provided.

Thanks for sharing Russ!

Russ has shown us his sifter in the past.  That takes some time, but can be very worthwhile.

---

I'll have to cut it short today.  That's all for now.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/14/16 Report - One Type of Non-metallic Find. Marbles. Front Coming Through Friday.

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

Common Marble Beach Find.

Beach Marble Showing Waves In Glass Surface.

Beach Marble Find Showing Large Manufacturing Defect On Surface.

Frosted Sea Glass Marble.

Hope you are the person that got all of the Powerball numbers.  I guess if you did, you probably wouldn't be reading this today.

We have another front coming through on Friday.  This morning the wind was from the north, but it has already shifted around and is now coming from the south.  The surf, which is about 2 - 4 feet today will be diminishing the next couple of day,s and the wind will be shifting again.

Over the years I've found a good number of marbles on beaches and along waterways and a few at other places.  Like many other things found on a beach, they are often in poor condition, some are what I would call sea glass.  Some are completely frosted from being churned by the sand and surf.

Marbles can be worth a good bit.  There are marbles that are worth hundreds of dollars.  It is not too likely that you'll find one of those beauties on a beach, but you should be aware of it anyhow.

Marbles have been around for hundreds of years.  Some were made of stone or clay.  Those are the older ones.  They were sometimes found at civil war camp sites.

An old clay marble is a nice find, but the more valuable marbles are the hand formed glass ones.  They can be very intricate and beautiful.  You might be able to find a pontil mark on hand-made marbles.

Probably most of the marbles you will find are from the mid twentieth century.  By then they were mass produced.  If you were old enough you might still have some of your own.

Although three is the very remote possibility of a finding a valuable marble, marbles can be important signs.  If you find an old clay marble, it can be a sign of activity that took place in the area possibly as much as a hundred years ago.

If the marble is one of the more common types from the mid twentieth century, it still could be an indication of activity at the site decades ago.

I used to hunt some old park beaches that are not used any more and are now completely over grown. You wouldn't know that those sites were popular beaches back in the day unless you did some research or happened to find something that might provide a clue.  I once found some marbles in old overgrown area like that and that was one clue that told me the area might have once been a popular beach.

My point today, is that you can find marbles on the beach, and even if they are not likely to be valuable, they can be a good clue of past activity.  Keep your eyes open.

Here is a link to the Marble Collectors Society of America web site.  It has a lot of good useful information.

http://www.marblecollecting.com

---

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

12/9/13 Report - Marbles and How to Tell Their Age

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

Eye-balled Marbles

Yesterday I showed a nice old clay marble found by William M.  I always say that you should keep your eyes open and tuned to anything you might see while detecting.  Not only are there important clues, but you can also find some interesting non-metallic items, both old and new.

The marbles shown above are some of those found while detecting or just scouting around without a detector.  They aren't as old as the clay one.

One was found on a very steep cliff on a West Virginia hillside in the sunken deer hoof print.  It gave me a clue that there could be other things nearby.

A good number of marbles were actually manufactured in West Virginia.

Worn Sea Glass Marble

Little things like marbles can provide good clues to the presence of home sites or other human activity.

Many of these were found near or in the water.  The honey colored one, front and center, is so worn that I would classify it more as sea glass.

Most are very banged up, but a few are in good condition.  Of course, like anything else, condition is very important to collectors, and there are a lot of marble collectors and a lot of different kinds of marbles worth collecting.

The marblesgalore.com website is a good site for learning about marbles and the different types that are collectible.



And there are some that are manufactured with defects, just like with coins.  I always find them interesting.

Exampe of Defective Marble.

You can see the big wave in the surface of this marble.

There are other smaller waves in the glass that are not visible in this photo but clearly visible to the eye.

I don't really know much about marbles, but the marblesgalore.com web site provides a lot of good information.

Below is one of my favorite marbles from this group.  In the group photo above it is beside the honey-colored sea glass marble in front.


In normal light, the marbe shown below appears black, but when held up so the light shines through it, you can see tht it is blue.

Black Marble Held Up To Sun.

The lines and shapes in this marble are reflections.  The actual color is nearly solid.

Some marbles are real works of art.  Some even have porcelain figures of animals or objects inside.

If you find one it is worth taking a look to see if you might have a nice collectible one.

I'm convinced that a detectorist who makes good use of his vision while detecting will benefit by finding more objects and clues.

I've said this before.  I really enjoy eye-balling.  You can develop important detecting skills by eye-balling.  You can learn how things accumulate on a beach and how they cluster.  Eye-balling will also add to your finds.  And you can do it where detecting is not allowed.

Here is a web site that gives six ways to help identify the age of a marble.

http://www.ebay.com/gds/6-Differences-Between-Old-and-New-Marbles-/10000000177633979/g.html


According to the predictions the Treasure Coast could get something up to a 6 foot surf on Friday.  That isn't bad.  There isn't too much else hopeful out there.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net