9/7/15 Report - Great Numismatic Study of Dug Pistareens. Tropical Storm Grace Headed This Way. Ring Beach Find.

Witten by the Treasure Guide for the exclusive use of TreasureBeachesReport.blogspot.com.

Found This Morning On A Treasure Coast Beach.

I went to the beach this morning.  Conditions had not changed at all.  I saw a couple of detectorists on the same beach.  One had done a good bit of the beach before I arrived.  The other arrived later.

People were arriving early for the Labor Day holiday.  There were a few distant showers and a little lightning and thunder.

When the holiday crowds are at the beach, they spread out a little farther than normal from the main gathering spots.

I had just switched from motion mode to non-motion mode, just to check it out, and hit the ring.  It sounded much larger.

I think it is a very good idea to be very familiar and practiced with all the modes that your detector offers.  There are times to use each one.

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Yesterday I posted Bernard Romans' statement about pistareens being found along the Treasure Coast beaches after Easterly gales.

The coins Romans referred to were not really pistareens.  Pistareens, as the term is more strictly defined, are Spanish coins minted in the old world. In the 1700s pistareens were commonly used in the American colonies along with a variety of other foreign coinage.  Of course, there was no U. S. currency yet.  It would be natural for Romans to refer to the Spanish cobs found on the beach as being pistareens, since they were commonly used in the colonies and had similar markings.

Pistareen 

Mint Marks.

1. Seville

2. Madrid

3..Segovia

4.Cuenca

I found a super study of dug pistareens recovered in the tobacco raising colonies of
America.  Pistareens found by both relic hunters and archaeolgists are included in the study.  Many of of those included in the study were found in Virginia.

This is definitely THE best study of a large sample of dug coins that I have ever seen.  The study was published in the April 2001 The Colonial Newsletter.  The title of the study is When Cross Pistareens Cut Their Way Through the Tobacco Colonies.  The author is Thomas A. Kays.  I posted the link below.

Here are some of the conclusions describing the typical dug pistareen.


It crossed the Atlantic westward as a 1721 dated pistareen minted by King Philip V at Seville.

The coin was used to make everyday purchases in Colonial America before the Revolution • 

It grades very fine having circulated actively for fifteen years and was saved for twenty five. • 

It was cut into quarters for frontier change at a tavern losing 25% by weight to the melting pot. • 

It would have gone to melt completely before the 19th Century had it not been casually lost. • 

It lay undisturbed (save for the pass of the plough) for over two centuries until it was dug up. 

The study includes many illustrations and a map showing where the pistareens were found and a lot of other really good information.  I think you'll want to read this.

Here is the link.

http://numismatics.org/wikiuploads/CNL/Pistareens.pdf

The mint marks shown to the left are from the same linked study.


I'll add this link to my list of reference links on the first page of the blog.


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Tropical Storm Grace.

Grace seems to be following about the same path as Erika.  She is still days away and supposed to decrease to a depression around the West Indies.  We'll just have to watch that one for a while.

The surf this morning was one to two feet.  It looked a little rougher than I expected, but won't change much the next few days.

Happy Labor Day,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/5/15 Report - Colonial Numismatic Presentations With Sedwick Auction. Sacred Heart Reales. Tropical Depression Seven.

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

Sedwick Coins Treasure Auction 18 Coming In October

The Potosi mint produced some oddly shaped cobs.  Some appear to represent the Sacred Heart.  The exact purpose or use is unknown, but some think they were used by church officials.

Many were "holed," and I've read they were sometimes sewn into clothing.

Here is a link to a Sedwick report on the heart shaped cobs

http://www.sedwickcoins.com/articles/hearts.htm

There are other events associated with the auction that you might want to attend.  Here is a schedule of events.

LOT VIEWING: OCT 28 10:00-6:30 = Evergreen Room.

Ricardo De León Tallavas (Evolution of Mexican Numismatics)

12:45-1:30 PM EST - Buena Vista Ballroom

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Jorge Proctor (Mexican Assayers under Philip V)

2:00-3:00 PM EST - Buena Vista Ballroom

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Glenn Stephen Murray Fantom (Colonial Mintage Statistics for Lima and Potosí:

Historical Context and Analysis) 

3:30-4:30 PM EST - Buena Vista Ballroom

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Herman Blanton (Mysteries of Colombian Cobs)

4:45-5:30 PM EST - Buena Vista Ballroom

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Luis Roberto Ponte (Venezuelan Numismatics) 

6:00-7:00 PM EST - Buena Vista Ballroom       

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Pre-Auction Dinner 7:30 PM EST 

- October 29, Floor & Internet Auction 10AM->

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- October 30, Numismatic Forum and Breakfast. Moderator: Jorge Ortiz Murias.


These events will be at the Doubletree by Hilton at Lake Buena Vista in Orlando.

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Very Soft Sand Treasure Coast Beach This Morning.

You can see where the last high tide stopped.

I visited four beaches this morning before finally finding one I thought was worth detecting.  At that last beach I found a good number of coins in a small area and slightly more sinkers.  I think it was something like 60 per cent sinkers to 40 percent coins.  All fairly new coins.  I've found old stuff at that location before, but the conditions were so poor I was lucky to find as many coins as I did.  I'll be happy when we get cooler weather.  I was soaked with sweat from digging all those deep coins - and sinkers.

Even at low tide, the sand seems to extend out another twenty or so yards into the water before dropping off.  That is a lot of sand that needs to be moved.  Hopefully some day it will get moved.

Fred is still out there but not coming this way.  Tropical depression seven might come this way though.  It is still way over by Africa at this point.

We're going to have a flat surf through Labor Day.

Happy Hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/8/14 Report - Cold Front Causes Little Erosion, Upcoming Coin Shows & A Closer Look

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

 One Beach Beginning to Cut Yesterday After High Tide.

I went out to see what the beach was doing yesterday afternoon just after the high tide.  As I suspected there was a little erosion beginning at the same beaches that eroded when the last cold front came through.  We were having a strong North wind.

The erosion wasn't very pronounced when I looked at it and it didn't look like it would do a lot more.   The cut that I saw was less than a foot even though it ran a good distance.

Another beach that I looked at was not cutting.  The sand was mushy at both beaches.

It was cold yesterday out there in the wind.  I didn't see anyone else on the beach.  The wind was blowing the sand.  It looked a little like snow drifting.  It feels a good bit warmer today.  Less wind too.

The wind was so similar to how the previous cold front started, that is why I expected the beaches to erode the same way.  I'm not expecting as much today.

Tomorrow the surf will be a touch higher.  Things are not coming together real good.  I'm not expecting to be able to upgrade my TC beach conditions rating.

Targets were scarce where I was.  Didn't see any shell piles either.

Here is a quick video clip showing the surf and beach yesterday afternoon.

I received the following news by email from SedwickCoins.

Sedwick Coins will be at the FUN show in Orlando beginning Jan. 8 and at the New York International Numismatic Convention beginning January 9.

FUN (Orlando, FL), at the Orange County Convention Center, Hall NB, North Concourse, 9899 International Drive, Orlando, FL. The largest show of the year and a huge draw for treasure material (January 8-12).

NYINC (New York International Numismatic Convention), at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, 301 Park Avenue, New York, NY. The most prestigious show of the year for world and ancient coins (January 9-11).

They will also be at the Treasure Coast Coin Club's 48th Coin and Currency Show, January 18-19 at the Vero Beach Community Center, 2266 14th Ave., Vero Beach, FL.

So there will be some good chances to see what they have or show them anything you might want to consign.


Did you look at the video from James F. in the 1/4 post about the competition hunt?    I thought that one little guy was a hoot.


Joan T. thought the white chalky looking stone in the silver charm that I posted recently might be mother of pearl.  I think that might be right.  The surface layer was probably deteriorated.

Close Up View of Arrow Head Surface

In my 7/3/13 report I showed a white arrowhead that was found on the beach.  Somebody mentioned that it might be coral.  I think it might have been William M.  Anyhow since I got some equipment that takes very good closeup photos, I think I've confirmed that it is coral.  Take a look at this close up of part of the surface of the arrowhead.

Looks like coral to me.

I think it is worth taking a really good look at your finds.  You might be surprised to learn what you have.

A jewelers loop is one thing that will come in handy.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net