7/26/19 Report - Two Good Coin Web Sites for Browsing. Replica Coins Including 1715 Fleet Coins. New Hampshire Arcaheological Site.

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

1714 8-Escudo Replica Coin For Sale Online.

Source: coinreplicas.com.

I was just browsing coinquest.com.  I found it both informative and entertaining.  Lots of coins are listed and described, including early American colonies, Spanish colonial, medieval coins, error and variety coins, counterfeits, reproductions and many world coins that were completely new to me.  They give descriptions, details and values. I could have spent a lot of time there and probably will in the future.  

One of the things I found on CoinQuest is reference to CoinReplicas.com, which is another web site that I found useful.

CoinReplicas.com lists for sale a large variety of replica coins, including the above 8-escudo listed as a 1715 Fleet coin.  It was described as 24K gold layered lead-free pewter, with a price of $20.

They listed quite a variety of coins, including a number of colonial American coins and world coins in addition to Spanish Colonial coins.

You might enjoy taking a look at both of those sites.

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DOVER, N.H. (AP) — Where an untrained eye sees different soil colors and doesn't think anything of it, a trained archaeologist sees history.

This past week, a team of archaeologists working under the direction of University of New Hampshire professor Meghan Howey, found those soil differences as they work on unpacking the history of the Second Meetinghouse built in Dover Point in 1654...

During a week-long investigation last year at the 1654 site, the team uncovered a row of bricks buried under the soil towards the road side of the property. Howey didn't believe they were from the 1600s but rather the 1800s, and she speculated the bricks could have been added on top of the 1654 meeting house foundation. There was some published history suggesting that a schoolhouse had existed on the property, though other accounts disputed that notion.

After researching historical accounts over the past year, Fiske developed a new theory she plans to investigate further: The bricks could be remains of what may have been a replica of the meetinghouse built in the late 1800s...

Here is the link for more about that.

https://www.argus-press.com/news/state_news/article_7558f0e5-9311-583d-9f3f-9dbb19fa9b55.html

There are two things in that one I'd like to emphasize.  First is the soil color differences that were a clue.  Second is the intermingled bricks, possibly from a later period, that complicated interpretation of the site.

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They started out as normal urban rehabilitation works but quickly unearthed intriguing finds which had been hidden under the historical town of Silves for centuries, namely a “structure that had been dug in the rocks” where the body of a human child had been ‘dumped’ along with several animals...

And here is that link.

https://www.portugalresident.com/2019/07/24/archaeologists-unearth-new-piece-of-history-in-silves/


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Joe D. wrote and thanked me for the information I posted yesterday on hallmarks, silver marks, and maker's marks.  He says he shops for glass, china, pottery, silver, silver plate, artwork, etc. at Goodwill and does quite well.

Glad you found it useful Joe.

I used to spend a good bit of time in thrift stores.  I collected primarily books, but also a few advertising items.  In fact I once published a database of collectible books and prices.  Of course that is now all out of date.  But one thing I found was a lot of good old history books with metal detecting leads.  I also found some expensive numismatic books and old books dating back to the 1700s - and all for a dollar.

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There are no weather systems to watch right now.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

3/10/19 Report - What A Treasure Hunter's Dream Might Look Like. Coin Sites To Visit. Increase In Surf Expected Mid-Week.

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

Gold Crown - Part of the Sroda Slaska Hoard

Source: See the slavorum.org link below.

What would your dream treasure look like!  For me the Sroda Slaska Hoard is what I would imagine. The crown shown above is just one part of that hoard, which also includes the following items.

– a gold woman's crown, which probably belonged to Blanche of Valois, one of the wives of the emperor Charles IV
– two gold pendants, dating to the 12th century
– two gold pendants, dating to the 13th century
– a medieval gold clasp decorated with precious stones

– a ring with heads of dragons

– a ring with sapphire

– a ring with moon and star

– 39 gold coins
– 2924 or 3924 (sources vary) silver coins.


Here is how it was found.

... Gold and silver coins were discovered during demolition of an old building in the town of Środa on 8 June 1985. The authorities secured the original find (a vase filled with approximately 3,000 Prague groschen), however, no serious archaeological study was carried out at that time. Three years later, on 24 May 1988, during another demolition in the vicinity of the first discovery, another, even bigger find was reported (including silver and gold florin coins). Most of this new find disappeared before the site was secured by the authorities. In the following days, as enterprising individuals scoured the municipal landfill where rubble from other recently demolished buildings was deposited, reports of more discoveries started appearing; those include the first reports of j.ewelry...

Here is that link.   https://www.slavorum.org/forum/topic/treasure-of-sroda-slaska/

And here is another link about the Sroda Slaska Hoard.

https://mnwr.pl/en/the-sroda-slaska-treasure/

Here is one account of how it might have been lost.

It is now agreed that the treasure belonged to the King (later Emperor) Charles IV of the House of Luxembourg. Around 1348, needing funds to support his claim to the King of the Romans, Charles pawned various items to the Jewish banker Muscho (Moshe, Mojżesz) in Środa. Soon afterwards, the black plague visited Środa. Muscho was not heard of again and it is believed that he either fled from the plague-struck town, died of plague, or perhaps fell victim to pogroms as Jews were blamed for spreading the plague. What is certain is that no one ever reclaimed the treasure, which was left hidden somewhere in the town for hundreds of years...

That comes from http://realmsofgoldthenovel.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-sroda-treasure.html

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I just found a site that lists 75 coin blogs and websites for coin collectors and numismatists.

The first few includes

Coin Week
Coin News
Numismatic News
Coin Update
Perth Mint blog]
Pocket Change
Coins: A Complete Value Guide
Mintage World
The Coin Show, and
Change Checker.

Here is where you can find those and the others.

https://blog.feedspot.com/coin_blogs/

Some require subscribing, but others don't.

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On the Treasure Coast you can expect an increase in the surf around Wednesday.  The tides will remain moderate.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/15/19 Report - WW I Wreck Exposed. Genuine $3 Million Coin. FUN Convention and Counterfeits. Great Research Sites.

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

Remains of WW I Sub Exposed.

Source: See BBC link below.

Shifting sand off Wissant, near Calais, is exposing the remains of the UC-61 which was stranded there in July 1917...

It is now becoming a tourist attraction again, although the local mayor warns it may only be a fleeting visit...

"The wreck is visible briefly every two to three years, depending on the tides and the wind that leads to sand movements, but a good gust of wind and the wreck will disappear again," said Mayor of Wissant Bernard Bracq...

Here is the link for more about that.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46846988

Thanks to Douglas for that link.

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Here is an excerpt from an article that talks a bit about the recently concluded FUN convention in Orlando, counterfeits and the recent history of numismatics.

Nowadays, the Internet has reorganized how we collect...

I held fake clad quarters in my hand at the FUN show thanks to Beth Deisher and the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force of the Professional Numismatists Guild.

They have the correct electronic signature to fool vending machines.

Most collectors would have no trouble seeing that they are fake.

These coins are not intended to be offered as collectibles.

Collectors might not even look at a clad quarter in their hand if they don’t think the Chinese would bother to fake our circulating coins.

They need to think again. We all do...

Here is that link.

https://www.numismaticnews.net/buzz/fun-gives-great-start-to-2019-coin-business

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… An 1885 Proof Trade Dollar certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) realized an astonishing $3,960,000 at auction, one of the highest prices ever paid for a coin. This coin led a group of NGC-certified rarities that achieved extraordinary results in the Heritage Auctions Platinum Night sale, held January 10, 2019, at the FUN Show in Orlando, Florida...

The price realized by the Eliasberg specimen is the second-highest at auction for an NGC-certified coin, surpassed only by a 1787 Brasher Doubloon. Graded NGC MS 63, that coin was sold by Heritage Auctions for $4,582,500 in January 2014....

And the link.

https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/7099/heritage-fun-realized-january-2019/

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Today I want to bring attention to some of the great reference links in my Treasure Site Reference Link List.  There are some really good links there that I'm sure you will find useful.  I find my self usng to them often.

On top of the list you will find the 18th Century Material Culture Resource Center link.  Great site.
http://materialculture18t.wixsite.com/18thcmcrc

After that you will find a very extensive database of Spanish coinage.  It is one of the most extensive and useful reference sites that I've seen.
http://www.fuenterrebollo.com/faqs-numismatica/menu2.html

Then there is the token database. Again very useful and extensive.
http://tokencatalog.com/

And the Society for Historical Archaeology antique bottle web site.
https://sha.org/bottle/makersmarks.htm

Also the Spanish Colonial Military Artifacts site.
http://www.artifacts.org/default.htm

These and some of the others in the list are some of the best artifact reference sites.   Take a look.  They are there on the first page of my blog for your easy access.

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We really haven't had much good beach hunting weather this Fall or Winter yet.  There have been a lot of fronts come through, but only lasting one day or so, and producing not much more than one foot cuts.

We are going to have some higher surf for a couple of days, but only three to five feet.

Here are the MagicSeaWeed surf predictions.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

2/6/17 Report - 1715 Fleet Cannons As Found. Ghost Ship. Three Great References.

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

Lobster Hiding Under Cannon
Source:  See YouTube link below.

Jason T. sent me an email with the following message.

... While diving for lobster found 3 cannons side by side. Then later on a night dive found one more in the same area. A known 1715 fleet location. If you did not know what you were looking at , could be overlooked very easily. Now camouflaged with the reef and vegetation (seaweed) growing on it. Blends in perfectly!

Reminds me of the cannon that had coins inside!

Never know what you could find with a place (Treasure coast ) with so much history!
...

Here is the link.

https://youtu.be/0NzFn4VUVo0

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Here is an interesting book that you can preview online.  It includes a chapter on metal detectors and one on conserving iron objects.

The book is The Spike Tomahawk: A popular tool and weapon in Colonial North America
by Jack Vargo.

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A ghost ship was found off Hatteras 96 years ago.  The mystery hasn't been solved.

Here is the link to that story.

http://pilotonline.com/news/local/history/ghost-ship-found-off-hatteras-years-ago-today-remains-an/article_7921af1b-1d96-5bb9-b3ec-bbab9f2fc670.html

Thanks to Dean R.

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Here is an excellent web site where you can see browse tons of good Civil War era artifacts.

http://www.americancivilwarrelics.com/index.html

And here is a web site describing an archaeological dig in Fredericksburg.

http://www.fredericksburg.com/news/local/fredericksburg/riverfront-park-dig-uncovers-burnside-carbine-cartridges/article_94a6a290-6e85-5f12-b068-ba9ff8271b26.html

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We had a little bump in the surf on Super Bowl Sunday, but it won't get much higher than about three feet.  Next week it will slacken off a little.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

6/19/16 Report - Cyclone Forming in the Gulf. Higher Surf. Milagros and Spanish Colonial Artifact Web Sites

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

Disturbance With 70 Percent Chance of Becoming Cyclone in Next 48 Hours.
Ssource: nhc.noaa.gov

Right now we have a disturbance in the Gulf that will likely form into a hurricane in the next 48 hours.

One organization predicts an 80 percent chance that 2016 will be the most active hurricane season since 2012.

Two others predict an average to slightly above average hurricane season, 30 or 40 percent above the 2006-2015 norm.

Here is the link.

https://www.inverse.com/article/17113-the-2016-hurricane-season-could-be-most-damaging-since-sandy-in-2012

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I've talked about milagros before.  Those are items, mostly silver, shaped like body parts, animals or a few other things. 

In the classical sense, milagros (also known as ex-votos or dijes) are offered to a favorite saint as a reminder of the petitioner's particular need, or they are offered to the saint in thanks for a prayer answered.

Apart from the contemporary use of milagros as decorative elements, milagros as symbols have new uses and meanings in New Mexico these days. If a friend is about to have an eye operation, the gift of a eyemilagro helps to say, "I wish you well." A pair of lungs can say, "I hope your cold gets better." An arm and a leg given to a couple trying to buy a house can wish them good luck obtaining financing. An ear milagro can suggest that someone be a better listener. An axe milagro might suggest that a relationship should end.

Milagros then, are not solely religious items, nor are they only for collecting. They are part of the magical and symbolic past common to all cultures which continues to influence our lives today. Whether used traditionally or in modern ways, milagros are an ongoing part of a fascinating folk culture in New Mexico and elsewhere.

Here is a good site about milagros.

http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa052.shtml

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I want to point out a great web site that should serve as an example for collectors and museums.  It was created by John Powell of St. Augustine.

The site iteself says, This site is dedicated to the exhibition and interpretation of Spanish colonial military artifacts from that vast region of southeastern North America which once comprised the Spanish Floridas and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Spanish Guale, Luisiana, and Tejas. While other materials are included in the illustrative displays, the interpretive emphasis of this site has been placed upon military clothing and, as they evolved, uniform-related artifacts: the buttons, strap and accoutrement buckles, and insignia worn by Spain's regular, provincial, and urban militia forces in the study region.  The period of interpretation is from ca. 1539—when Hernando de Soto began his epic journey of exploration in what is now the southeastern region of the United States—to the conclusion of Spain's colonial tenure in North America in 1821.

Here is the link.

http://www.artifacts.org/

A day or so ago I mentioned the Oxford Celtic Coin Index, which was put online by an coin collector.  That was excellent example created by a coin collector.

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The wind has increased and the surf is increasing today.  The peak for Sunday will be 4 to 6 feet.  Tomorrow we are supposed to have a higher surf.

I'll go out and check around a little.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

11/18/15 Report - Old Bullet Or Not - That Is The Question. Predicted Big Treasure Coast Surf Disappears.

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

Picture submitted by Ken B.

Yesterday I posted pictures of what I thought might be an old bullet and asked for help with an ID.  I sent some information and pictures to Ken B., who sent me the following message in response.

I have forwarded the info to my friend Vernon, who said he'll give it look and get back to me.
After looking at some reference books I have here at the office , I proposed that it might be a "paper cartridge" conical round from around the Seminole War time frame, but with my limited expertise, that would qualify as a 'WAG" - a wild-assed guess!

  
The base and overall look makes this projectile look like a conical "Minnie Ball" type item, but I have never seen a Minnie ball with the crimping marks your bullet has.  Also, the crimping does not look evenly distributed like in modern ammunition, which led me to think of the old hand loaded paper cartridge transitional firearms between old style muzzleloaders and the full on brass cartridge....  I know some Spenser Rifles used paper cartridges.  I have attached a picture of one below...

Vernon, by the way, is a forensics expert.

Thanks much Ken.  I like your "WAG" terminology.  Your WAG is way more informed than mine, but I noticed the hash marked rim and wondered if that might mean it was from a paper cartridge.

Your comments helped.  I already learned a few things.  I'm eager to see what your friend has to say.  It is always good to network with bright people.  Thanks for your help Ken!

Here are some pictures I found after reading what Ken said. You can see different kinds of bullets in these paper cartridges.

Interesting! That old grungy bullet, whatever it turns out to be, has already led me to some new and interesting information.

It is important to be able to identify various things in the field.  They can be important signals.  If you can identify the approximate age or identity of items you dig up, that can be very helpful.

I remember various times when I didn't recognize the importance of things that I dug up and wish I would have known better.

You can use the following link to look at more pictures of old bullets and related items.

See pictures of more bullets and cartridges.

I'll try to keep you informed as I learn more about the bullet.

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Unfortunately I was right yesterday.  The predicted ten foot Treasure Coast surf has disappeared from the predictions already.  First they dropped it down from 10 to 7 feet, then they dropped it down some more.  Now it is only about six feet, which is not much different than what we already have.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

10/23/14 Report - Things That Will Help You Grade Dug Coins. Florida Dug Walking Liberty Halves. Dutch Shipwreck Huis de Kreuningen Found.

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

Dug 1943 Half Dollar.

It can be difficult for a detectorist to determine the actual value of a dug coin.  A lot depends upon the grade or condition of the coin.  With the internet it is becoming easier for an amateur to get a good idea of a coins grade.

Today, just as an example, I decided to look at some dug Walking Liberty half dollars.  Fortunately there are some good sites that provide very helpful pictures of coins of different grades. 

Here is a good site for grading Walking Liberty halves.

http://coinauctionshelp.com/How_To_Grade_Walking_Liberty_Halves.html#.VEcIRel0zak

Photograde Online is an excellent aid too.

http://www.pcgs.com/Photograde/#/Walker/Grades

That site provide a image library of reference coins of each grade from the PCGS library.



1943 Half As Dug From A Beach.

You probably know that you should not clean coins because if they are valuable you can quickly destroy a lot of the value.  However, if you detect beaches, coins can be entirely unreadable without some cleaning.  They can also be in such poor condition that there is little danger of reducing the value by cleaning them.   My advice is to consult an expert when in doubt.  You can visit coin dealers or conventions and talk to experts there.




Similar But Different 1943 Beach Dug Half That Has Been Partly Cleaned

You might recognize the common reddish patina that is often found when a layer of green crust has been partially removed.

Of course a good magnifying glass is handy.

I made these pictures with a low power Celestron digital microscope, which is handy for inspecting coins as well as making photos.  I find it much easier than squinting through a magnifying glass or loop or something.

Here is a much cleaner dug coin.

You can see the roughness of the coins corroded surface.

You can also see the some of the details that help in grading the coin.

I am no expert at this, but I focus on details that might be removed or faded as the result of wear.  For example, the vertical lines in the draped material, or the shoes.

Dug 1945 Half Dollar

Here is dug 1945 half dollar for comparison.

While it looks more worn and flattened from circulation, it doesn't show the same effects of salt water corrosion.

A smooth worn surface on a silver coin is attractive to me but hurts the value.

Other Side Of A Dug  Half Dollar.

Notice the designers initials (A over W) just to the right of the R in dollar.  That is something you might not easily notice without magnification.

Of course good lighting is important.

Lighting can really affect your photos too.

Another View.

Here you might focus on the stars in the furled flag, or the creases, or the facial features.

This Walking Liberty Half is thought by many to be among the most attractive coin designs.

I think if you use one of the sites I pointed out above, you'll be able to come up with a good estimate of the grade of your dug coins.




If you use either or both of the web sites I referenced above you'll be able to get a good idea of the condition of your dug coins.

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The Dutch ship Huis de Kreuningen was sunk in Scarborough Harbour in Trinidad and Taboago on March 3, 1677 along with 15 other vessels.  The Huis de Kreuningen, has been found.

A project conducted by the University of Connecticut ... found a wealth of other material, including nine canons; Delft and Bellarmine pottery jars that date to the third quarter of the 17th century; lead shot that was never fired; dozens of Dutch smoking pipes; and bricks that perfectly match the specifications of bricks made in the Dutch city of Leiden in 1647.

Here is the link for more of that article.

http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2014/10/uconn-archaeologist-discovers-17th-century-shipwreck/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+uconn-today+%28UConn+Today%29


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The surfing web site says we should have about a two-foot surf on the Treasure Coast today.  That isn't much, and from the look of the wind, I'd guess it would be a bit higher.

I was surprised this morning to find that Tropical Depression Nine disappeared, as did another disturbance the developed real close to it near the Yucatan.

There will be a partial solar eclipse around 6 PM today.

Happy Hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net