Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.
Every once in a while a phrase sticks in my mind, and I think it is something I should write about. A few days ago the phrase that stuck in my mind was, "If you do it, love it." 
That is this weekend, so don't miss it.
Kellco claims they will be making the following special offer only for those attending the cookout this year.
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Darrel S. (Strickland) wanted to make sure that no one confuses him with Darrell Miklos of the Cooper's Treasure TV show.
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Andre H. needs a battery compartment cover/door for a Minelab Sovereign. If you have one that you can provide at a reasonable price, let him know at trader910@yahoo.com.
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I once did a comparison of prices for some reales and escudos as they sold years ago and then again more recently. My conclusion was that while some did appreciate, overall they weren't especially great investments from a purely economic perspective. Of course, most of us like history and old things, including coins, so any price appreciation is only icing on the cake.
I ran across a study on price appreciation of antiquities. The study was written by Neil Brodie of the Archaeology Center of Stanford University in 2009. It was published as a work in progress, but I haven't found any follow-up studies published after the 2009 article.
The article says, The belief that antiquities might prove good vehicles for investment first took hold in the 1970s (Nørskov 2002, 291-292), at a time of high inflation, when it was thought that tangible assets might hold their value better than the more traditional financial ones...
I'll jump to the conclusion.
Antiquities are not guaranteed to hold their monetary value over time. Price fluctuations are caused by uncertain supply and idiosyncratic demand. It follows that the best opportunities for profit will exist at the information nexus, at the point where information about supply can be matched to information about demand. In other words, most money will be made by knowledgeable intermediaries – the antiquities dealers. At 1975 prices, between purchase at Sotheby’s in 1979 and sale at Sotheby’s in 1997 the British Rail glass appreciated in value by £190,849 (though subject to costs of insurance and curation). From the two sales, Sotheby’s would have earned £111,179 from buyer’s commission alone, with perhaps an equivalent amount earned from seller’s commission.
The article says, The belief that antiquities might prove good vehicles for investment first took hold in the 1970s (Nørskov 2002, 291-292), at a time of high inflation, when it was thought that tangible assets might hold their value better than the more traditional financial ones...
I'll jump to the conclusion.
Antiquities are not guaranteed to hold their monetary value over time. Price fluctuations are caused by uncertain supply and idiosyncratic demand. It follows that the best opportunities for profit will exist at the information nexus, at the point where information about supply can be matched to information about demand. In other words, most money will be made by knowledgeable intermediaries – the antiquities dealers. At 1975 prices, between purchase at Sotheby’s in 1979 and sale at Sotheby’s in 1997 the British Rail glass appreciated in value by £190,849 (though subject to costs of insurance and curation). From the two sales, Sotheby’s would have earned £111,179 from buyer’s commission alone, with perhaps an equivalent amount earned from seller’s commission.
There are a lot of risks associated with investing in antiquities. For one thing, you never know when a new hoard will be discovered that will make a certain type of item more common and less valuable. There are also unpredictable changes in taste or demand. For a while one type of item will be highly sought, and then it will be something else.
The market for any type of item can change for a variety of reasons. Who would have ever guessed how the internet and online auction sites would so dramatically change the market for collectible books and bottles. I saw it happen, and it only took a few years. You usually can't predict those kinds of things.
There is also the political and cultural aspect. Laws and attitudes can change. Laws have been made about items made of ivory, for example. And some judge might determine that certain types of items belong to a another country and should be returned. It is an uncertain and risky investment class, but aren't they all.
Here is the link for the Brodie article if you want to look into it a little more deeply.
The market for any type of item can change for a variety of reasons. Who would have ever guessed how the internet and online auction sites would so dramatically change the market for collectible books and bottles. I saw it happen, and it only took a few years. You usually can't predict those kinds of things.
There is also the political and cultural aspect. Laws and attitudes can change. Laws have been made about items made of ivory, for example. And some judge might determine that certain types of items belong to a another country and should be returned. It is an uncertain and risky investment class, but aren't they all.
Here is the link for the Brodie article if you want to look into it a little more deeply.
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What that phrase means to me is that if you are going to do something, you might as well enjoy it to the max. Don't depend upon events to make you happy. If you are talking about metal detecting, that translates to, don't depend upon finds for all of your treasure hunting enjoyment. Take it all in and enjoy every bit of the search, including the downs as well as the ups.
There have been times when I set goals and was determined to meet them. If I didn't meet my goals, it affected my mood. I was pretty grumpy when I failed. That didn't do me any good.
If you are hunting on a beach, enjoy the ocean. Enjoy the beach. Enjoy those around you. It won't make you any less effective, and it might actually help you stick it out when you aren't finding much.
In treasure hunting there will be ups and downs. Things will go wrong. But the one thing that doesn't have to be down is your mood.
Life is too good and too short to waste. And when you get down to it, there is no treasure worth life itself. Soak it in and make the most of it.
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No changes in the surf. It is calm. We are having those nice low tides though.
Beach renourishment has begun at Fort Pierce. Beautiful isn't it.
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| Beach Renourishment at Fort Pierce South Jetty Park. |
I have some interesting finds to post tomorrow.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
