4/1/18 Report - One of The Queens Jewels That Didn't Go Down With The 1715 Fleet. Happy Easter. No April Fools.

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

Farnese Blue Diamond.
Source: Sothebys.com link below.

This is said to be one of the Queen's Jewels that did not end up sunk along the Treasure Coast.

One of the foremost historic diamonds –  The Farnese Blue – will appear on the market for the first time in history this spring, after having remained in the same family for over three centuries. The 6.16-carat pear shaped blue diamond will be offered in Sotheby’s sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels (15 May, Geneva) with an estimate of CHF 3.5 - 5 million (US$ 3,690,000 - 5,270,000).
Given to Elisabeth Farnese, Queen of Spain (1692-1766), the legendary diamond has subsequently passed down through four of the most important royal families in Europe: Spain, France, Italy and Austria.

Witness to 300 years of European history, from the aftermath of the Spanish Succession War to the fall of the Habsburg Empire, the diamond has travelled across the continent for centuries. And all this time, it was kept secretly in a royal casket. Excepting close relatives, and of course the family jewellers, no one knew of its existence.

Source: http://www.sothebys.com/de/news-video/blogs/all-blogs/all-that-glitters/2018/03/the-farnese-blue.html

One book about Isabella was written by Edward Armstrong in 1892. The title of the book is Termagant of Spain. Termagant is defined as a harsh-tempered or over-bearing woman. That is NOT how Isabella was advertised to Philip, who married her by proxy after Queen Maria Luisa passed away.

Here is the link to Armstrong's book. It provides a lot of history - mostly after 1715.

https://archive.org/details/elisabethfarnes00armsgoog


Lost Histories, a book by Joel Levy written in 2006, says the following.

And here is more of the history of the Blue Farnese as described by Sothebys.

The stone was given to Elisabeth Farnese, Queen of Spain (1692-1766) and descendant of Pope Paul III, following her wedding to King Philip V of Spain, grandson of Louis XIV, King of France.

The wedding was celebrated in Parma, Italy in 1714, after the War of the Spanish Succession, which had depleted the country’s finances. To be able to offer a suitable dowry for the new queen, the Spanish government sent word to its colonies, demanding they send wedding presents to Madrid.

Then, in August 1715, the Golden Fleet sailed from Cuba: 12 ships carrying a fortune in gold bullion and emeralds. But after only 10 days of sailing, a hurricane destroyed most of the fleet in the gulf of Florida. Only one ship survived.

The emeralds were thought to be lost in one of the sunken ships, but one diamond made its way to Spain: a pear-shaped blue diamond, gifted to the new Spanish queen by the governor of the Philippine Islands.

For the next 300 hundred years, as Elisabeth and Philip of Spain’s descendants married, the stone was passed down through four of the most important royal families in Europe: Spain, France, Italy and Austria.

Elisabeth Farnese passed it to her favorite son, Philip (1720-1765), Duke of Parma and founder of the House of Bourbon-Parma. When he died, his son Ferdinand inherited the jewel, which then passed to his son, Louis I, made King of Etruria, during Napoleon’s invasion of Italy, followed by his grandson, Charles II, who become Duke of Lucca, following the Congress of Vienna in 1815.

Charles II had a tie-pin setting created for the stone. He abdicated in 1849 and the title of Duke of Parma passed to his son, Charles III, who was assassinated just five years later. The Farnese Blue then was inherited by Charles II’s grandson, Robert I (1848-1907), the last ruling Duke of Parma.

Robert I sought refuge in Austria after the unification of Italy. During his exile, the diamond was mounted on a diadem that had belonged to his mother, Louise Marie Thérèse of Artois. She had inherited the jewel from her aunt and adoptive mother, Marie-Thérèse de France, the first child of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette and their only child to survive the French Revolution. It is believed that the diamonds that adorn the diadem belonged to Marie-Antoinette herself.

After the death of Robert I in 1907, his son Elias of Bourbon, Duke of Parma, inherited both the diadem and the Farnese Blue.

These jewels even have a written record of their journey, thanks to a detailed inventory of the family jewelry compiled by Maria Anna von Habsburg (1882-1940), Archduchess of Austria.

The Farnese Blue has been kept a secret by the family and family jewelers over the centuries and hidden in a royal casket.

That is what they say.  I have a feeling that it might not be exactly true in all details, but there is a lot of history there anyhow.

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Antique Easter Card From About 1906.

Happy Easter.
TreasureGuide@comcastnet

7/12/16 Report - Queen Isabella Farnese and Her Jewels. Wedding Coins.

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

Philip V and Queen Isabella.

Warren D. wrote today and mentioned that this is the 250th anniversary of the death of Queen Elisabeth (anglicized version of Isabella) and pointed out that we are still looking for the jewels that were being sent to her on the 1715 Fleet that sank on the Treasure Coast.  He asked if there are any "specifics" about the "Queen's jewels" or "Dowry" or if anyone had a complete list.

This seems like a good time to remind you of my 10/10/15 post that discussed a little about las arras matrimoniales, which would normally include 13 gold coins in an ornate box.  In the case of Queen Farnese, I'm pretty sure those would be the finest imaginable and would include royals in a gold box.

Here is the link to that post.

http://treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com/search?q=farnese

And here is a link to a book entitled Elisabeth Farnese,"the Termagant of Spain," written by Armstrong Edward.

https://archive.org/details/elisabethfarnes00armsgoog

The queen said she wouldn't consummate the marriage until she received the gifts.  She had several children, so apparently consummated the marriage despite the sinking of the 1715 Fleet. What part of it might have been salvaged, I don't know.  She might have accepted replacements, but I'm sure, one way or another, she received some amazing trinkets.

As Spanish explorers spread their customs around the world, the las arras matrimoniales ceremony became an integral part of the marriage vows in many cultures. 

Currently For Sale On The Internet For Las Arras.

The ornate box shown above is plated.  I'm sure the box meant for Queen Fornese was not plated. 

Notice the thirteen coins, which is the custom.  The number 13 carries multiple meanings.  

The origin of this custom can be traced back to a time when a piece of silver or gold was broken in half whenever a pledge was made.  During the wedding, the groom and bride took half of the broken coin.  The custom evolved over the centuries and the coin became a symbol of the groom's commitment to provide for his new family.

Generally, the symbolic gesture communicates the couple's trust in each other to share the responsibility of managing the household finances. The groom makes a pledge to provide for his family while the bride vows to honor the blessings God has put into their lives.

Presented to the groom by an honored padrinos or madrinas (godparent) and blessed by the priest, the coins are a good luck token and a sign of prosperity.  It is also said that each coin represents continued prosperity for each month of the year, with a little extra to spare. Additionally, the odd number is not dividable, just as a strong marriage should be. be without money. 

Since the tradition is deeply rooted in the Catholic faith, the coins also symbolize Jesus and his 12 apostles.

After the arras blessing, the priest passes the coins to the bride, who places them in the groom's cupped hands. The groom then pours them back into the bride's cupped hands and places the box on top.

The back and forth exchange symbolizes the couple's commitment to sharing their life together, for richer or poorer. In some cultures, the coins are presented one at a time to represent love, trust, commitment, respect, joy, happiness, harmony, wisdom, nurturing, caring, cooperation and peace.

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Nothing new with the weather or beach conditions.

Happy hunting, 

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

10/10/15 Report - Queen's Jewels And The 1715 Plate Fleet. Queen Isabella. Las Arras.

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

You've heard of the Queen's Jewels I'm sure, but have you heard of Isabella Farnese?  Sometimes she is referred to as Elizabeth, which is an anglicized version of Isabella.  Isabella married Philip V and became the real mover behind the throne.

One book about Isabella was written by Edward Armstrong in 1892.  The title of the book is Termagant of Spain.  Termagant is defined as a harsh-tempered or over-bearing woman.  That is NOT how Isabella was advertised to Philip, who married her by proxy after Queen Maria Luisa passed away.

Here is the link to Armstrong's book. It provides a lot of history - mostly after 1715.

https://archive.org/details/elisabethfarnes00armsgoog

Here is what Wikipedia says about the marriage of Isabella to Philip V.

Shortly after the death of Queen Maria Luisa in 1714, the King decided to marry again. His second wife was Elisabeth of Parma, daughter of Odoardo Farnese, hereditary Prince of Parma, and Dorothea Sophie of the Palatinate.  At the age of twenty-one, on 24 December 1714, she was married by proxy in Parma.  The marriage was arranged by Cardinal Alberoni with the concurrence of the Princesse des Ursins, the Camarera Mayor ("chief of the household") of the king of Spain.

Lost Histories, a book by Joel Levy written in 2006, says the following.

Did you catch that?  She was married on Dec. 24,  1714, but refused to consummate the marriage until she received her dowry, which was being sent in eight chests on the Capitana.

I was thinking about the nine eight-escudo royals that were found this summer, and I wondered about their purpose and why so many were found together.  Then I learned about the Spanish marriage tradition of las arras.

Here is what wikipedia says about that.

Las arras, or Las arras matrimoniales (English: arrhae, wedding tokens, or unity coins^[1]) are wedding paraphernalia used in Christian wedding ceremonies in Spain, Latin American countries, and the Philippines. The tradition is also followed, with varying names and customs, in countries and communities bearing degrees of Hispanic influence.^[2] Traditionally, in Spain and Latin America, it is made up of thirteen gold coins^[1][3] presented in an ornate box or chest; in the Philippines, it is in an ornate basket or pouch.^[1][3] After being blessed by a priest, they are given or presented by the groom to the bride.  (Links in this paragraph are not active.)

Marriage Customes of the World: An Encyclopedia of Dating Customs and Wedding Traditions, by George Monger, 2013, says the following.

If the nine royals were part of las arras, then there should be four more of them.  Or maybe those royals had nothing to do with Isabella Farnese at all.

Fine gold coins were also sometimes given as earnest money in business relationships too.

It is nothing more than wild speculation without any convincing evidence to support it, but I can't think of any better reason for so many remarkable royals being together than a queen's dowry. I'm sure that Isabella would have demanded and received only the very finest.

If her dowry went down with the 1715 Fleet, was it salvaged and returned to her, or was there a substitute.  There is a lot more research to do, but I feel pretty sure that Isabella received an impressive dowry of some sort before consummating the marriage.

I haven't come to any conclusions but learned a lot in the process.  Maybe I'll find out more about Isabella's dowry and what happened to it.

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The surf is down some now and will be decreasing for the next few days, down to around one foot by Wednesday.  Then the prediction is for it to increase again.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/24/15 Report - Contraband Treasure and Signs To Look For. Shipping Containers for Treasure. Danny Disappeared.

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

Active Atlantic
Source: National Hurricane Center

As you can see Danny fell apart.  That is the end of him.  However, there are two more systems coming off of Africa.

The one behind Danny has an eighty percent chance of becoming a cyclone in the next 48 hours.  It seems to be on a similar path.

Here are some more fresh escudos that were on display Thursday.

Three More Of The Escudos Displayed At Thursday Press Release.

I'm not absolutely sure, but from what I can see of the two shields, it looks like they might be from Bogota, Columbia.

Correct me if I'm wrong about that.  As you know, I'm not any kind of expert on numismatics.

We are fortunate to see so many fine examples.  It gives you an idea about what was on these wrecks and what could possibly be found.

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Yesterday I started talking about the recent finds and how they might have ended up where they were found.   In my opinion there would be very little chance of the cobs that descended to deep cracks or tight crevices would ever be washed up on the beach.

I think I mentioned yesterday that I didn't know of any evidence of any bags or boxes associated with those cobs.  The   treasure chests that held the cobs on the Atocha were simply plain boxes nailed shut.  They weren't ornate at all, and didn't have a lid that flips up.  While the dimensions varied, the tops and bottoms were around 57 by 22 cm., and the sides were 57 by 16 cm.  There were no hinges or hardware.  Below is a picture of one such unexcavated box as found on the site of the Atocha.

Source:  http://www.melfisher.org/pdf/The_Treasure_Chest_Defined_Atocha.pdf

One chest of silver reales held 2,225 cobs of various denominations, and weighed just over 130 pounds.

As you probably know, a lot of the treasure on these galleons was contraband.  I found a very good article about contraband treasure.  The title is Talegas and Hoards: The Archaeological Signature of Contraband on a 1725 Spanish Merchant Vessel, by John Foster, Matthew Maus and Anna Rogers. The authors attempted to identify common characteristics of contraband treasure.  The paper is base upon observations of contraband treasure found on the site of the Nuestra Senora de Begona.  I think you'll find the article interesting.

"Talegas" are bags.  While they did not discover intact bags, that article did show pictures of the clumped contents of such bags (Shown immediately below.)

The primary purpose of the Foster paper was to help identify contraband.  Here are their conclusions.

Contraband treasure tends to consist of coins of highly diverse origin.  They would be stored in containers of different sizes and shapes, mostly smaller, rather than being shipped in standard size containers such as the shipping boxes and bags like those I mentioned.  They tend to consist more of small denomination coins.  Contraband coins tend include a wide variety of dates and show a good amount of wear from circulation.  They also may include clipped coins.  Of course they are unregistered and may be unstamped.  They also may show evidence of having been concealed in barrel bottoms or other methods of concealment.

If you compare the finds recently made by the Capitana guys, you won't find much to make you think those escudos were contraband.  In fact the unusual group of 1711 Mexican royals were about the opposite of what you would expect of contraband.

Is it possible they were wedding gifts meant for the Isabel Farnese, the new wife of Philip V.  They were married in 1714.  I guess it is possible.

At one time the newly found escudos were probably in a shipping chest like those described above. What happened to the chest is unknown.  It could have been broken at any point.  If it remained in the sea, it probably disintegrated long ago.

I think you'll find the Foster paper to be very interesting reading.  Here is the link.

http://www.academia.edu/9270986/Talegas_and_Hoards_The_Archaeological_Signature_of_Contraband_on_a_1725_Spanish_Merchant_Vessel

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I heard the other day that a device that repels sharks is being sold for surf boards.  It emits some sort of signal.

Here is a link about that.

http://surfsafe.net.au/

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I'm not expecting any change in beach detecting conditions now that Danny has disappeared.  We'll get a storm some day for the Treasure Coast.  It is long over due.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/1/15 Report - Two Valuable Treasures. Which Is Most Valuable? Detectors In Various Price Ranges And What People Are Spending.

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

Two Pearls From Margarita
Found in 2007

Gold Cross Discovered On Cabin Wreck
Recovered in 2003

Which of these is the most valuable?  You might be surprised.

This Gold and Emerald Cross was found inside of an ornate gold box that was sealed shut due to its centuries under water. Along with this magnificent Cross was a five-foot long chain and two spectacular emerald rings. Discovered on the site known as the "cabin wreck" while exploring the 1715 Fleet, the Cross may well have been meant as a gift to Elizabeth Farnese, Duchess of Palma, from King Philip V of Spain. After his previous wife died in 1714, Philip began to woo Elizabeth. She eventually consented, but would not consummate the marriage until she received her weight in gold and jewels . Already behind schedule, the 1715 Fleet was forced to delay even further so that fine jewelry and other wedding gifts could be delivered to the ships headed back to Europe. Due to turbulent weather, unfortunately, the ships carrying many of the new Queen's jewels sunk well before they reached European soil.   Estimated Price: $100,000 - $125,000

Two Pearls  In June 2007, Blue Water Ventures in conjunction with Motivation, Inc. (the Fisher family's salvage operation) found a lead box within the Margarita's wreck site that contained thousands of pearls. Following the discovery, a gemologist from the GIA was enlisted to analyze and categorize the pearls so that their history and guidelines for future care could be established. Conclusions drawn from the numerous tests performed do confirm that the pearls are historically important, the nacre condition of these pearls is good given their age and the hundreds of years they spent on the ocean floor. It is believed that the lead box they laid in had in fact protected the pearls from significant damage and erosion. These two pearls in particular are the two largest pieces stemming from the 16,000 pearl discovery aboard the wreck of the Santa Margarita, the sister ship of the Atocha. Attributed to Indian pearl divers off the coast of the Isle of Cubagua near the Venezuelan coast, this particular area was specifically prized for its oysters and their pearls beginning in the sixteenth century. Each of the two pearls in this lot have been graded by the GIA as "AA," which means they have a very high luster, and at least 75% of their respective surfaces are free from defects. Considered to be part of the most unique collection in the world, these pearls hail from a rare species of oyster associated with the Nueva Esparta region where they originated. It is perhaps poignant to note that the word "margarita" in both Greek and Spanish translates as "pearl" in English. The Isle of Margarita which is situated close to Cubagua was given its name by Christopher Columbus to honor the Infanta Margarita of Austria, who was engaged to the heir to the Spanish throne.  Estimated Price: $300,000 - $400,000

To be approved to bid on these lots, please complete Guernsey's Bidder Agreement Form (http://guernseys.com/v2/images/Mel_Deo_Fisher/docs/Fisher_BidderAgreement_Form.pdf) and return it to Guernsey's by fax or email before 12 Noon (EDT) August 5.

The above pictures are from the online auction site.


To view the online auction here is the link. 

http://www.invaluable.com/catalog/searchLots.cfm?scp=c&catalogRef=LCOZ5LM9LU

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The most read post of July was the  7/27/15 Report - MILLION DOLLARS Of Treasure Recently Found On A Treasure Coast Shipwreck Site.  The Difference Between Compact And Mushy Sand.

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“If you want to build a boat, don’t drum up the men and give them orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” -Antoine de Saint Exupéry“

I just thought that was a great quote.  Antoine de Saint Exupery wrote The Little Prince. He was a French aristocrat, writer, poet, and pioneering aviator.  He was best remembered for his novella, The Little Prince.  He once wrecked and was stranded in the Sahara and last disappeared over the Mediterranean while on a reconnaissance flight in 1944.

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The most recent poll has concluded and the results are in. There were 111 people that responded - a good sample size.

Seven people, 6% of the respondents, paid $250 or less for their last detector purchase.  That could include detectors like the Garrett Ace 250 or Fisher F2.  Those are decent detectors.   

My last detector cost me closer to $2500, but the one before that was the Ace 250, which cost about 1/10 the one I purchased next.  While both are worth the money in my opinion, the Ace 250 is a good value and would be an excellent first detector, back-up, or special purpose machine.  I'm not doing an advertisement - just my personal observation.  

Some people might call these detectors toys, but they are adequate for beginners and me.  My Ace is a handy detector that I use for specific situations such as making a first pass over an old home site or scanning a junky high and dry beach.  

A note for beginners -  start with something basic and simple.   More expensive does not mean more simple. And more expensive does not always mean better.  Some advanced detectors will totally frustrate a beginner.

33 people, 29% of the respondents, paid between $250 and $750 for their most recent detector purchase.  That would include detectors such as the Garrett Ace 350, Fisher F4, Bounty Hunter Discovery at the lower end, and more advanced detectors like the Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F5 at the higher end.

As I've said before, I won't touch a Tesoro because they advertise a lifetime warranty but won't honor it.  

The largest number of respondents paid between $750 and $1500 for their most recent detector purchase.  That is not surprising to me since many of the Treasure Coast use a detector such as the very popular Excalibur which costs about $1500.  That is up some in recent years.

When you get into waterproof detectectors, the price goes up.  Also specialized hunting in difficult ground often calls for more expensive detectors.

This price range includes detectors such as the Fisher Gold Bug II, Garett GTI 2500, Fisher F75, Teknetics T2, and up right around $1500, the Minelab Excalibur.

Prices will vary depend upon where you buy and what options and accessories are included.

The Excalibur might fall in the $1500 to $3000 category, depending upon where you got it etc.   In retrospect, the one thing I would change about the poll is the $1500 cut-off point.  The Excalibur is so common on the Treasure Coast and comes in at about that price.  It could fall on either side of $1500.  

The Minelab E-Trac is close to that lower cut-off too.  

Other detectors in that range are detectors such as the Minelab SDC and CTX 3030 and  Garrett ATX,

Above $3000 you get into specialized detectors such as the GPX and GPZ gold detectors and a whole variety of detectors.

I know I didn't include all detectors, some of which are very good.  I notice that I didn't mention any Whites detector, for example.   There is nothing wrong with that brand or others that I might not have mentioned. 

  

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There is one tropical disturbance still out in the Atlantic.  It is closer to Africa than us though.  

On the Treasure Coast there is no change in beach detecting conditions.

Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

11/18/18 Report - $36,000,000 Marie Antoinette Pendant. Lucky Pennies and Coins. Great Mint Error Coin Database.

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

Diamond Peral Pendant Worth $36 Million.

What do you think it is worth?

Well Sotheby's, who you'd think would know a bit about such things, thought this pendant would bring between one and two million dollars at auction.  Boy were they wrong!

The item was described as exceptional and highly important natural pearl and diamond pendant, 18th century.  But there is more.  Set with an oval diamond supporting a diamond bow motif and a slightly baroque drop shaped natural pearl measuring approximately 15.90 x 18.35 x 25.85mm, hook and hinged back fitting, the pearl and diamond bow motif were suspended from Marie Antoinette’s three strand pearl necklace; the single stone oval diamond surmount formed the clasp of that same necklace...

That might add some value!  Something did.

Although bidding started off pretty much as expected, it didn't end as expected.  Someone paid over $36,000,000 dollars for it.  That is something like twenty times the auction estimate.

That, I guess, is what it is worth - for now at least.  It might change the next time it goes up for sale.

So why do I talk about things like this.  Are you going to find something that was owned by Marie Antoinette?  Probably not.  But it is possible that you might someday be lucky enough to find something once destined for Isabella Farnese.  Still, that isn't the primary reason I talk about such things.

The primary reason is that people often ask what something is worth.  It helps to know how to value items, and you can always learn a little about that by watching how things are sold and what price they bring.

So what are the determinants of the price in this case.  I suspect that the diamonds, pearls and workmanship had something to do with it, but I think there was a bigger factor - the provenance of once being owned and worn by Marie Antoinette was a huge factor.   But I'm sure there was even more to it than that.  One person thought for some reason it was worth that much and had the ability to pay for it.  At this point, I don't know why the winning bidder thought it was worth more than anybody else that participated in the auction.  That is something that maybe only they know.

Selling well is largely a matter of getting things in front of the people that most appreciate them, and in the case of very expensive items, also have the money to spend.

I've said this before, but one thing I like about selling items, although I haven't done it much, is getting the item to a home where it will be appreciated.

Here is the link for more about the pendant and other items auctioned from the Bourbon/Parma family.

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/royal-jewels-bourbon-parma-family-ge1809/lot.12.html

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I've been talking a good bit about holed coins and lucky pennies and such things.  You've probably heard some variation of "Find a penny, pick it up, and all day long, you'll have good luck."  Some people say "If it is heads up, pick it up, but if it is heads down, leave it on the ground". A heads down penny is supposed to be bad luck, I guess.  It has also been said that a found penny should not be kept, but turned heads up and passed on to a friend or stranger.

In Ireland and parts of northern Europe it was said that pennies belonged to fairies or leprechauns, so when you found a lucky penny, you were to spit on it and throw it into the nearby bushes or foliage to return them to the creatures and receive good luck in return.

You've probably heard of the traditions of placing a coin under the cornerstone of a new building or under the mast of a ship.  I once found a 1909 penny when a house built in 1909 was torn down.  It was in mint condition except for a few scratches.  I think it could have been under the cornerstone of that house.

Here are some other superstitions having to do with pennies.

Carrying a penny for good luck.

Throwing a penny overboard  for safety when traveling by ship.

Keeping a jar of pennies in the kitchen for good luck.

Putting money in a wallet or purse given as a gift.  My grandmother always did that one.

Keeping a coin hidden in a baby's crib.

Putting a received penny in your pocket to attract more.

Coins with holes are especially lucky.

Tossing a penny with the idea that your worries will go with it.

Tossing a penny into a wishing well.

Keeping a penny in your shoe.   (Remember the penny loafers?)


I know that a lot of people will not pick up pennies on the street or when detected.  I will.  I always like to take them home and look for any mint errors or other interesting things I might be able to find on them.  I always check my change too.  Newly received change goes in one pocket so I can look at it when I get home.

I've found a few mint errors that way.  Some are significant enough to be registered on Wexler's coin error database.  Check it out.

http://cuds-on-coins.com/lincoln-cent-spike-heads-1990-1999/

Excellent database of mint error coins.

Pennies can be worth thousands of dollars.

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The surf on the Treasure Coast will be two to four feet today, slacking off for a few days.  There might be a nice increase in a week or so.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net