7/26/15 Report - Unusual Find. October 29 Sedwick Coins Treasure Auction. Testing and Sampling. Spanish Galleon Book.

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

Unusual Tag Find
Photos by Warren D.

Warren D. found this tag.  Fortunately he has a relative that was able to translate it for him.  Here is what he said.

I found this on the beach this morning. The writing looked Russian to me. I sent pictures to my niece who studied Russian linquistics and history at Duke University. She said the tag looks like it is from a Warrior Dash/Cross Fit style outdoor obstacle-course race held in Russia that is sponsored by the Russian Ministry of Defense and veteran's support organizations. They are associated with the military (military-style obstacles in the race, a little similar to "Support Our Troops" events here) which is probably why it was designed to look like a dog tag. The first picture with the design at the top, lists 2 of the sponsors, Absolut Bank and the non-state pension fund "Blagasastayania".

The second picture, with the large bold face type, says the name of the race "Race of Heroes". It looks like whoever finishes a race gets one of these dog tags and this particular one is from spring-summer last year. The race if you're curious: http//www.gtorace.com/

I told her it's great to have a translator in the family.Found in Cocoa Beach.

Warren D.


Very interesting find Warren.  That is one thing that keeps it interesting.  You can find almost anything on a Florida beach, even things that come from half way around the world.  Congratulations!

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From Sedwick Coins:

Our third live floor auction (Treasure, World and U.S. Coin Auction #18) will take place on October 29, 2015 at the DoubleTree Suites Hotel at Lake Buena Vista, just minutes from Walt Disney World. We invite you to attend and take part in the outstanding opportunities this event offers, whether as a consignor or a bidder:

• Educational presentations the day before the auction by numismatic experts from around the world.• Networking with other collectors and dealers at our famous Argentine gaucho-style dinner the night before the auction.

• Lot viewing for all lots the day before and during the live auction right next to the auction room in the hotel.

• Live bidding in our state-of-the-art auction room with Shaunda Fry, our world-renowned auctioneer...

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People know a lot less than they think they know.  I'm not just talking about other people.  I'm including myself.

It is easy to think that you know something.  It is also very seductive.  And once you think you know something, the tendency is to support and defend it even if it takes all kinds of mental gymnastics.  And the more you do that, the more hardened and resistant the perceived knowledge becomes.

It occurs to me that ignorance makes "knowing" easy.  You don't have to deal with all the facts and contradictions that way.

I dare say some people are more prone to this than others.  The defense is skepticism, especially about what you think you know, is objectivity and a willingness to test  your knowledge and change your mind.

You probably won't learn much if you rigidly resist the possibility that you might be wrong and refuse to change your mind.

I know I've changed my mind about some pretty basic things concerning metal detecting.  There was a time when I thought treasure coins washed out of the beach but not up onto the beach.  I had a lot of experience that supported that belief, but that experience was limited, and I was completely wrong.  That is what more recent observations have proven.  Now it seems that I was stupid to have ever believed that they do not wash up.

Just because you are wrong about something doesn't mean that your mistaken beliefs are completely useless.  They can be correct for some situations, and can actually be quite useful in some situations, though not as useful as more complete knowledge.

What I'm getting around to today is the need to continue to test your thinking and continue to learn.  I test things that I think I know.  Sometimes it appears to be a waste of time.  That's OK.  I don't spend a lot of time on testing things I'm fairly confident about.  I spend more time testing things that I'm not so confident about.

What makes my method different from most that you read about is the amount of analysis.  In the field I do a good bit of sampling and analysis.  I'll quickly check here and there to see if my first thoughts are supported on not.  If one place looks like a good place to detect, I'll check it out.  I'll have certain ideas about what I expect, and I'll look for signs that prove my expectations either right or wrong.  Depending upon what I find, I might then quickly move to another beach or area to test or sample it.

Sampling is very important to me and I do a lot of it.  Sometimes it is just a quick sample and other times a more extensive sample, depending upon a variety of factors.

I  guess I've been surprised too many times in the past to take everything for granted.  And that isn't all bad.  When you are surprised, that means your expectations didn't match your observations, and that is a grand invitation to learn something new.

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Here is a non-fiction book that you can read parts of online.  It is Spanish Galleon 1530-1690 by Angus Konstam, 2004.  Take a look.

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Expect at least a few more days of very small surf on the Treasure Coast.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net