12/11/14 Report - A Variety of Really Nice Recent Land Finds. Take A Look.

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



Find and Photo by Dan B.

Here is a cool find by Dan B.  It is an antique toy Texaco railroad tank car. 

It has several things going for it as a collectible.  It would be of interest to old toy collectors, railroad enthusiasts and those interested in petroliana. 

That wasn't all Dan found, but it is one of my favorites.


Here are some more of Dan's finds at the site.

Miscellaneous Finds by Dan B.

Here is a photo of some of Dan's finds.  Notice the toy tank car near the brown bottle at the top left.

Also, there are a couple of embossed pepsin syrup bottles.

Some of the small metal objects look interesting too.

Here is one of those.   

Find and Photo by Michael E.

Michael E. has been doing a lot of land hunting around the Treasure Coast area and making a lot  lot of interesting finds.   Here are some that he listed -  1909 wheat non Vdb, 1905 Indian, a dozen smaller buckles and suspender clips, shield fob with the outline of where a swastika was attached. 1932 Washington hatchet stick pin, amid some other brooch and hat decor.  Concerning a backyard hunt by he and William M., Micheal said, it seems like we dug hundreds of bullets. William recovered a 1902 Indian, and I recovered a version 2, currently unable to see date shield nickel.

To the left is one of those finds.  Very nice.  Congratulations Michael!

And below is a FOB with the imprint of a swastika.  Again, very nice find Michael.  Congratulations! 

I wanted to show some of the older things that people have been digging around the Treasure Coast.  I planned on posting some of these earlier but had to show the big waves yesterday.

Find and Photo by Michael E.

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

11/11/14 Report - Detecting Up North On A Quick Trip. Decoder Mystery Solved. Orphan Annie Radio Program. Fort Pierce Shark Attack.

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

Center of Dug Mystery Item Reading ROASS

There are many types of treasure, and different people have a passion for different types.  Some love glitzy modern gold, others old rusty relics, and others fossils or meteorites.  To some extent you are limited by where you live, but you can always travel.  Gas prices have decreased lately, making travel a little more economical.

As you probably know the Treasure Coast beaches have not been giving up much his year.  We just haven't had much erosion and a lot of the beaches have been smothered by tons of renourishment sand in recent years.

I like all kinds of treasure.  Sometimes I like rusty relics as much  as glitzy gold, especially when they provide an interesting connection to a time, place or person.  And sometimes I just like exploring, seeing what is there and learning a little about what happened at a location in the past.

Well not too long ago I made a quick trip up north.  It is an area that has a lot of personal history for me as well as a lot of old pioneer history.  I've written a little about it before.

On this particular trip, I sent an Ace 250 along ahead by U. S. mail.  It is light and doesn't cost much to send, and I'd rather send it than fool with baggage or carry-on luggage.  It costs about $15 dollars to send it by U. S. mail.  I don't worry so much about shipping the inexpensive Ace.

On this trip, I didn't send it early enough and it arrived later than expected, so I lost a little detecting time.  Nonetheless, I did get good use out of it and had some fun.

The area had been detected before, but I decided to focus on coins because I found some nice old coins there on my last trip and figured there would be more.  First I spent a little time hunting a yard which had been hunted fairly well in the past, just to see what was still there.  I didn't find any coins in the well hunted yard, but decided to dig a few other types of targets.

I got a confusing signal.   It appeared to be either an unusual shape or multiple targets close together.  The signal also told me it was composed of more than one type of metal.  

The mail man didn't come until late and it was already starting to get dark.  I dug the first piece and didn't have enough light to see what it was.  I could just tell that it was an unusual shape.  It was also covered with dirt.

There was more in the ground so I dug up the other part.  It was covered with mud, and I couldn't tell what it was either.

When I went inside and cleaned the objects off I could tell what it was.  It was a decoder badge, and on the top was the date 1936.

I talked to my mom on the phone and she said she had a Jack Armstrong decoder badge in 1936.  She told me about how there were a few radio programs that used things like that and one was the Jack Armstrong mystery program.  She said the program came on at 5;30 on Saturdays (evidently a memorable event for her) and my grandfather picked some other people up to come to their house to listen to the radio some evenings. 

You could get the badge by sending in a part of a cereal box and a coin of some denomination.  As part of the program they would give you a coded message, which you could decode by using the decoder.

After a quick internet search I learned that the decoder I just dug was not a Jack Armstrong decoder, but rather an Orphan Annie decoder badge.

The decoder I found was made in 1936, the second year that the radio program issued them, and was not a cereal box promotion, but was offered by Ovaltine.  You might remember Ovaltine, but I don't think many of you will remember the Orphan Annie radio program.  I remember Ovaltine.

Here is a link for more information on the Orphan Annie radio program and the various decoders they used.

http://www.radioarchives.com/Little_Orphan_Annie_p/ra005.htm

ROASS stood for Radio Orphan Annie Secret Society.  (See photo at top of post.)

Here are the two pieces of the decoder uncleaned.  The front has numbers around it and the second piece has letters that show up in the numbered windows when it is assembled.

The second picture shows the back and the secret compartment.  The pin that was on the back of the badge is now gone.

The secret compartment is about big enough to hold a penny or small folded piece of paper.

After applying 3 in 1 to the secret compartment I was able to slide it open.  I was really hoping something would be in it.  It would have been really neat if it held a piece of paper with a child's message.  It was empty though.  Too bad.

We know the name of the family that had two girls of the right age that lived in the area at the time and intend to do a little research on that.

That was one fun find.  Not valuable at all, but fun.

Tomorrow or some time soon, I'll post finds that are around 2000 years old from the same trip.


On the Treasure Coast the surf will be calm most of the week.   Not much new there.

Do be careful.  A surfer got seriously injured by a shark attack near the Fort Pierce inlet.  Here is that link.

http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_20366.shtml

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

11/2/14 Report - Excellent Seated Quarter Found. More On The Hardee Hat Pin Find. 17th Century Hoard. Increasing Surf.

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

I always like to celebrate first finds, and I have a picture of one recently made by one of the friends of this blog.

He said, Wow!  I just found this Seated Liberty Quarter a few hours ago.  Can't say that I ever expected to find a US coin this old and in this condition in Florida.

It is my first Seated Liberty coin and my oldest US coin find.

You've said it before and I've found it personally to be true, that once you find something the odds improve on finding another.  I sure hope so in this case.

Great find!  Thanks for sharing.

---------------------------------

Here is a great little video showing a hoard of 17h Century artifacts that were found in a sealed space under a stone floor.

The video presents some good information and shows a lot of artifacts. 

Here is the link.   I think you'll enjoy it.

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/hoard-of-17th-century-artefacts-found-at-rathfarnham-castle-1.1982372

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This picture showing the Hardee Hat Pin as it would have been worn, was sent by Christopher P.

Jeff C., who found he dug Hardee pin that I showed the other day had his to say about he find.

When I found it i didn't know what it was .  It felt so light and tinny I thought it was from some kids toy.. Then one day while researching some buttons I had found I saw the exact eagle clutching arrows and realized it was a union soldiers hat pin... Just wanted you to know its story.

That happens.  Hang onto nice items when you are not sure of the identity.  It can make a big difference when you clean or sell or display them.   In time you might learn enough to completely change your opinion.

--------------------------

We're getting close to a time when I'll be able to tell you about one exciting project that I didn't have permission to describe yet.

Some of the snow birds are back.

We don't have any tropical activity to watch now.  For you Florida natives, you might be thinking more of Polar activity with this cool air.

The surf has begun to increase a little, but only up to about three feet today.   The wind is from the North.  The surf will increase a couple more feet the next couple of days.  Maybe that will help some.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net.

9/30/13 Report - 450-Year-Old Shipwreck Being Salvaged, Dug Tampa City Hall Badge & More

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

Dug Badge
Find and Photo by William M.

First, here is the TBR Find of the Day (FOD).

William M. recently dug this old badge. Very nice dug item!  Great condition.

William went off beach for this find.  That is a good thing to do sometimes, especially when you have a good idea on a place to hunt and the beaches have been stale.

Way to go William!

I did a quick google search but didn't find this particular item yet.  

If you find out more about it, let me know.




A similar type of item was sold by the police benevolent society during the 2012 Republican National Convention.

Below is a picture of that modern fund-raising badge, which shows the Tampa city hall.

William's dug badge probably goes back to the early 1900s.

Here is the source link for the picture of the modern version.

http://tampapba.org/pba-news/tampa-police-rnc-2012-badges-coins-lapel-pins-and-sets/


I received an email from a female detectorist saying that she felt limited in her detecting because she didn't want to detect alone in isolated locations.  She was wondering about safety measures and any tips that anyone might be able to offer.

Many men prefer to have a hunting buddy, and that is certainly a good idea for a lot of reasons.  I think it would also be a very good idea for women detectorists.

I thought maybe some of you female detectorists, might provide some thoughts on safety or maybe get together for some buddy hunting.    Let me know.


There is only one day remaining to respond to the blog poll.  The early results seem to be suggesting some interesting things that have a practical significance for our hobby.  

Please respond to the poll if you haven't already.


Which is more valuable -  rare 15th and 16th century silver coins or pewter tableware of the same age?   You might be surprised.

A Florida based treasure hunting company is salvaging a 450-year-old shipwreck near the Dominican Republic and has found 15th and 16th century silver coins and a 16th century pewter tableware set complete with maker's marks.  The tableware is valued at millions of dollars.

Here are links that provide access to more of that story.

http://www.eturbonews.com/37855/divers-find-unexpected-treasures-shipwreck-dominican-republic


http://wrbw.membercenter.worldnow.com/story/23418372/divers-find-unexpected-treasures-among-coins-in-shipwreck-off-dominican-republic



The National Hurricane Center storm map shows nothing new.  The same two areas are shown with little change in position or strength.

On the Treasure Coast we are supposed to get a 2 - 3 foot surf for a few days now before the surf decreases a little.

The tides are still relatively flat.  The low tides have been pretty high lately.

Please respond to the poll, let me know if any of you women might want to form a buddy list or have any other good ideas, and let me know if you find anything on William's dug badge.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

6/23/11 Report - Copper Sheeting and Stuff

Two Pieces of Copper Sheeting Found Recently on Treasure Coast Beaches.

There is a small piece of copper sheeting from a 1715 Fleet wreck that is for sale on eBay. I didn't think it would get a bid, but it has two bids already.

I point this out because a lot of people only look for coins or gold and silver artifacts. Some people tend to disregard other things they find that actually have value even if they don't realize it.

The item on eBay is item number 320717272415. You might like to read the listing. It has documentation on where it was found and who it was found by. It is the provenance, as they say, that makes the item more valuable.

I recommend keeping all unidentified items, even if they are as uninspiring as a piece of copper sheeting. If you read about the fossil bone that I mentioned yesterday, it was sitting in a collection gathering dust for a long time before the carving was discovered. Then it became world famous. If the carving wasn't noticed and studied, it would have been just another old bone, worth nothing.

Keep unidentified finds. Eventually some information might pop up that will give you some important clues about the item or the shipwreck that it came from. Take unidentified items out once in a while and look them over. Sometimes a proper cleaning will also turn up marks that will help you identify either the item or the date and source of the item.

If you can document the item to a particular shipwreck site it will have value. Someone will find it interesting and maybe you can create a nice display for it. Don't be too quick to throw miscellaneous artifacts like that away.

The larger sheet in the photo above is much larger than the one listed on eBay. The smaller sheet on top has a square nail hole, which provides a clue to its age.

Carefully inspect all artifacts for any marks that might provides some information.


Kovels Komments reports, A Minneapolis bottle collector, Mary Shanesy, found a cache of 90 pre-Prohibition bottles when her house was being remodeled, according to a story in Bottles and Extras magazine (May-June 2011). The bottles were hidden in about 1917, just before the Prohibition era (1920-1933). Shanesy had some of the bottles auctioned to benefit the Hennepin History Museum. That evening the crowd at the auction not only watched the bottles sell, but also tasted some gin, brandy, and whiskey bottled before 1911. The bottles sold for extra high prices because the money was for the historical society. What a nice thing for a bottle collector to do.


Did you know you can find unclaimed money. Maybe there is some waiting for you. I found some.

If you live in Florida, here is the link to use.

http://www.fltreasurehunt.org/index.jsp


Some detectors are a lot heavier than others. The Whites Dual Field feels about half as heavy as the Excalibur, for example.

If you want to hunt long hours, you might consider weight when selecting a detector.

Weight isn't the only thing. It is often a matter of weight distribution. If the weight is distributed well, the detector doesn't feel near as heavy.

Of course you can also mount the control box on your belt which can be worth doing.

In the water weight is not as important because the water will carry some of the weight.

There are slings and counter-weights and other approaches too.

One thing you should do is adjust your pole length. Having it either too short or too long will reduce comfort and wear you out.

Take a few minutes to check and adjust your pole length the next time out.


A nice one-of-a-kind medieval silver badge was found by a detectorist in England.

Here is the link to the story.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9099072.Metal_detector_s__amazing_find__in_Ribble_Valley_field/


Someone asked me about some legalities. I don't like to comment on legalities, first because I am not an attorney, and secondly because it is difficult to summarize complex laws accurately even when you understand them.

Use you head. Even if you know the law in great detail, you could still get in trouble if some over-zealous official runs amuck. Being right won't always keep you out of trouble.

Do your best to obey all applicable laws, rules and regulations, but exercise a little judgement on top of that.

Don't be afraid to ask the authorities when you have questions. If it is a state or national park, for example, ask first. And do what they say even if it isn't 100% in line with the law.

I often tell people to talk to life guards. They will tell you what they will permit you to do in the area that they control. They will often be very helpful, as will other authorities.

Don't make enemies where you can just as easily make friends.


Treasure Coast Beach Forecast and Conditions.

The wind is till from the southeast and the seas calm. Therefore, there is no change in conditions to report.

The seas will be a little rougher next week, but still calm.

There is nothing to report in the tropics yet either.

The beach is till poor but the water fine.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net