Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com
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| Gold Coins Found by Capitana From ABC News Video |
Yesterday I posted a photo of the 48 gold coins that were recently found by Greg Bounds of the Capitana. Thanks to Capt. Martinez of the Gold Hound who sent me yesterday's picture of the coins.
I said yesterday that I'd have some more information about the coins for you today, but first I want to mention another important part of the story.
Capt. Martinez said the guys on the Capitana are some of the hardest working people that he knows and they really deserve the find. You can see these treasure hunters are close knit group, and you can see how they respect and root for each other. They know what it takes. They also all experienced a big loss not too long ago.
In his email with the photo of the coins, Capt. Martinez mentioned "Jeff" showing "the way" to those gold coins. If you go back in this blog not too long ago, you'll read about a diver from the Capitana that passed away on a dive. It was diver Jeff Croy. When those gold coins were recently found, I'm sure that everyone working on the Capitana was reminded of Jeff, as Captain Martinez suggested. And I'm sure that Capt. Martinez was not the only one that felt Jeff had a part in the discovery. They probably felt that Jeff was now looking down and smiling with them.
Treasure hunting is more a story about people than things. It is about the journeys that people go through in life - the ups and the downs- the sorrows and the successes, and the things that make the journey worthwhile and that make people better as a result of the journey. I'm sure that all who were there were not only over-joyed by the find but were also fondly reminded of their recently departed friend.
About the coins, Capt. Martinez said they are a beautiful mix of Bogota, Mexico, Lima coins. Some are dated. And, of course, they are believed to be from the 1715 Fleet.
Congratulations to those of the Capitana and all who seek treasure in this life and beyond.
Here is a video about the gold coin find.
http://main.aol.com/2013/07/15/divers-find-300yearold-go_n_3599244.html?1373905181
And another video on the find from ABC News.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/07/treasure-hunters-find-gold-coin-trove-off-florida/
I have been thinking for some time about talking about some of the detectorists that I knew back in the day. I might have mentioned yesterday that I was thinking of doing that. It seems all the more appropriate now.
Yesterday I started to do that but ended up talking about my first metal detectors - the Whites from Sears and Reobuck and the Fisher Aquanaut 1280.
I purchased my Aquanaut, which quickly became my work horse, at a small shop not too far from the Fort Lauderdale airport back in the eighties. It seems that the shop is still there. Back then they sold jewelry and metal detectors and maybe a few other things.
Anyhow Jerry ran the shop with his wife. Jerry was a hyperactive guy that seemed like he was in always running in high gear and had all this energy ready to break out. His wife, who was usually at the shop (I forget her name now), was just the opposite. She was super calm - very mellow. Very much the opposite of Jerry.
Anyhow, Jerry told me that he had been out detecting every low tide for the past month or so. That is two low tides per day! With his energy level, I could see him doing that. I don't know what all he found, but I'm sure he had some of it for sale in his shop.
Jerry did good jewelry work too. If you brought him a drowned Rolex, for example, he could get a new face or movement and you'd have a working watch.
Jerry and his wife also held club hunts in those days, mostly at Hollywood Beach, and put out tokens and things for prizes. I doubt that they still do that. From the little research I did, the shop is still there and sells detectors. From what I've seen, it seems they sell Bounty Hunter detectors now, and maybe others. I haven't been to that shop in many years so I'm not sure exactly what they are doing now.
Kovels keeps track of user searches and creates a list of the collectibles that people seem to be most interested in. Here is what they said.
The Kovels.com Top 10 list indicates the current interests of collectors who visit the website. During June 2013 antique enthusiasts were busy researching:
1. Bottle
2. Coca-Cola
3. Bavaria
4. Stoves
5. Capo-Di-Monte
6. McCoy Pottery
7. Fenton Glass
8. Belleek
9. Scales
10. Dresden
2. Coca-Cola
3. Bavaria
4. Stoves
5. Capo-Di-Monte
6. McCoy Pottery
7. Fenton Glass
8. Belleek
9. Scales
10. Dresden
Bottle collecting has become a popular American hobby and bottle enthusiasts looking to add a few new items to their collection can find plenty to choose from at flea markets, bottle shows and at many auctions. There are many categories of bottles—bitters, beer, whisky, soda, mineral water, ink, medicine, poison, fruit jars and historic flasks among them. A rare sapphire blue flask made in Bridgeton, New Jersey, circa 1825 – 1840 sold for $28,750 at a Glass Works auction last month. It has a sloop on one side and a star on the other. It's thought to be one of only three of its type known.
It is good to know what is hot. Bottles are evidently popular, however the bottle market for common bottles is nothing compared to what it used to be. Excellent rare high-priced bottles are doing well though.
The internet did that to a lot of collectible categories. Common items are now easy to find on the internet so the prices have dropped for everything but the more exceptional items.
Here is the source link to the Kovels article.
http://www.kovels.com/2013070912793/latest-news/kovelscoms-top-10-antiques-and-collectibles-searches-for-june-2013.html?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.kovels.com%2f2013070912793%2flatest-news%2fkovelscoms-top-10-antiques-and-collectibles-searches-for-june-2013.html&utm_campaign=Kovels+Komments%3a+Top+10+Antiques+and+Collectibles+Searches+for+June+2013
I noticed that this blog blew through 600,000 hits a day or two ago.
On the Treasure Coast this today the surf is predicted to be 2 - 4 feet then decrease to down around 1 - 2 feet over the next several days again. The wind is from the east.
It is raining again early this morning.
Low tide this morning is around 8:30 AM.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
