Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.
Partially Opened Conglomerate.You might detect stones or clumps that do not show any visible metal. If your metal detector says there is metal but you can't see it, put the object in your goodie bag (if it fits) and take it home.
When you get it home, you can approach the problem in a variety of ways. Always use the least destructive method first.
Sometimes a good soaking or pressure wash will get rid of enough of the crud to expose something that gives you a clue about what might be inside.
Reviewing the other finds from the area might also give you a clue about what might be in there.
Sometimes you'll be able to see rust or copper oxide or something that will give you a clue.
Be careful, though. That is the most important thing. You don't want to ruin a unique piece of history simply because you are too impatient to be careful.
You might consider a quick acid bath. Don't use a mixture that is too strong and don't leave the object without checking it periodically to see what is happening.
When everything you see says that the object is probably not valuable in any sense of the word, you might want to break open the crust. Sometimes that is easy, ans sometimes not.
The picture above shows one encrusted object that I found this morning. One side showed nothing but shell, and the other side nothing but conglomerate.
You can see what was in it - a bullet.
I've found a variety of other encrusted objects. Some pretty nice things - like coins and a ring.
I like opening things like that, but avoid it until I have a good idea about how to approach it.
If you do decide to risk breaking the crust, proceed slowly. first tap the object lightly a few times to see what reaction you get.
If an alien pops out and eats your head, stop!
Seriously though, if it cracks a little, so much the better. It is always better to go slow than risk damage.
And remember to not throw encrusted objects away just because you can't see what is in them.
If you get something that might be a very good artifact, you might be able to get the conglomerate x-rayed before doing anything else. That is sometimes the way to go.
It is better to store an item than do something stupid.
Treasure Coast Beach Detecting Forecast and Conditions.
Conditions this morning were pretty much the same as yesterday. A little change here and there, but nothing really significant.
The old cuts were still there, and the mushy beaches were still pretty mushy.
I was still finding coins and things on some beaches. Again, the treasure beaches weren't the ones that were cut - at least not the ones that I saw.
The seas are going to remain at about the same level through the week. That is a lot of rough water.
Seven foot seas are predicted for next Monday.
The wind is out of the northeast today. One of these mornings we might get up and see much improved beaches. It hasn't happened yet though. I'm sticking with my 2 beach conditions rating.
One of these days things could change quickly - and hopefully for the better.
Happy Hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
