7/8/20 Report - Mel Fisher Expeditions and Finds. Quintessential Treasures. Digital Treasure.

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

Quintessential Treasures That Fortunately Were Never Lost.
See link below.

Not lost but still representing the kind of objects that any treasure hunter might dream of finding.  I'm sure that out there somewhere are lost objects that are as finely crafter and beautiful as these.

Click here to see more Sotheby's auction items like these.

---

Down south, Mel Fisher's Expeditions are working on the the well-known Atocha and Margarita sites, but also the less well known "Lost Merchant" somewhere off the east coast of Florida, and another 1622 wreck that has yet to be found.

The Magruder went sifting for emeralds and then back to the area known as the Bank of Spain.  Their latest finds included a nice emerald, 1 complete silver candlestick, a piece of a silver plate rim, some pottery shards and half of a silver coin.

The Mel Fisher museum in Sebastian will be reopening on May 8.

---

The nature of treasure is changing.  I guess it always did.  Wealth is becoming less tangible.  Most transactions no longer require coins or currency.  It is done digitally.  Digital currencies include cryptocurrencies, virtual currencies, central bank digital currencies and e-Cash.  You've probably heard of bit coin for example.

And you know about the scammers that do their own form of illegal digital treasure hunting by mining the digital information that resides on our computers.

FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday warned Americans that the Chinese government’s theft of American information is taking place on so large a scale, suspected incidents make up nearly half of his bureau’s counterintelligence cases.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Hudson Institute in Washington, Wray said that Chinese thefts amount to “one of the largest transfers of wealth in human history,” and that the American people are the victims...

See https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-director-wray-says-half-of-bureaus-5000-counterintelligence-cases-are-related-to-china

Yesterday I mentioned some of the products of our culture. If you thought China might be a place you could escape from our culture, the Chinese have been going to great lengths to become wealthy by stealing our Culture.  Can you believe they even have a Shanghai Disneyland Park?

Now that Crossfire Hurricane is over maybe the intelligence agencies can spend there time on more useful things.

---

One great book that I think you'll enjoy is Bill Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life.  It goes into the invention or evolution of the things around us and how we live today.   It is really an very exceptional book on the history of most everything we encounter in our homes and lifestyles.

---

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

There is a 60% chance that the system up by North Carolina will develop into a cyclone in the next 48 hours.  It is expected to continue to the northeast though. 

Most days now there is something developing somewhere.  I think we are supposed to get 20 some names storms this year.  It was upgraded some the last time I saw the forecast.

Looks like the page view counter will hit 2.5 million later today.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

5/13/20 Report - Archaeology of Manila Ports. Passing of Eugene Lyon. Fort Pierce Reef. USS Nevada.

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

Rocks Being Moved For Construction of Reef.

Source: WFLX.com (link below)

St. Lucie County has begun construction on a reef inside the Fort Pierce Inlet just off Raccoon Island.  The reef will create a deeper than normal area inside the lagoon that will be assist development of juvenile fish and serve as a sand trap for beach grade sand.

Here is the link for more about that.  (Thanks to DJ.)

https://www.wflx.com/2020/05/12/st-lucie-co-creating-artificial-reef-inside-fort-pierce-inlet/

---

Deepwater searchers have located the wreck of the famed USS Nevada off the coast of Hawaii.

A team consisting of U.S.-based archaeology firm SEARCH, Inc. and robotics company Ocean Infinity announced the discovery on Monday.

USS Nevada was located 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor at a depth of over 15,400 feet...

Here is that link.  (Thanks to Douglas.)

https://gcaptain.com/searchers-locate-wreck-of-unsinkable-uss-nevada/

---

Dr. Eugene Lyon, an international expert on Spanish Colonial Florida and the Spanish maritime system, died on May 3, 2020 in Vero Beach, Florida.,.

Most of us probably know him for his work in the Spanish archives to identify the Atocha and Margarita. 

Dr. Lyon received the grade of Orden de Isabel la Católica (Official of the Order of Isabella) from King Juan Carlos of Spain, and the grade of Comendador in the Order of Christopher Columbus from the President of the Dominican Republic. The City of St. Augustine granted him its highest honor - the Order of La Florida. In 2003, the Florida Historical Society gave him the Jillian Prescott Award for lifetime service to Florida history. In 2005, he received the Mel Fisher Lifetime Achievement Award...

Here is the link for more. (Thanks to DJ.)

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/staugustine/obituary.aspx?pid=196167090

Condolences to all friends and family.

---

If you ever found a blue and white fine porcelain shard on a Treasure Coast beach and wondered if it is Kanghsi or if you just want to know more about the Manila galleons and Spanish trade with China, you'll want to read Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaports and Early Maritime Globalization. 

Source: Academia.edu link below.

You'll find photos of many types of artifacts, including Spanish colonial coins, cannons and, of course, an extensive collection of porcelain as well as shipwreck distribution patterns.

Source: Academia.edu link below.

Here is that link.

https://www.academia.edu/41712660/The_Chinese_Porcelain_from_the_Port_of_San_Blas_Mexico?email_work_card=title

---


Today we'll start with a 2 -4 foot surf increasing a foot or so by the end of the day.  The surf on Thursday and Friday is now expected to be around five or six feet.

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

4/24/20 Report - $70,000 Atocha Finger Bar. Glass Ring. Revolutionary War Shipwreck. Sun Kills Virus.

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

Gold Finger Bar.

Source: Current Sedwick Auction (See link below)

The finger bar shown above is one of the lots in the current Sedwick auction.  Below is the lot description. The finger bar has an auction estimate of $35,000 to $70,000.

Long, cut gold "finger" bar #63, 669 grams, marked with fineness XX and three dots (20.75K), tax stamps and foundry/assayer SARGOSA / PECARTA, ex-Atocha (1622), ex-Christie's. 8-1/4" long, 1" wide and 1/4" thick. Veritably tattooed with markings on one side, including a full SARGOSA / PECARTA near the cut end, three bold incuse XX fineness marks, each next to an incuse three-dot mark (missed by the Christie's catalogers) to make it 20.75K, plus at least ten partial tax stamps of Philip III, also with cylindrical assayer's "bite" in lightly shaved part at rounded end, curious light scratch along the length of the marked side, traces of encrustation in crevices, stippled Fisher number on unmarked side, great provenance and impressive in length and markings. From the Atocha (1622), with photo-certificate #85A-1202A (TSI #GB063), and pedigreed to the Christie's (New York) auction of June 1988 (lot #95).

And here is another lot - a glass ring.

Spanish Colonial Glass Ring.
Source: Current Sedwick Treasure Auction.

Deagan's Artifacts of the Spanish Colonies of Florida and the Caribbean, 1500 - 1800, shows that over 11,000 glass rings being shipped to the New World from1590 to 1692.  

Detectorists haven't found any that I know of, which is not surprising, but archaeologists have.  They might not survive in shipwreck environments.

The one shown above is listed in the current Sedwick auction.  Here is the lot description.

Intact black-glass ring (size 1-3/4) with Maltese cross design, Spanish colonial (1500s-1600s), rare. 1.41 grams. Very thick black glass, rather light but not too delicate and small for modern fingers. Found in a Spanish colonial area of the southern Caribbean.

And here is the link to the online catalog.

https://auction.sedwickcoins.com/auctionlist.aspx

---

A woman found a Revolutionary War shipwreck in a New Jersey creek.


… "I decided to look at New Jersey shipwrecks for my graduate thesis, so I went to our state historic preservation office, looked through some files and found this one," said Urmey, who is also a social worker at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst when she's not in school.

"I thought of this as a challenge, because the documentation said there's only 10% or 15% of the vessel left. I thought, 'Sounds like something I'll just dive into.' "

There has been knowledge of Revolutionary War-era vessels at the bottom of Crosswicks Creek and elsewhere in the Delaware River for a long time, but even during low tide they are rarely visible, and not much of the ships remain...

Here is the link for more about that.   Thanks to Douglas.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/04/23/manasquan-woman-finds-remains-of-revolutionary-war-shipwreck/3010465001/ If you use an adblocker you might prefer this link. https://www.stripes.com/news/us/navy-veteran-finds-remains-of-1700s-shipwreck-in-new-jersey-1.626750

---

Recently I mentioned my concern about the challenge of having a population stressed by the recent COVID pandemic while the hurricane season rapidly approaches and other risks could be on the horizon.  I received an email from one person who contributes often to this blog.  That person was a County Emergency Manager.  (I've said before that you might be surprised to learn who metal detects and reads this blog.  They are intelligent accomplished people.)  Below is what he said in response.


This is a real concern and one I was very familiar with as my tenure as county Emergency Manager. My team worked very hard in trying to get the public to prepare for every hurricane season without much success. Some resistance was due to apathy and the “it won’t happen” mindset. A lot of it was due to “emergency fatigue”; where repeated warnings that do not result in an emergency just wears people out. People may just start to ignore the messages simply because they are tired of hearing about them.

And this is during a ‘normal' (non-pandemic) hurricane season.

As far as economics, each year we published a 12-week plan to assemble emergency supplies - supplies that would be consumed anyway in a year. We suggested using the BOGO sales and cleaning one gallon milk containers for use during an approaching storm event. Doing this meant one could prepare with zero or little cost.

One thing many may have learned the hard way due to COVID is it is foolish to trust a just-in-time or 3-day inventory system for critical food and other supplies. I hope this prompts more people to plan ahead.

So you are very correct in thinking this may be a challenge with simultaneous COVID and hurricane preparation. 

While hurricane season is still over a month away, a strong hurricane hit the Florida panhandle in May of 1863.

---

Bill Bryan, Under Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, reported some important findings.  They found that sunlight, heat and humidity dramatically reduces the half-life of the Coronavirus.  I love it when they get past the generalizations and starting talking real science with real numbers. 

Weeks ago when I started using a facemask, whenever I was alone in the car I always left my facemasks on the dashboard of my car with the theory that the heat and sunlight would help.  Seemed like a good idea.

---

On the Lighter Side.

Eight out of ten dogs surveyed liked the company they've had since the stay-at-home order went into effect.  Ten percent were not in favor because it cramped their style.  And ten percent were concerned that their servants not going to work might affect their regular supply of food and treats.

Facial beauty is no longer seen as an asset by women who wear facemasks.  Lipstick sales have dropped dramatically.

Online dating is now much preferred because that is the only way you can see the face of your hook-ups.  

Safe sex now means wearing a mask.

---

One thing you can do while waiting to get out to get some sun is browse the auction listings.

Happy hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net

11/4/19 Report - Some Moving Sand. Gold Nuggets and Silver Bars. Ais Indians Along Treasure Coast.

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

Frederick Douglass Beach Sunday Evening.

I took a look at the beaches Sunday evening and found some cuts at John Brooks and Frederick Douglass beaches.  Those cuts weren't there Friday.  The cuts were not as strong as those I found on Oct. 26.

It was a little after high tide on Sunday evening when I took these photos.

Frederick Douglass Beach Sunday Evening.

In front of the cuts the beach was typically still mushy.

John Brooks Beach Sunday Eventing.

At least some sand was being removed at these beaches, although I don't expect it to continue much.

John Brooks Beach Sunday Evening.

---

Yesterday I showed a couple especially nice lots that recently sold in the current Sedwick auction.  They were cobs from the 1715 Fleet.  Today I'll mention a couple more lots that I found particularly interesting.

Gold Nuggests From Rio Mar that Recently Sold at Auction.

Source: Secwick Coins Treasure Auction No. 26 Online Catalog.

One is the small group of gold nuggets shown above that were found at Rio Mar.  That lot sold for $1300 plus buyers premium.   Below is the lot description.

Lot of seven small gold nuggets, 1.12 grams total, ex-1715 Fleet. Each up to 1/4". Very few natural gold nuggets were found on the 1715 Fleet, so it seems odd that the Fisher marketers did not separate this lot into seven individual artifacts, but fortunately these pieces have retained their original plastic artifact tag and certificate. A few of the nuggets (mostly flat) are tiny, but some are substantial, and most likely they were being carried as "tax free" wealth by a passenger. From the 1715 Fleet ("Rio Mar" site), with original Cobb Coin Co. (Mel Fisher) plastic tag and photo-certificate #CC86-025.

It wasn't too many years ago that I found three nuggets at John Brooks beach.  

At one point salvagers attempted to dredge fine gold flakes at Rio Mar, but weren't very successful and gave up on it.

---

Lot 208 was sold for $48,500 plus the buyers premium.  Lot 208 is the Atocha silver bar of over 92 pounds shown below.

Here is the lot description.

Large silver Atocha bar #779 from Potosi, 92 lb 3.84 oz troy, Class Factor 1.0, with markings of mine / date Po1621, manifest IIIIULI (4051), and fineness IIUCCCLXXX (2380/2400) followed by cartouche of assayer Mexia, shipper / owner's marks (Arriola) and tax stamps, from the Atocha (1622), with original stock certificates. 13-1/2" x 5" x 3-1/2". A rather large example with choice full markings, especially the manifest number and the silvermaster's "V" in one corner, plus full date 1621 and nearly full tax stamp in addition to the fineness and assayer, with typical double-scoop assayer's "bite" in center, but perhaps best of all is the elegant diamond-topped AR monogram with what looks like a magic wand (all of which apparently refers to shipper / owner Arriola) near the left side, quite a showpiece for the advanced Atocha-bar collector. From the Atocha (1622), with original Fisher photo-certificate #85A-S779 and investor folder containing three Treasure Salvors, Inc. stock certificates from 1986 (525, 1500 and 1517 shares).

Heavy silver bars from wrecks like the Atocha typically bring high prices at auction.

---

Here is some good reading: The Location of the Paramount Town of the Ais Indians, as presented in the The Florida Anthropoligist, Sept. - Dec. 2010 issue.

If you like Florida history, I think you will enjoy this well-researched article of over thirty pages packed with maps and references.

Here is the link.  https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00027829/00210/7x

Thanks to DJ for that link.

---

It is still breezy today, but the tides are smaller and the surf is getting smaller too.  I don't know what might have happened to the beaches overnight, but yesterday there was some positive movement.

It looks like next week we have a chance for some higher surf again.

Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/4/19 Report - Gold Shipwreck and Beach Nuggets. Two Kilogram Nugget Found. Killed by Falling Beach Dunes.

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

Three people were killed when a dune collapsed,

I've seen similar dangerous conditions on the Treasure Coast.  There was one beach a few years ago that was very dangerous. Be careful when working next to a high cliff.  Heavy slabs can fall off without warning.  

Here is the link for more about the incident.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/encinitas-bluff-collapse-victims-killed-identified-as-women-from-same-family/ar-AAFieoT?ocid=spartandhp

---

On 7/31 I posted some of the most recent 1715 Fleet finds.  Included was a group of gold nuggets from Rio Mar.  

I found at few gold nuggets at John Brooks.  The largest, and the one that I posted before, is shown below.  It was found near three other smaller ones.  I didn't find any other old items that day.

Photo by TreasureGuide

As you can see, this one is sharp, and maybe you can not see it as well, but it has a good bit of quartz on it.  I should get a better photo of it sometime.  Being so sharp and angular, it doesn't look like placer gold.

The nuggets from Rio Mar that I showed in 7/31 are similarly angular, but I don't see any evidence of quartz.

Photo submitted by JaminJackUSA.

A search of the Mel Fisher artifact database, shows a lot of nuggets, but all of those in the database came from the Margarita and Atocha sites.  I did not find any in the database from the Treasure Coast.

I'd like to see photos of other gold nuggets from Treasure Coast shipwrecks or shipwreck beaches.

Rio Mar has long been known as the primary site on the Treasure Coast for nuggets and fine gold - some of it too fine to be easily collected.

I've also posted some possible nuggets that could be dental gold or other miscellaneous melted bits that are difficult to identify as being wreck related, such as the one shown below that was found by Duane C. 

On the subject of gold nuggets, here is a good story.

A Victorian retiree has struck gold, unearthing a 2-kilogram nugget worth about $130,000 on the outskirts of the gold rush town Ballarat.

The amateur prospector was searching through old pastureland in a now 'top secret' location when his metal detector started beeping.

He started digging and quickly uncovered a .22 lead bullet.

Thinking that was that, he was about to move on — but his detector was "insistent" there was something else further down.

Located under 30 centimetres of wash under about 15 centimetres of clay was the whopping gold nugget, which has since been named You Wouldn't Believe It... 

Here is that link.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-27/gold-nugget-found-in-ballarat-by-retiree/11353044

---

We are still having nice big tides, but little surf on the Treasure Coast.

From the National Hurricane Center:

A westward-moving tropical wave located about 300 miles east of the
central Lesser Antilles continues to produce an area of cloudiness
and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are forecast to become
less conducive during the next couple of days, and significant
development of this system is not anticipated.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...10 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...low...10 percent.

I'd still keep an eye on that one.  It has plenty of time yet.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

2/9/19 Report - Great Treasure Coast Eye-Ball Find This Week. Beach Conditions. Bigger Surf Coming.

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

Emerald Found This Week On Treasure Coast

Find and photo by Joe R.

Here is what Joe said.

Eyeballed this in the surf line Mon. 2/4

2.10 carets.

My jeweler confirmed it is an emerald.

Thanks Joe.  Great find!

In the past I've posted several emeralds eye-balled on Treasure Coast beaches.

Here is an excerpt from a 2106 article about some fantastic shipwreck emerald finds.


… An exciting feature of the collection is a clutch of cut gems found on the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, a galleon bound for Spain in 1622 which sank off the Florida Keys while heavily laden with copper, silver, gold, tobacco, gems, jewels and indigo.

The ships had sailed from Spanish ports at Cartagena and Porto Bello in New Granada (current Colombia and Panama, respectively) and Havana, Cuba.

In 2014, the Atocha was added to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most valuable shipwreck to be recovered, as it was carrying roughly 40 tonnes of gold and silver, and 70 pounds (32 kg) of emeralds which are treasured for their deep, clear green...

And here is the link if you want to read the entire article.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/16/rare-emeralds-found-400-year-old-shipwreck-expected-fetch-millions/

---

I took a look at some South Hutchinson Island beaches this afternoon.  The beaches were as ugly as the weather was beautiful.

John Brooks Saturday Afternoon.

John Brooks Beach Saturday Afternoon.

As you can see there was some beach-front filling and some seaweed washed up.  You can still see the old cliff face though.  There were also Portuguese Man-O-War washing up.

Near low tide was a few scattered shells in a flat area and then a small dip in front of the beach.

Fort Pierce South Jetty Park Saturday Afternoon.

The beaches that I looked at besides John Brooks all looked pretty similar.

Fort Pierce South Jetty Beach Saturday Afternoon.

MagicSeaWeed is still predicting a five to seven foot surf tomorrow (Sun.).

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

12/1/18 Report - Tips and Techniques for Finding Paper Money and Other Valuable Papers. News on the Atocha And Santa Margarita Sites.

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

Unidentified Paper Money Found in Pages of Old Book.

After Thanksgiving I told about finding a ten dollar bill on the floor of a restaurant.  I remembered that when I woke up this morning and started thinking about other times I found paper money.  There were actually quite a few, and there were even times when I set out to find paper money.

Of course, you don't do that with a metal detector.  There are, however, things you can do that will increase the probability of finding paper money.  One is being generally alert.  But there are also specific strategies for different times and places.

Finding paper money is one aspect of what I call eye-balling. Years ago I wrote an article about that for a treasure hunting magazine.  It was either Lost Treasure, Treasure, or Western and Eastern Treasures.  I forget which one right now.

I once found a twenty dollar bill while driving through the parking lot in front of a Bealls store.  You can find stuff while driving.  I once saw a watch on the street while driving.  I drove up to it, stopped, opened the door and picked it up.

I won't mention all the bottles, rings and other treasures that I've found visually, but will get back to paper money.  There are some places where you have a decent chance of finding paper money.

I always liked to search the grounds after a carnival, circus or fair. You could always find a good number of coins right after they left, and most of them would be on top of the ground so you could find a lot of them visually, but also there was also a good chance of finding paper money.

The best place to check at a fair grounds was the fence line on the down wind side.  Usually the fence line would also have a bunch of weeds that would help trap blown paper money.

At the beach I've found paper money in the seaweed along the seaweed line.

A lot of wind or big surf helps you chances.

There aren't so many of them out there anymore, but people used to leave cigarette packages on the beach.  I would always check out packages like that for any money.  There would occasionally be a folded bill stuffed inside.

I've also found paper money while metal detecting in the water.  I remember one time when a bill came floating by about a foot deep in the water.  It wasn't real easy to see.

There was also a dip in about six feet of water in front of one beach-side hotel where bills often collected.

Of course, paper money can be found in with coin caches.  

I used to stop at a thrift store to buy old and collectible books.  I once found a ten dollar bill in between the pages of a book I bought.

A lot of good things can be found in between the pages of old books.  Old calling cards, autographed papers, tickets, etc.

One of my favorites was the business card of Hoagie Carmichael Jr., which was in a book written by him.  I purchased the autographed book on building a fly rod for a dollar and sold it for around $125, as I recall.

I've also found very nice old photos in books, including one showing a some people in the old long bathing suits at a New Jersey beach.  It looked like it was from the twenties or thirties.  Also some nice wedding and other photos.

Old Photo Postcard Found Between Pages of An Old Book.

The clown postcard shown above was found in an old book.  It has the typical postcard look with the space for stamp and everything on the other side, but it also appears to have the name of the person (Charles H...).

Another favorite book find included a religious card with a small cloth relic attached.

Outdoors, consider the wind and water and where paper will evntually be trapped.

Indoors, consider anyplace where paper can be stuffed away for safe keeping.  Old books are one of my favorites.

---

Recent calmer weather allowed a lot of salvage activity down around Key West.

The crew of the Dare has been trying to determine if there might be another debris trail on the Atocha site.  In the process they found a couple silver coins and a few EOs.

On the Margarita site, the Sea Reaper was searching for a missing section of the Santa Margarita.  There are about 22 chests of coins missing, including about 80 thousand pieces of eight.  They found a silver coin, musket balls and lead sheathing while searching.

Doug Pope has made an agreement with the Fishers, and the Polly-L be working with the Fisher organization again on the Santa Margarita site.  The Polly-L worked on the Margarita site back in the early 2000s and found a 40 carat uncut Colombian emerald.  It was the only emerald ever found on the Santa Margarita wreck site.  It was found in a conch shell.

Source: email from the Fisher organization.

---

Let me know if you can identify the partial bill shown at the top of the page.

It looks like we'll have south winds and less than a two foot surf for a few days.  We might have something bigger after that.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net