12/11/18 Reports - Favorite Coin Finds Of One Blog Reader. Beaches Around the Treasure Coast.

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

Some of Captain Jonah's Favorite Coin Finds.

I asked my readers to send photos of their favorite coin finds.  Captain Jonah Martinez had a variety to choose from.  Having found some of the biggest Treasure Coast finds ever made, he had a lot of excellent choices.  Here are SOME of his favorites.  Escudo Royals are always hard to beat.

Same Royals.

Jonah sent some other choices that I'll show in the future.  For now, this should be enough to keep you drooling.

It is out there.  And remember, these were right up under the sand in front of the beach.

Thanks for sharing Jonah.

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John Brooks Beach Monday Afternoon.

I went out to take a look at some beaches yesterday.  They didn't look much good.  Above you can see John Brooks, which had some new lighter color sand on the beach front.

John Brooks Beach Looking South.

John Brooks was smoothed out since the last time I was there, but there really hadn't been much change at all.

The surf was small due to the northwest winds.

Walton Rocks Beach Monday Afternoon.

I also took a look at Walton Rocks.  It has not changed much for several weeks.

Jensen Beach Tuesday Afternoon.

Jensen Beach looked better than the others.  I would say it was not bad for hunting modern coins.  You can see some cutting, and there had evidently been more in the not too distant past.

Of the three that I looked at, Jensen would be my top choice.   At least there should be some modern coins there and the possibility of a piece of jewelry.

Jensen Beach Yesterday Afternoon.

In the distance to the north, there were some nicer cuts.  Not too bad for hunting modern items.

Today the cool air moved in.  We've been getting a lot of fronts moving through, but they've been quick, with only one or two days of north/northeast wind, and the surf not being very big.

As I said recently, this is the time of year when we have a good chance of some decent beach conditions.  Nothing real good yet though.

Here are the surf predictions from MagicSeaWeed.com.

As you can see, the wind will be from the northwest and then quickly sift to the south.  That isn't too encouraging.  Yet we are supposed to get up to a five foot surf on Wednesday,

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

10/7/15 Report - Sedwick Auction #18. Heart Shaped Reales. Crucifix With Reales Attached.

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

Treasure, World & U.S. Coin Auction #18 - October 29, 2015. Come be a part of history! Our third LIVE FLOOR auction (Treasure, World and U.S. Coin Auction#18) will take place on October 29, 2015, at the DoubleTree Lake Buena Vista (Walt Disney World) in Orlando, Florida, USA, with simultaneous LIVE INTERNET bidding and educational seminars during lot viewing the day before (October 28) and lot pick-up the day after (October 30). The auction is now open for registration and bidding on iCollector, and printed catalogs will be available starting next week. Now is the time to register to bid, order a catalog, book your room at the DoubleTree and BID! This sale will go down in history as the “Hearts and Royals” auction. Never before have so many Hearts (14) and Royals (46) been offered at the same time. These are very special silver cob coins from Potosí, Bolivia—made in tiny numbers for presentation, not circulation. Many dates are represented by single-known specimens. Sophisticated cob buyers know that an opportunity like this is unique, with enough specimens to satisfy the casual trophy hunters as well. To be able to offer a total of 60 of these treasures is a privilege we will hold dear for years to come!

I previously posted a list of educational session that will be held along with the auction.

There are several heart shaped silver cobs from Potosi listed in this auction.  Many are smaller denominations.  The dates range from 1698 to 1743.

One is a an eight real.  The listed starting price of that one is $70,000.  Some have a starting bid of less than $2000.

I've read a lot of discussion of why these heart shaped cobs were produced.  Some think they have a church related purpose.  Perhaps being for clergy or used as votive offerings.  There is nothing that I have seen that is conclusive.

In his book Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, Sewall Menzel says, "The heart shaped pieces were apparently made to support church related activities and were awarded for scholastic and other achievement on the part of students in monastic orders and schools.  They may also have served the purpose of votives.  He also says his research indicates they were "used as a form of reward."  "There was no romantic significance intended for these special productions, although private parties could have used them for that purpose.  All hearts are pierced for wear as an adornment."  He also says there are a lot of copies and counterfeits known to exist.  He says they were produced from 1664 to 1759 and come primarily from the Potosi mint.

It is worth noting that the eight-reale heart with the starting bid of $70,000 has no hole.

Lot 1242 In The Upcoming Sedwick Auction.

Here is the description for this lot.

Peruvian silver crucifix with half-real coins (one Lima pillar 1765JM and one Potosi bust 1821PJ), hanging from ends, late Spanish colonial (early 1800s), with Sacred Heart symbol at bottom. 66.77 grams, 5-1/4" x 3-3/4". Very rustic but highly adorned with symbolism, made from a single flat piece of solid silver with applied Jesus figure showing native features and oversized extremities, nicely toned all over, the two coins (VG-F) dating the piece, but most important feature (for this auction, at least) is the Sacred Heart symbol at bottom (see article about Potosi Hearts in this auction), within which is a skull (representing Golgotha) above a void in the shape of a more traditional (Valentine-style) heart.

All items are genuine unless noted. Most shipwreck coins and artifacts come with a certificate of authenticity (please check the description for each item). By bidding in this auction you understand and agree to the Terms and Conditions posted here.

One thing I find interesting is the use of coins in this very religious item.

I think that we tend to think of church and state and very distinct and separate.  It wasn't like that then.

Cobs show very clear and obvious signs of both church and state, but the use of coins on a religious item like this takes it another step.

Does that have any bearing on heart shaped reales?  I don't know.

I find it interesting and that the coins attached were produced fifty years apart.  They were obviously not produced for use on this particular crucifix.  It is possible that they were not even the original coins.  Something else could have originally been attached.  You'd have to be able to inspect the chain and rings to see if they could have been changed or replaced.

I've read more than one article about how items were often repaired and used over generations.  I once mentioned how many of the guns used in the Revolutionary War were a hundred years old.  They were repaired or refitted as long as they could be.  It wasn't such as disposal culture.  You couldn't run out to Walmart and buy a new item every year.

I thought the crucifix and the hearts were worth discussing.  There is a lot to be learned.

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Beach Photos Received Tuesday From Jonah M.

Thanks to Captain Jonah for the pictures.

Here are some very nice cuts from the Vero area.  Unfortunately I won't have a chance to check them out right away due to other responsibilities.  I'm therefore not going to attempt to evaluate them right now.   Sorry.  I can't say how much old sand has been eroded as opposed to renourishment sand.  I'm almost tempted to give a Beach Detecting Conditions Rating of 2.  

As you know, a lot of sand in that area is renourishement sand, and that is a big factor.  Also note in the photo the convex looking beach in front of the cut. Those are important things to consider.  

A few cobs and shipwreck items were found on that beach a few weeks ago (July/Aug.) when there was less erosion, so there is definitely the possibility that something could be found now,  I'd bet that there will be a few, but not enough for me to raise my beach conditions rating to a 2.  If I didn't have other responsibilities tomorrow I definitely would check it out and give my rating.

The wind changed last night as predicted.  I'll give a new beach conditions rating as soon as I get a chance to get out and take a look.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/19/15 Report - YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS! New Treasure Finds From The Treasure Coast - Just Released.

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

New Treasure Found On The Treasure Coast This Year
Photo provided by Captain Jonah Martinez of the Capitana.

I think I mentioned in one post recently that the salvage crews on the Treasure Coast were doing better than any year going way back to the eighties. Here is what I was talking about.

I had to hold onto the pictures until they were released. Now I'm able to show them.

Brent Brisben, co-founder of 1715 Fleet Queens Jewels LLC, showed some of the finds on CBS News this morning.  Congratulations Brent!

Here's the link.

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/spanish-gold-coins-worth-millions-found-off-florida-coast/

Can you imagine how excited the divers were when they saw the glitter of gold on the bottom.

I remember when I got the picture of all the musket balls.  I thought, they are close.  I was right.

You'll undoubtedly see more on the news in the coming days.

Another Picture Of The New Treasure Coast Finds.
Picture provided by Captain Jonah Martinez.

You can see all denominations in there.  And look at the big 8-escudos and Royals.

These are just the first of the pictures that I will post.  There will be more.  I'll have some bigger closeups and other nice views and details.

Captain Jonah picked the hot spot.  Way to go Captain!

Thanks to Captain Martinez for sharing the pictures, and congratulations to the crew and all who were lucky enough to play a part in this great find!

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Tropical Storm Dan.

We now have a tropical storm.  It looks like it will become a hurricane.  It is headed towards the Carribbean.  It is too soon to tell if it will come our way.

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The most expensive single-car collection ever sold during one auction fetched more than $67 million, showing continued strength in the collectible car market.

Twenty-five cars, all owned by an anonymous Florida collector, were sold Thursday night by RM Sotheby's in a standing-room-only sale as part of the Concours d'Elegance auctions and shows in Pebble Beach, California. The sale total beat the previous record for a collection from a single owner of $65 million...

Here is the link.

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/14/most-expensive-car-collection-sells-for-67-million.html?cid=moneymod_sf_PebbleBeachCars

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From SedwickCoins:

 World and U.S. Coin Auction #18, which will be our THIRD LIVE PUBLIC FLOOR sale, to be held as usual at the DoubleTree by Hilton at Lake Buena Vista in Orlando, Florida. The auction will take place on October 29, 2015, with lot viewing, educational talks and dinner on October 28 and lot pick-up and numismatic forum breakfast on October 30. SAVE THE DATES!

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Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/16/15 Report - Royals: Why Were They Made. Gold Figurines Found. Fisher Boats Waiting For Improved Weather.

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

One of a Few Gold Figurines Found In Burial Mound.

See source link below.

Maybe you haven't found one but you know what it is.  I'm talking about Royals - the most exceptionally well made cobs.  They are near perfect in design and manufacture - round, complete detail, and well struck.

But really what are they?  Why were they made?  It seems no one can answer that question in great detail.

You will often read or hear it said that Royals were made as special presentation pieces for the king.  And that could be true, but it seems we don't know that for sure,   Daniel Frank Sedwick says they became known as Royals when one fellow who had one for sale said they were made for kings, not the public.  In other words the origin of the term could have been the result of sales hype (See source link below.).

Sedwick suggests that it is unlikely they were made for royalty because first, there were too many made, and second, and more convincing (too me), most of them never left the New World.  Still the name stuck, and as Sedwick admits, there could be some royal connection.

There are a variety of possibilities.  Perhaps they were made for high ranking or influential individuals.

Maybe they were proofs.

Maybe they were made as examples to instruct apprentices or demonstrate skill or mastery.

A great majority are holed and some have gilded surfaces.  Were they a type of jewelry?

Maybe there was some type of church connection, such as was the case with the "Heart" cobs.

When wealthy individuals were required to convert ingots to coins, did those wealthy individuals want something finer than the average cob for their commission/

One thing we know is that Royals are beautiful examples and still highly desired.  And there might be one out there waiting for you.

Here is the link to Daniel Frank Sedwick's more complete discussion of the subject of Royals.

http://www.sedwickcoins.com/articles/royals.pdf

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 Here is the link to the article about the gold figurines, including the one shown above.

http://en.tengrinews.kz/science/Ancient-golden-artefacts-found-in-Almaty-258428/


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The Fisher organization didn't get the weather they were expecting and the boats are in port watching for the weather to improve.

As soon as they get a chance, one salvage vessel will be working on the Margarita "Main Pile."  The Main Pile hasn't been thoroughly detected.

The Dare, on the other hand, will be checking a few large magnetometer hits.

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On the Treasure Coast we have only about a three foot surf.    The wind is from he North.  Tomorrow the surf will be a touch higher.

There is at least one Treasure Coast beach that has a lot of shells now.

I'm confident we'll get improved beach detecting conditions sometime before long.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net