10/31/19 Report - A Variety of Nice Finds From Brevard and Indian River County. More on Spikes. Bigger Surf Coming.

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

Items Found At Radar Site at Melborne Beach by TM

Photo by TM.

I received an email from TM and photos of some of his finds that came from Brevard and Indian River Counties.


I’ve been detecting the south Brevard and north Indian River county beaches for about a year and a half now.

Found many items and try to clean my share of trash up.

Just thought I’d share a few things. 

Also I really enjoy the treasure beaches report.

TM's finds included those in the photo above and the four following photos.  Each is labeled with the location of the find.  Really a nice and varied group, including some really great finds.

Ring Found North of Bonsteel Beach.

Bracelet Recently Found Near Seagrape Beach Access

Clovis Point Found North of Sebastian Inlet.

Congratulations TM. Great finds! Thanks much for sharing. The Clovis point would be somewhere around ten thousand years old. Now that is an old find. From Wikipedia: The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleoamerican culture, named for distinct stone tools found in close association with Pleistocene fauna at Blackwater Locality No. 1 near Clovis, New Mexico, in the 1920s and 1930s. It appears around 11,500–11,000 uncalibrated radiocarbon years before present at the end of the last glacial period, and is characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools. Archaeologists' most precise determinations at present suggest this radiocarbon age is equal to roughly 13,200 to 12,900 calendar years ago. Clovis people are considered to be the ancestors of most of the indigenous cultures of the Americas. You might enjoy reading more about the Clovis culture. Here is a good link. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-clovis-point-and-the-discovery-of-americas-first-culture-3825828/ ---


The past few days I talked a little about Troy's chisel or spike find. At this point, I think the overwhelming consensus is that it is a broken spike. That is my opinion and the opinion of others that I've heard from. If you think about it, I suspect there are hundreds of shipwreck spikes out there for every old chisel. I've discussed some of the reasons for concluding that it is a spike, and posted some of the reader's thoughts that I've received on the subject. I just received an email from Jerry P., who also believes the find is a spike. Jerry also included some photos of those that he has found.

Spikes Found by Jerry P.

Photo by Jerry P.

Notice in particular the broken spike that looks very much like Troy's. I still haven't found the particular examples I was looking for. I wanted to take a close look at the break. I did look at the break on some others. I don't know how good the photos are yet. I haven't uploaded them yet. Also, notice the bent one. I plan on talking more about how they get bent and broken in the future. What do you think about that. I have some ideas, but I'd think it would take a lot of force to break a spike like that. I hope to talk about that more in the future. How do you think spikes get bent or broken? Troy sent me a closer photo of the top of his find.

Find and photo by Troy C.

That gives a better view. Thanks Troy. I was going to upload some photos that I took but found out I have to recharge the camera battery. First the upload utility was giving me trouble, and now the battery runs down. Sheesh. I get back into that topic, maybe tomorrow. One thing I've noticed, especially with broken bronze spikes, is how smooth the break can be. --- I'm just going to tell you about the surf instead of wasting any more time trying to upload the image. Expect a 4 - 6 foot surf on Friday and Saturday. You'll have to look it up yourself. I also asked TM if he could provide any more info on his finds. Happy hunting, Treasureguide@comcast.net

10/30/19 Report - St. Augustine Lighthouse History. History of Tools. More Thoughts on Troy's Find. Higher Surf Coming.

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

St. Augustine Lighthouse Turns 145 This Year.

Source: HistoricCoastCulture.com (Full link below)

This beloved black-and-white-striped lighthouse turns 145 in 2019 but its fascinating history dates back more than 400 years. Its Florida’s very first lighthouse and, along with the structures that preceded it, the oldest permanent aid to navigation in North America.

It has been the site of battles and picnics. Confederate soldiers hid its lens during the Civil War. During WWII, it was occupied by armed guards. It has seen tragic fires and passionate restoration. It may be haunted by four different ghosts. It’s a gathering place and guiding point for St. Augustine...

First built in 1589 by Spain, the tower was under Spanish rule twice for a total of 211 years. The British took control for 20 years following the Revolutionary War. In 1821, Spain ceded Florida to the United States who has maintained ownership ever since...

Here is the link to read more about this history.

https://www.historiccoastculture.com/illuminating-400-years-of-maritime-heritage-and-mysteries/?utm_source=digilant&utm_medium=native&utm_content=Tier3&utm_term=400-years-of-history&utm_campaign=floridas-first-lighthouse

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The discussion of Troy's find chisel(?) find continues. Susan E. suggested making a distinction between what the item was originally made for and how it might have ultimately been used. Here is what she said. The question is whether this artifact was used as a chisel.

I would examine the surface on the flat end, for signs of use.   For example, Troy C. says that it is iron coated with bronze or copper, so if it was struck by an iron hammer we would expect to see loss of the coating (which is softer than iron).   Also, perhaps that end would be a bit smoother than the rest of the artifact due to repeated contact with the hammer.   

Its often difficult to reach a conclusion from a photo.  You can't look at everything you'd like to, and you don't get the same feel for an object that you can hold in your hand.

I thought the plating or whatever looked quite odd in the photo and wondered about the metallic composition.

Bill P. said, I have a hard time believing that any chisel would be made of anything but steel. That pic looks like brass or bronze. Even when chiseling wood the bronze would never hold an edge for very long. It's something else.

Thanks guys.  Great thoughts.


I found a very interesting website on the history of woodworking tools.  Here is a photo of some 18th century tools, including chisels.

18th Century Back Saw, Chisels and Other Edged Tools.

Source: WoodWorkingHistory.com (Full link below).

They were made in Birmingham, long a center for iron and steel metalworking.

Among other interesting facts, you will find this list of reasons why it is often difficult to identify the source or identity of old tools.

first, the tool is an object of daily use, subjected while in service to hard wear and, in some cases, ultimate destruction;

second, a tool's usefulness is apt to continue through many years and through the hands of several generations of craftsmen, with the result that its origins become lost;

third, the achievement of an implement of demonstrated proficiency dictated against radical, and therefore easily datable, changes in shape or style; and

fourth, dated survivals needed to establish a range of firm control specimens for the better identification of unknowns, particularly the wooden elements of tools—handles, moldings, and plane bodies—are frustratingly few in non-arid archeological sites.

That is just a small sample of what you will find at the site.  Some of it is in "olde" English.

Here is the link.

http://woodworkinghistory.com/Ch2-origins-of-tools-medieval.htm

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If you don't like my philosophizing, you might want to bail-out now.  Fair notice.

A couple times recently I said, "The more I learn, the more I don't know."   On the face, that sounds contradictory and like it could not possibly be true.  When the thought first came to me, I liked it because it had the definite ring of truth, but there was also a feeling of mystery to it.

If you believe in a world in which there are only a finite number of things to be known, when you get to know one of those things, there is one less that is unknown.  That would make the statement false,
but the truth of the statement that originally wasn't clear to me, is that the world does not consist of a finite number of things to be known, and when you take a step down the path of truth what opens up before you is a even larger world in an ever expanding universe of marvelous new possibilities.   It is something like coming to the top of a hill on a clear night and seeing the countless stars like never before.  It is beyond words, logic or reason.  You encounter the incomprehensible infinite and become a part of it.

---

The tides are pretty big now and it looks like we'll have some bigger surf at the end of the week.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

10/29/19 Report - Seagrape Trail Beach Today. Conquistadors Explore Catawba Territory. More on Chisels, Spikes and Screws.

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

Seagrape Trail Beach Tuesday Afternoon.

Literally just in.  I received these photos from Seagrape Trail from DJ as I was in the process of posting.

Thanks DJ.

---

About 450 years ago, Spanish soldiers on an expedition from Florida took over the native Catawba town of Joara, about 60 miles East of Asheville. 

Fort San Juan is the earliest known European settlement in the Southeastern US, established about 40 years before the English arrived in Jamestown.  That made Spanish the first European language spoken in Appalachia...  

https://www.bpr.org/post/exploring-southern-appalachia-conquistadors-and-catawba#stream/0


---

I hoped to find a way to easily tell if an item might be a chisel or not.  I failed.

From what I've determined, chisels are typically flat on one side of the point and angled on the other, like the wood-working chisels shown below.

But there are chisels for working materials other than wood, such as hot metals and stone.  Among the chisels meant for working stone, there are bull-point chisels, for example, which are angled on both the top and bottom.

While I'd expect wood-wood working chisels to be most common on centuries old sailing ships, there could be other types for black-smithing or mining.

Who was it that said "The more I learn, the more I don't  know?"

I'd also expect wood-working chisels to have handles, which, like spikes, could also be broken off.

I planned on getting close-up views of several spikes and chisels, but couldn't find the ones I wanted to photograph when I went looking for them.

John C. sent this photo of a broken spike with the email message I posted from him yesterday.

Broken Spike Find.

Find and photo by John C.

At this point, I'm still thinking that Troy's find is more than likely a spike rather than a chisel.

Let me know if you agree or disagree.

---

Jerry P. sent me the following email and photos.

What a great post on screws! There's no coincidence that I find a lot of screws on the beach adjacent old shipwrecks. So much so I had to purchase Witold’s book yeas ago and it definitely solidified it for me. If you don’t know don’t throw, these old screws are shipwreck history and excellent artifacts!! 

Old Screws Found by Jerry P. Along With A Copy of  Witold's Book on Screws and Screwdrivers.

Thank Jerry.  Of course they can also be good clues for the detectorist.

---

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

10/28/19 Report - Wabasso Beach. Chisels, Wedges and Spikes. How To Date Screws? Mystery Item Positively Identified.

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

Wabasso Area Beach Sunday Afternoon.

Photo by Scott B.

Along with the beach photo shown above, Scott B. sent a picture of an old screw he found in that general area about a month ago.  The screw is just under two inches long.  He wondered how long screws have been around.

Old Screw Found by Scott B.

Thanks for the photos and question Scott.

Witold Rybczynski's book on the history of screws and screwdrivers, One Good Turn: A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw, says screws as we know them with threads and heads shaped for a driving tool used to attach two pieces together were used as far back as the 15th century.

On what I believe to be some of the oldest screws that I've found, you can tell that the threads are irregular, unlike those on more modern machine made screws.  The next time I run across one of those I'll try to remember to take a good closeup photo of the threads.

According to an article in AntiqueTrader.com handmade old handmade screws started out pretty much like square nails. 

... But the form used for the screw was a more or less round shallow depression into which the top of the shaft was hammered flat, producing a screw head. The slot for the bladed screwdriver was cut with a hacksaw.

So far so good. We’ve got the column and the head but what about the ramp, also known as the worm or the threads? Lacking a cold hardened steel die with which to cut the thread, the craftsman had to cut it himself by hand. This was usually done in laborious fashion with a file. When the smith had the length he thought was needed for the job, he simply cut or snipped the threaded shaft.

This entire hand-done process leaves a multitude of clues on the handmade screw, just waiting for our inspection. Starting with the top of the screw, the head, evidence of handwork is abundant. In most cases the head is not perfectly round and is not centered perfectly on the shaft. The hand cut slot is seldom perfectly centered on the off-center head. Below the head, on the smooth portion of the shaft above the threads, is the most likely place to find areas that still show a flat side of the original iron nail stock. This portion of the shaft is almost never totally round or totally smooth.

But the most obvious clue to the handwork is the thread. The pitch, the angle of the thread to the shaft, will vary considerably from thread to thread as will the depth of the cut into the shaft that produces the thread.

The edges are often flat since they were filed into shape, and the tip is invariably blunt since the smith just cut it off. And the overall shape of the entire screw is cylindrical rather than tapered, as is the case in modern screws. Because of the individual nuances and variables in the handwork process, no two handmade screws are identical.

Screws with these characteristics were produced until early in the 19th century. Around 1812 a machine was introduced that made screws on a lathe but the War of 1812 slowed its distribution and development. After the War, the new machine went right to work, turning out virtually identical screws with sharp even threads, but the heads still had to be hand forged and the slots were still cut with a hacksaw, producing slight variations caused by this last bit of handwork.

These new machine-made screws also resembled their ancestors in that they were still almost perfectly cylindrical and had a blunt tip.

The introduction in 1848 of the completely machine-made gimlet screw, with a tapered shaft and a pointed tip, marked the beginning of the modern era in screw production.

Source: https://www.antiquetrader.com/articles/furniture-detective-screws-give-valuable-clues-when-in-search-of-antique-furniture-origins/

---

Yesterday I posted a find made by Troy C.  He thought it might be a chisel.  Here it is again.

Item Found by Troy C.

I asked for opinions on the find, and John C. wrote the following.

Possibly a bronze spike, Just missing the head, It's very hard to find an intact spike of this size, usually 5 1/2 to 6"in, They seem to be very brittle,  Most of the ones that I've found over the years are Broken, midway, Or 3/4, But occasionally they do break at the head, as shown in the photo. One thought is, Maybe Someone attempted to removed the spike from a plank, many years ago when much of the wreck was still somewhat intact and only removed the head in the process?

I think John could be right.  The tip doesn't look like it is shaped to remove material.  It is pretty blunt now, but it does look to me like the tip was intentionally angled both up and down at the same angle.  The shape isn't graduated like I'd expect of a wedge.

In the small amount of research I did, I found that it can be more complicated than I expected.  That is often the case.  The more you learn the more complicated it becomes.  For example, there are hot chisels and cold chisels.

Hunker.com presents the following distinction between hot and cold chisels, which might not be as familiar as wood-working chisels.


A cold chisel is a metal working chisel with a solid, hardened steel cylindrical shaft about 6 inches long. The tip is shaped to about a 60-degree angle on both sides to form a wedge-shaped point. It is is designed to cut steel and other metals that have either not been heated or have previously cooled down. The chisel is typically used in conjunction with a steel hammer, such as a ball-peen hammer, or 3-pound sledge.

A hot chisel is exclusively used in blacksmithing. It is used to cut and shape red-hot steel pieces. Since heated steel is many times softer than cold steel, these chisels are not typically hardened or tempered. They are of roughly the same size and shape as cold chisels, but feature a blade that is cut at a 30-degree angle, making them virtually useless for other cutting tasks.

The tip on Troy's has an angle on both sides.  It would be nice to be able to take a close look at the  head to see if you can tell if the head looks like it was broken off or if it has been struck as you'd expect of any chisel that has been used at all.

If it looks broken, I think I'd lean more in the direction of Troy's find being a broken spike, but I'm still wouldn't be certain.

Thanks John!

---

I posted a mystery object yesterday, and DJ positively identified it.

Here is what he found.

Helena Rubenstein Lipstick Case.

Photo submitted by DJ.

That is what it is for sure.

One thing that was confusing me on this one is that I couldn't get it open.  Now I know how it is supposed to open so maybe I'll be able to get it open without breaking it.

---

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

10/27/19 Report - Turtle Trail Beach Conditions. A Mystery Item and a Couple Other Finds.

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

Turtle Trail Friday.

Photo by Joe D.

Yesterday I mentioned that I hadn't been to the Vero/Sebastian area and didn't know what was going on there.  Joe D. sent these photos of Turtle Trail that he took Friday, which would have been after a lot of the higher surf.

Turtle Trail Friday.

Photo by Joe D.

Thanks for the photos Joe.

Joe said he met a couple detectorists there that were back from a detecting trip to Thailand.

---

Troy C.  found the following item he would like to know more about.

Find Found by Troy C.

Photo by Troy C.

Below is what Troy said.

My name is Troy and recently I had found an item while I was free diving the southernmost edge of the Treasure Coast. I wasn't out very deep but I do believe this item to be an old chisel that was either coated in bronze or copper. I was hoping maybe to get feedback to see if what I had found... If this is something from the 1600s that would be pretty incredible.

Another View of the Same Find.

Let me know what you think about Troy's item.

And any thoughts on age?

---


I made some similar finds in the past.  Below are some of those.  The first seems to be about the same size as Troy's.

I learned a bit from researching those finds.  A reader informed me back a few years ago, that the large item in the second photo is a wedge rather than a chisel.

A wedge is for separating things.  A chisel is for removing material, such as wood or stone.

Both types of tools would be handy on sailing or later ships.

I posted information about that in an old post, which you can find by using the following link.

https://treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com/2016/08/81316-report-wedges-and-chisels-and.html

That post also provides a nice link or two to articles about tools that you might enjoy.

---

Here is a find that I wasn't sure about for a long time.  Now I'm pretty sure I know what it is.

Mystery Item.

What do you think it is?


---

The high tides are going to be big, but the surf only two to three feet the next couple of days.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

10/26/19 Report - Some Recent Erosion Showing Up On The Treasure Coast. The Ghost Fleet of the Potomac. Tropical Storm Pablo.

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

John Brooks Beach Saturday Evening Just Before High Tide.

We had some decent surf on later this week and actually got a little erosion and a few small cuts.

My post is late today.  I just got back from the beach.

John Brooks Beach Saturday Evening.

John Brooks beach had slightly more erosion than Frederick Douglas.

North of John Brooks Saturday Evening.

The biggest cuts I saw along that stretch of South Hutchinson Island this evening was up by the condominiums north of John Brooks.

Still, I've seen that area cut about a 100 yards farther back years ago.

As you can see those cuts stretched for a good distance.

Between John Brooks and The Condos To The North Saturday Evening.

Those cuts were three to four feet.

Frederick Douglass Beach Saturday Evening.

Of those three locations, the erosion at Frederick Douglass was the smallest.

Frederick Douglass Beach Saturday Evening.

There were some shells back by the farthest recent high tide mark.

I haven't been to the Sebastian/Vero area lately and have no reports from there yet either.

---

One of The Many Ships In The Potomac Ghost Fleet.

Douglas sent me a link to a great article about a ghost fleet of around 200 ships sunk in the Potomac.

The article provides a lot of very nice images as well as some good history.

I  think you'll enjoy it.

Here is the link.


https://wamu.atavist.com/the-ghost-fleet

Thanks Douglas.

---

There is one tropical storm in the Atlantic, but it is closer to England than us.

The surf is supposed to be northing more than about three feet for the next few days.

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

10/25/19 Report - Avoiding Deterioration and Preserving the Value of Coins. Pre-Contact Images Found. Jamestown Graves. Storm Forming.

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

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

Can you believe it?  It looks like there might be another storm developing in the Gulf.

The surf will be up to around three to five feet today, and the tides will be high too.

---

It is rare to dig up a coin that is in near perfect condition.  Most coins that you dig will have been in circulation for a while and buried in dirt or sand or worse.  That means that the coins value will already be reduced, but even though detectorists are seldom handling the most pristine of coins, it can still be helpful to be aware of the things that can harm coins and reduce their value.  I recently received an email from Joe D. in which he mentioned that coins he had stored in a cardboard folder were corroding.  Even if you purchase a near mint coin and keep it in a coin folder or something, there are many ways that a coin can be damaged and reduced in value.

Here are some things that can damage coins even if they are carefully stored.

Humidity.  That is a big problem for us in Florida.  Some companies market "air tight" holders, but they aren't guaranteed to be airtight.

Acids.  Coin collecting supplies made out of paper or cardboard can cause damage.  I just received an email from Joe D. telling how coins he stored in a cardboard folder had corroded.  Copper and silver coins are especially vulnerable to toning from household acids or even vapors emitted from cooking.

Chlorine.  "One of the main sources of this are flips made from plastic that contains PVC.  Additionally, vapors from a hot tub or pool can seep into the area where you store your coin collection."  You'd think that coin holders sold for the purpose would be safe, but not all of them are.

Air Pollution can also damage coins.

Improper Handling is one of the biggest causes of coin damage. Of course dropping or improperly cleaning coins will damage them, but acids and oils on your hands can also cause damage.  Gloves can be used.

Coins can also be damaged when sliding them into and out of coin holders.  Coin collectors use the term "flip rubbing."

Here is a link that will take you to an article that more fully describes the above sources of damage and how to store your coins safely.

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/how-to-safely-store-your-coins-768295

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… Federal Reserve banks receive coins at face value because they are obligations of the United States Government. The Banks store the coins until they need to fill orders from the commercial banks in their district. The Federal Reserve banks fill these orders from their vault stocks of both new and circulated coins. Also, they fill the orders without regard to date or mint mark. Coin shipments leave the Federal Reserve banks by armored car, registered mail, or express.

If a commercial bank has excess coins on hand, they may return the coins to the Federal Reserve bank. It then sorts the coins for fitness. They return badly worn or bent coins to the United States Mint which melts them down and makes them into new coins. Also, the banks remove foreign and counterfeit coins from circulation. According to Federal Reserve sources, over 20 billion coins valued at well over $2 billion pass through their coin processing units each year..

Here is the link for more about the US Treasury

https://www.treasury.gov/about/education/Pages/distribution.aspx

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Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have found 11 pre-Hispanic images in a tunnel in Ecatepec, México state, that is part of a dike system that dates back to colonial days.

Among the images discovered on the sides of the 8.4-meter-long tunnel are petroglyphs and stucco relief panels, INAH said in a statement.

The tunnel is part of the four-kilometer-long 17th-century dike system known today as the Albarradón de Ecatepec.

A war shield, the head of a bird of prey and a “paper ornament” are among the images carved into the walls of the tunnels while a teocalli, or temple, is etched into the central stone of the arch entrance. The temple is dedicated to the rain god Tláloc, the INAH archaeologists concluded...

Here is that link.

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/archaeologists-find-tunnel-with-pre-hispanic-images/

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Archaeologists are digging up 17th century graves at Jamestown.

https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-nws-jamestown-grave-1019-20191022-qlypvf4xm5dedm4eptzt3hmcua-story.html\

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Send me your beach reports and photos.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

10/24/19 Report,- The Havering Hoard. Wood Find. Wheat Cents. About Cleaning Coins.

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

Source: BBC.com (See link below.)

The group of 453 artefacts found in Havering, east London, is the third largest ever discovered in the UK...

The find, which dates from between 800BC and 900BC, was officially declared treasure by a coroner earlier this year.

The discovery, dubbed the Havering Hoard, was uncovered last September, and will form the centrepiece of a major exhibition from April.

Archaeologists believed the manner in which the weapons had been so carefully buried in groups close together suggested the site could have been a metal workers' former vault or an armoury recycling bank or exchange...

Here is the link for the rest of the article.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-50097646

---

Wood Found by DJ Sunday

Find and photo by DJ

DJ said, "... it has several round holes and pieces of metal showing. The close up shows two pieces with the wood grain running at right angles."

Interesting.
--- I've mentioned recently about finding a wheat penny in change received at a Walmart a couple days ago. I was surprised to get another wheat penny in change just yesterday at a store about 20 miles away from the Walmart. That is two wheats in my last two shopping trips. Pretty unusual. Below are the two wheats I received in change. The one most recently received is on the right.

Two Wheat Pennies Recently Received in Change.

In a recent post I mentioned a few ways I think old coins end up in circulation. I thought of one more. Spome of the members of CoinCommunity.com mentioned that they sometimes return coins like that to circulation just to stimulate interest in the hobby. The coins shown above appear to me to have been harshly cleaned. You'll notice the very bright high spots that look like they have been really scrubbed. The 1950 D is in worse condition with surface pitting and also a strange patina on the depressed surfaces. It also has some green crud in tight protected areas. You can see that best in the photo on the right behind Lincoln's collar. In my opinion, it does not look like these coins were not owned by a serious collector, but perhaps dug. I doubt that any kind of serious collector would so harshly clean the coins. The one on the right with the surface pitting definitely looks like a dug coin to me. What do you think? Having received two wheats in change in such a short time span makes me wonder if there were a lot of wheats recently put into circulation by someone. Seems pretty unlikely to be coincidence, but it is possible I guess. If you are wondering how often it might happen by chance, I found a blog post where a fellow purchased 48 rolls of pennies in 2014 and recorded what he found. Here is what he said. I went to the bank and got $24 worth of pennies (48 rolls of 50) and sorted them.  On average there were 13.4 pre-1982 pennies in each roll, in percentage terms, 28.4%.  Some had as many as 20 and some had as few as 7.  There were also 5 wheat sheaf pennies in the lot and 10 Canadian cents.

Since that was done five years ago the odds might have changed some.

Anyhow the odds of finding a wheat cent in circulation, according to the experiment, is 5 in 2400 or 1 in 480 pennies.  Canadian cents were more likely than the wheat cents at a that time.  I understand that Canada no longer mints pennies.

Here is the link to that article. http://mattbussey.com/how-many-pre-1982-copper-pennies-are-still-in-circulation/ Here is an article about cleaning coins. Among other things, it tells how to tell if a coin has been cleaned, which they say should almost never be done.

Here is how they say you can tell if a coin has been cleaned.

A cleaned coin will have a dull, bright look – one that on a well-circulated coin would seem unnatural.

Old pennies that have been worn should not look bright orange and have flashy surfaces. Old, worn pennies should be medium to dark brown in color and have virtually no reflectivity on the surface at all. 

Old silver coins will look grey in color with darker patination around the devices, such as the lettering, date, and main design elements. A flashy, white silver coin that has clearly been worn is a clear giveaway that it has been cleaned. 

Uncirculated or about uncirculated coins should have lustrous surfaces and radiating lines that reflect shimmers of light in a cartwheel pattern as the coin is turned or rotated. 

The luster of a cleaned coin will be severely impaired, if not lost altogether. Therefore, if an uncirculated coin has been cleaned, the best way to tell is to see if it has any cartwheel luster. If it doesn’t, then don’t buy the coin.

Older coins that have been cleaned in the past may show evidence of a past cleaning in a few key ways:

Crud around design elements and lettering
Evidence of heavy, dark toning on some parts of the coin but not on others
Dull appearance in the fields

Here are a few occasions when they say it might be advisable to clean a coin.

(1) The coin has ugly and potentially damaging green polyvinylchloride (PVC) goo from an old plastic coin holder.

(2) The coin has loose dirt and debris on it. 

(3) An ancient coin needs cleaning for proper attribution or identification.

Here is that link.
https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/cleaned-coins/ ---

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

Not much going on except for one undeveloped system down in the Gulf.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com

Not much surf in the forecast either. Happy hunting, TreasureGuide@comcast.net